Picture this scenario: You're attending an important business meeting and begin to sweat. Sweating is a completely normal bodily function that's designed to keep you cool by controlling your temperature. When you get hot, you'll sweat to release heal through your skin's pores. Unfortunately, though, this otherwise normal bodily function can leave you with unsightly wet spots on your dress shirt, suit jacket or trousers. Therefore, it's important to follow some basic steps to minimize sweating when wearing a suit. You can't prevent your body from sweating, but there are ways to control it, even if you're wearing a two- or three-piece formal men's suit.
Choose a Linen Suit
You'll sweat less when wearing a suit made of linen than other fabrics. Consisting of fibers harvested from the flax plant, linen is lightweight and breathable. These properties allow you to stay cool while wearing a linen suit. Your body will release heat more effectively while wearing a linen suit because of its lightweight, breathable properties. As a result, you are less likely to sweat while wearing a suit. And if you happen to sweat, you'll probably sweat less than you would while wearing a suit made of a different fabric.
Leave the Jacket Unbuttoned
Another tip to wearing a suit without sweating is to leave the jacket unbuttoned. Some men assume that their suit jacket must be buttoned at all times. While buttoning the front of your suit jacket can help you create a cleaner and more cohesive image, there's no rule stating that you must do this. It's perfectly fine to leave the front of your suit jacket unbuttoned, and doing so will help you stay cool and comfortable. If you're going to button your suit jacket, remember to leave the bottom button undone. The golden rule of buttoning a suit jacket is to leave the bottom-most button undone. If your suit jacket features three buttons, for example, fasten the top and middle buttons while leaving the bottom button undone.
Wear a Thin Dress Shirt
The thickness of your dress shirt can affect whether or not you sweat while wearing a suit. Wearing a thick dress shirt can protect you from the cold winter weather. But during spring and summer, thinner dress shirts are recommended because of their ability to keep you cool. You can't go wrong with a linen or lightweight cotton dress shirt, both of which are easy to pair with a high-quality suit. Most importantly, linen and lightweight cotton are breathable fabrics that keep you cool and comfortable even in hot environments.
Choose a Bow Tie
If you're faced with the option of wearing a necktie or bow tie, stick with the latter. Thick, heavy neckties add a substantial amount of fabric to your outfit that can make you feel hotter. A bow tie, on the other hand, is a small suit accessory that has little or no affect on your comfort levels. Best of all, bow ties are easily to wear, requiring nothing than a basic clipping in place. You may struggle for a half-hour trying to put on a necktie, but you can easily snap on a bow tie in just a few seconds.
Avoid Dark-Colored Suits
Conventional wisdom should lead you to believe that wearing a dark-colored suit will increase your risk of sweating. Dark colors, including black and indigo blue, absorb more heat than light colors. If you wear a dark-colored suit outdoors under the hot summer sun for any extended length of time, you'll probably sweat. You can reduce your risk of sweating, however, by wearing a light-colored suit. You don't have to necessarily wear a white suit, but you should consider wearing a suit in a light tone like gray or sky blue. Along with the other tips listed here, this will help to protect you from sweating.
Skip the Vest
It's not uncommon for men to wear a vest with their suit. Also known as a waistcoat, it's the added garment that's found in a three-piece suit but not a two-piece suit. The vest is typically worn over the dress shirt and necktie but under the suit jacket. If you have a tendency to sweat while wearing a suit, though, you should probably omit this garment from your outfit. Wearing a vest adds more fabric to your chest, which can cause you to overheat and, therefore, sweat.
Wear an Undershirt
Wearing an undershirt won't prevent you from sweating, nor will it reduce the amount of perspiration that your body produces. Nonetheless, wearing one can help conceal moisture stains if you do sweat. If you sweat, your undershirt will absorb your perspiration instead of your suit. This means that your suit shouldn't have visible perspiration stains. The key thing to remember is that you should choose a dress shirt with a v-neck cut so that it's not visible from the outside.
Ditch the Jacket
Of course, you can always take off your suit if you feel uncomfortably hot. If you're working in the office and begin to feel hot, don't be afraid to take off your suit jacket. Unless your employer has a strict dress code that specifically prohibits workers from removing or not wearing a suit jacket, you can take off this garment to stay cool and comfortable. Just remember to place your suit jacket in a safe area where you won't forget it. There's nothing worse than taking off your suit jacket off for a few minutes, only to leave it behind, thereby forcing you to buy a new suit jacket.
Drink Water
Finally, don't forget to drink lots of water if you are worried about sweating. Staying hydrated is essential to protecting against overheating. When you don't drink enough water, your body will begin to overheat. To protect against this phenomenon, you must drink plenty of water throughout the day. This will keep your body temperature under control, reducing the risk of sweating while wearing a suit.
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