The modern day suit was popularised by British dandy, George "Beau" Brummell, in the early nineteenth century and spread gradually until it became fairly commonplace as business attire throughout western civilisation and ultimately worldwide.
It's a classic, professional look and entirely appropriate for most northern hemisphere weather. However, in Hong Kong and other tropical climates in Asia, the heat and humidity can turn a suit into your own little summer greenhouse as you race from one air-conditioned office to the next. Read on for six great tips to stay cool and look sharp this summer.
1. Take a hint from the locals as you hustle past - and slow down. Sure, their languid walking style might get them to their destination ten minutes after you, but they arrive cool as a cucumber while you're pooling sweat. Enjoy the commute and you'll also arrive mentally refreshed as well.
2. Stay hydrated. This starts with having a cool drink before you leave the house, with studies showing lower core body temperatures as long as 45 minutes later plus lower sweat rates. In humid conditions, the evaporative cooling effect from sweat is much lower as the air can't hold much more water.
3. There's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes. It's summer so why aren't you using summer fabrics? Top to tail, it's all about breathable and lightweight. Swap your tweed, wool and cashmere for linen, cotton and, if you must, high twist wools like fresco, and go for unlined or half-lined if you can.
4. What's on the inside counts, so keep your junk comfortable in a pair of T8 Commando underwear. They are incredibly lightweight, breathable and will wick away any funky moisture, perfect for summer. As an added benefit, balls function optimally at 31-36°C so keeping them cool will help maintain testosterone levels and sperm quality.
5. Lose the jacket and tie. Dress standards are a little more relaxed in Asia so it's no biggie to wear an open-neck shirt to a business meeting. If you can't escape the tie and jacket, ditch them for the commute and put them on when you arrive.
6. Keep an emergency kit at your desk, with extra shirts, face wipes to freshen up, your fave cologne, and aluminium-free deodorant. The aluminium causes yellow sweat stains. A pocket square or handkerchief is also great to dab away excess sweat while elevating any suit.
