Survival Guide: How to Dress for Humid Weather

You've been there—stepping out of your house in a cute outfit, only for it to be completely ruined by sweat, sweat, and more sweat on that first 90-degree day. Trust us: You're not alone. Aside from simply wearing nothing, it seems almost impossible to look your best in the heat of summer. But surviving without sacrificing your style is doable—if you dress smartly.

To pinpoint exactly what we mean, we enlisted celeb stylists Jen Rade and Alex Sweterlitsch to give their expert tips on exactly what to wear for humid weather.

Keep scrolling to make the next few months a little more bearable for you.

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"Stick to shapes that fall away from the body. The less fabric touching your skin, the cooler you'll feel," Sweterlitsch said. 

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"Avoid synthetic fabrics at all costs; they'll cling and stick and make you miserable," Sweterlitsch said.

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"I say this as a girl who wears black almost daily, but it really helps to avoid dark colours when it's blazing-hot outside. Think like the Navy and invest in some 'summer whites.' A nice white fit-and-flare dress with colourful ballet flats or sandals is cute for work or a weekend afternoon. Prints are also great at hiding sweat marks," Rade said.

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"It matters what shoes you choose—heat escapes through our heads and our feet, so opt for canvas shoes if you have to wear closed-toe. Otherwise, wear chic sandals as much as possible," Sweterlitsch said.

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"Dresses and tops with cutouts are not only fun but they have built-in ventilation," Rade said. 

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"Avoid tight jeans! Try lightweight denim in looser shapes like boyfriend or wide-leg to keep cool," Rade said. 

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"Sports bras are great for wicking moisture from the skin, and bras can be SO hot and irritating in the summer. Plus a cute, colourful one can be layered under a linen blouse or a chambray shirt," Rade said.

Bobby Schuessler
Market Director

Bobby Schuessler is a fashion editor with over a decade of editorial experience covering shopping, style, and beauty. He's spent over seven years at Who What Wear, currently leading the market team to deliver highly covetable and convertible content. He creates data-driven shopping guides featuring top retialers like Nordstrom, Shopbop, and Net-a-Porter and is at the forefront of Who What Wear's shopping tentpole strategies, including Amazon Prime Day. He also works on branded content initiatives and appears on camera in video and shopping livestream franchises. He has also worked across a variety of other media brands and fashion retailers like Refinery29, PureWow, Men's Health, and Gilt covering commerce, trend reporting, women's and men's fashion, home, and lifestyle.