Dressing For
Tropical Climates | How To Dress In Vietnam 2021
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Dressing sensibly in Vietnam may not be the first thing you think of, but if your in Vietnam for an extended period, the weather can get hot, sticky, and uncomfortable. I’ve lived in South East Asia in 2018 and know this climate well! I’m going to help you dress right to keep you slick and comfortable.
Vietnam can have intense heat, so you must wear breathable non-synthetic clothing. Also, you can still dress smartly. You don’t need to dress down. If you have a special occasion like a wedding, business meeting, or special event, I can advise you on how to dress to impress.
Your clothing should not be synthetic. Non-synthetic clothing smoothers your skin so it can’t breathe, so you need to be looking at cottons-like madras fabric. This fabric is lovely, light, and doesn’t suffocate your skin.
It helps if you stop tucking your clothing in, pick light colors, and a nice hat. Also, take into consideration U.V. (Ultra Violet) light, which gives sunburn and worse! Sandals are a good idea, but you want nice light cotton socks, not thick winter ones!
After reading this guide, you’ll understand you don’t need to dress like the traditional backpacker. This guide will expand your knowledge, so you don’t feel hot, sweaty, and bothered.
Keep reading to find out what clothing suits Vietnam
What Clothing Is Best For Vietnam
If you’re heading to Vietnam, you want to look at organic fabrics like cotton or linen.
The clothing should be lightweight material with holes in the fabric. The lighter the material, the quicker it dries, which is great for the humid days when you sweat a lot.
I like light wool. Make sure it’s natural. The most common use of wool is in winter clothing, but it works well in hot climates when it’s light.
If you wear heavy fabrics, you’re suffocating your skin and not letting it breathe. This is uncomfortable and not recommended.
There are light and heavy types of cotton. One to avoid is twill (denim) it’s too heavy for the climate. The cotton you should look at is poplin, seersucker, and madras. My favorite is broadcloth cotton, which is lovely and light, letting your skin breathe.
I’m not too fond of synthetic clothing, it’s uncomfortable, but if you like nylon, make sure it’s engineered for sport. If you’re going to go jogging, be warned ,nylon can rub on your skin. This gets uncomfortable, so wear cotton.
How To Dress
The coordination of your clothing is an integral part of picking the right fabrics for you. If you’re wearing cotton T-shirts with a heavy synthetic material blazer, then the clothing doesn’t work.
Most blazers are lined with synthetic materials like polyester, and these don’t circulate air well. The Blazers hold the heat in your clothing, making you uncomfortable. In April, this will feel intense. Try and buy an unlined blazer or buy felt lining (Felt has holes)
Try to look for a looser fit of clothing so the air can get in. Anything baggy won’t work- what you want is a nice linen shirt that’s slightly loose, making you feel nice and breezy.
Tropic Feel offers a great selection of light wear clothing. Look out for summer clothing retailers and bookmark them.
Most people know that dark clothing attracts heat, so look at light colors that reflect light – this will make you cooler.
Other colors still attract the sun, like dark purple, green, and blue, so look for the lighter shades which distract sunlight. The sun is more attracted to darker colors than light.
It’s also said that light colors help with your mood, making you more trendy for the time of year. In cold countries, you wear darker shades, and this adds to the theme of winter.
The colors I recommend are light blue, cream, yellow, and whites. If you want to stand out, then you need to know your summer wardrobe: Blazers, cotton shirts, chinos & sandales.
Breathable Clothing
If you go to Vietnam, especially in April or May, the humidity can get to you, especially for people from a cold country.
It’s important to remember that you want to reflect the heat away from you as much as possible. This way, you will get a nice breeze on your body.
You should maximize air around your body and let moisture leave your body. The fabric should be loose and airy. This will help avoid embarrassing B.O situations.
Most natural materials like cotton or linen help your skin breathe easy. Also, it does a great job of absorbing sweat. As discussed before, I’m not a big fan of nylon. I find it rubs your skin and is not comfortable for gym workouts.
Many tourists fall into the trap of buying light clothing, but this isn’t always breathable. Most plastics are light but not breathable.
Most synthetic fabrics like nylon all say their breathable, but natural materials have always been better. Artificial clothing blocks sweat, and this builds up, making it irritable.
Always a great option is wool. You can buy nice light woolly jumpers that have holes, making it more breezy and comfortable to wear.
BEST Clothing FOR UV Light
You want to look your best whether you’re on holiday or home, but it’s also important to know what protects you from U.V. (Ultraviolet) light and the best clothing for this.
Clothing does have a significant effect on U.V. light—the less skin on display, the better. So think about long sleeve shirts and light baggy pants. If you’re outside for over an hour, you risk sun exposure to the neck and shoulders.
Hats are essential in tropical countries for keeping the sun off your face and neck. It’s worth investing in a perfect cotton hat. Some people also speculate wearing a hat is right for your hair and protects you from U.V. rays.
If your concerned about U.V. rays, then invest in some long sleeve shirts that don’t leave your chest/neck exposed. Also, some breathable cotton pants are great.
Footwear- You want to stay away from boots or leather footwear in Asia. You can buy lightweight trainers that provide a good amount of air to your feet.
Keep away from heavy wool socks and synthetic materials. These will only absorb the sweat and make you uncomfortable and smell. Look out for summer rain socks. Most retail stores will sell these.
Flip flops and sandals let your feet breathe and keep air circulating. Also, they provide ample space, which adds to comfort.
Bu A Light Hat- Hats are excellent at reflecting heat, stopping your body from absorbing so much of the sun. When you’re in Asia, natives carry umbrellas on hot sunny days. This protects you from U.V. light and keeps them shaded.
I recommend hats on scorching days to protect your head. When it’s overcast, there’s not much point in them—the more shaded you on hot days, the better.
Get yourself a nice cotton hat that looks breathable in light fabric color. I recommend straw hats. They look cool and are light.
Get Chinos- I know jeans are comfortable and stylish, but chinos are the way forward in Vietnam.
You can get lightweight jeans, but they are expensive, usually made of Supima cotton. Chinos are made out of cotton and are light, especially ones you can roll-up. Chinos are so relaxed and cool!
Buy lightweight cotton, but make sure you iron for maximum effect. If everyone’s wearing shorts, you should wear chinos, making you stand out!
The Ultimate Clothing- In terms of light, clothing vests are your best option. Also, lightweight waistcoats can work to.
There are some cool vests available they go well with chinos & a shirt. In scorching country, this is what you want! Being Comfortable should be a priority.
I hope you enjoyed my article, being comfortable and stylish is essential. The single most crucial bit of advice is to stay away from synthetic clothing, it’s a waste of time. But be ahead of the game and dress to your best version!
Thanks for the read!
Ian
