Dress suggestions for 30C humid heat

[pastypotatoes]

Going on holiday to Asia in a couple weeks. The weather will be a consistent 30C with high humidity. I'll be travelling and walking around a lot, so not looking for a 'showy resort hotel' type dress.

I'm in search of some suitable dresses, but not sure what would be best in the heat?

I'm a 5'4 hourglass. Size 8, but with very flabby arms and legs due to significant weight loss. Tie waist / or something that highlights the waist is preferable

No spaghetti straps or cap sleeves. But I do prefer a short or 3/4 length sleeve, although not sure if I'll end up suffering in the heat with that. Something light and airy.

I'd prefer a dress that falls just below the knee of longer. Lighter pastel colours work best on me (no bright bold colours like red, oranges, green, etc).

No shorts.

Budget up to £150

Suggestions please!

@kitchenhelprequired
love your user name- are we allowed to pick up our helpers and bring them back on this jaunt to TM to escape the rainy UK..?! If so, I'll meet you in Starbucks 😂

I always found linen and sleeveless (not my favourite choice) best for staying comfortable. I've discovered over the years that if I have no sleeve I stay much cooler.

Thin cotton in light colours to reflect the heat rather than absorb it. Absolutely no synthetics.
And having lived in such climates, I’d advise long and loose - covered up rather than having the sun beating down on your skin.

A lot of English linen will be too heavy for Asia. Unless it's sleeveless & very light like the Fat face linen dress I bought from Tk Maxx last year. The exception is wide cropped trousers in a linen/cotton mix as an alternative to shorts which I've always found incredibly useful travelling around Asia.
I agree that sleeveless items are definitely cooler as air circulates around your armpits.

Wow, thanks for all the replies! Some great suggestions here.

I've purchased a knee length linen one from H&M and will try to get another one or two based off of the links. I completely forgot about LaRedoute as well.

I purchased the knee length because I know we'll be walking around a lot and climbing stairs and often the bottoms of longer dresses I've got end up getting very dirty because I'm so short.

I'll bring a combination of long and short, and also look to see if I can purchase some there.

If you've got sleeveless items and are doing cultural sightseeing, don't forget to take a lightweight wrap with you. Flashing your shoulders seems to be forbidden across much of Asia.

I don't like showing my arms (crepe) either but find sleeveless is cooler. I use a large cotton square scarf as a wrap to keep the sun off my skin (I burn) and to cover up my arms (crepe bits). It acts as a cooling layer.

I found that linen or gathered cotton trousers were cool because I didn't get my thighs chafing together with sweat. Avoid nylon/polyester knickers. Granny apple pickers in cotton are more comfy (TMI).

Avoid polyester (boil in the bag) and shirring elastic on bodices (the rubber makes you extra hot). Although viscose is made from wood pulp, I find it too hot - maybe because wood has insulating properties - same for bamboo.
Go for silk, lightly woven linen, cotton or silk. Flared, flounces and loose. As PP said look at what local people wear and buy some in the market/ shops.
If you're really hot, try wetting a cotton scarf with cold water from a thermos and wrap it round the back of your neck. Cologne sometimes helps too.

I've just ordered a airism dress. Going back to Greece in September.

Thanks for starting this thread @pastypotatoes 🙂

www.primark.com/en-gb/p/voile-v-neck-midi-dress-green-991105115414

Would definitely opt for a linen jumpsuit rather than a dress. The humidity can make your thighs rub in a dress!

It wasn't this exact dress as the sleeves were different but I wore this so often on my last beach holiday to Asia - v easy just to throw on top of a costume or wear separately

www.boden.co.uk/en-gb/embroidered-jersey-short-dress/sty-d0970

The white version rather than the pink of the Boden dress 😂

Hush also has some nice cotton sun dresses with arms

No recommendations but just make sure the material is correct, avoid polyester as that will make you much hotter. Cotton and linen would be best I think!

Love these dresses. Thanks for the link - I've never seen them before. Turkey in September.

Linen 100% - 👍 I wouldn’t swap the weather - don’t do humidity or heat - !

Where in Asia? Any issues around modesty? Mosquitos?

In Sri Lanka I lived in loose linen trousers and vest tops with a couple of large thin shawls or thin linen shirts to cover my shoulders in temples etc. Dresses weren't much cop for going round the sights (too much climbing and /or modesty requirements) but were OK for beach days! Also definitely needed full coverage for the damn mozzies in the evenings.

@MakeJamNotWar they are fab and wash really well. The store is all laid out by colour and absolutely fab.

Linen is far too heavy for this time of year. Wait until you are there and buy clothes in lawn cotton, it's far cooler. You need to be fairly well covered for the sun protection, mosquitos and local culture.

Linen is itchy, I agree with lawn cotton. I’m from the sub-continent and we live in the stuff.

I have just come back from Borneo and wore linen from Boden and found that fine out there. I had long sleeve knee lengths dresses and long sleeve tops which I wore with cotton shorts, dresses and tops were loose. Also have a craghoppers shirt which is supposed to repel insects and some thin Acai trousers but wore them on plane.

Had this dress, knee length on me.

https://www.boden.co.uk/en-gb/cleo-embroidered-linen-dress/sty-d0888

And this top, wore with shorts.

https://www.boden.co.uk/en-gb/ava-embroidered-top/sty-t1524

I would consider having shorts. Sitting eating street food, different transport like tuk tuks or boats, chub rub all means I have shorts in my case when travelling.

I live in Asia it’s currently humid and hot as hell. I know you want to show off your waist but loose cotton or linen dresses are the absolute most comfortable. Uniqlo has some linen blend dresses that are practical.