Western ware for hot humid climates help needed.

Hello, I'm a transplant to coastal North Carolina from Colorado. I've been here for several years and found out right away my wardrobe was not functional here. My look has always been born of both necessity and just local western style.
Black was a main theme as I worked in both a manufacturing shop and as a musician/staging work. Black jeans, black tea shirt or button down collared shirt, biker harness boots and motorcycle jacket with denim vest over top. Leather cowboy hat most of the time as well.
After a forced early retirement due to an earlier sustained heart injury we moved here for the altitude and slower life. I tried to get a new style more what someone hitting mid 40s should ware when not in need of work clothes but it just doesn't work for me. I'm not comfortable in my own skin dressed this way.
I'm looking for any tips on how to dress in the heat for next year in a western style while being appropriate for my age 46. My biggest issues are pants and my boots being too hot. I'm just lost as what I can do to stay cool without wearing shorts and sandals.

Whoops Western "wear".

The Mick said:

I'm looking for any tips on how to dress in the heat for next year in a western style while being appropriate for my age 46. My biggest issues are pants and my boots being too hot. I'm just lost as what I can do to stay cool without wearing shorts and sandals.

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I'd say lighten up the pants ... both in terms of colour and fabric weight.

You can get jeans made of thinner fabric, or skip that and look for casual linen/cotton blend pants.

Dunno about the boots.

(You will have to make some compromises or changes in your wardrobe for your new climate ... I like that you don't want to just "give up" and wear shorts and sandals; good, keep your individual style ... but adjust it for the location.)

I did give up for awhile, shorts and sandals, not happy with it.
Old me was rocker, biker, cowboy. But now older retired (early as it is) the more rocker, biker part needs to go but not full on cowboy.
I've found shirts that work for me, but pants have me at a loss. I could go with some not to dressy leather shoes with thin socks.

Here is the old me.

The pants are cetainly the tough part here. Try for some light weight khakis/chinos. Medium browns/tans would be better colors than black, but whatever works. Luckily, in NC, you could get away with wearing cowboy boots with your khakis if desired. Outside of that, luck for a casual slip on that you can either wear without socks or with.

One other option to look at when it comes to the pants is some golf pants. They are often light weight and made with moisture wicking/breathing material. Cut like khakis, they could be worn with boots in places like NC.

Nice guitar!

I'm just guessing that you don't want to necessarily go full preppy considering the tats and previous lifestyle.

I would check out lightweight denim, which might cost a bit more vs department store stuff, but it should be a lot more comfortable. And if you spend a bit more money on well-made jeans and don't wash them as frequently, they can last a lot longer and even out the costs.

Similarly, there are lightweight chinos available if you wanted something a bit more dressy or with a bit more color. And you can also try and find some linen or linen blend pants as well.

For shirts, look for thinner polos and lightweight button downs. For the latter, there are linen and linen blend that will be lighter weight.

Shoes, I'd have a few options. For casual wear, some canvas slip ons (like Vans) or espadrilles (like Toms). A little nicer, some venetian loafers. And I'd get a pair of sleek chukka boots as well.

Can't help you with the hat as I don't wear them.

This is the kind of fit I have in my head:



Starts with the jeans and tee shirt. You can swap the shoes for slip ons and ditch the jacket for a casual look. Keep the nicer shoes and swap the tee for a button down for semi-casual. Swap the jeans for chinos and go with a polo. Dressed to kill, keep the black jeans, swap the shoes for black leather chukkas, grab a black button down. Etc.

The Mick said:

Here is the old me.

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I think this guy has the hot and humid Western Wear down solid.

^^^Hahaha! I don't think that would go over too well in these parts, but that's what I feel like doing in the heat here for sure.

I was looking at chinos as well. I tried some on before but I think I will need to take them somewhere to get fitted right for me. This would be a first for me but my body is changing at this age and things just don't fit me off the rack anymore. I had not thought about golf pants but that makes since.

Hats aren't an issue for me so much. I did try a fedora and do like it, but find it too dressy for me most of the time. I've got my Akubra for the cooler months just need a straw hat for summer.

Would you think some casual leather shoes work with a light colored straw cowboy hat?

I just don't want to go into next summer with the goofy tourist look I've somehow managed to acquire these last few years out of haste to stay cool. Seriously it ended in cargo shorts and Teva sandals. Cool, yes. Flattering, no.

Seriously what happened to this guy, don't mind the shirt, it's on stage and all

I've personally never seen a cowboy hat paired with anything other than boots. Perhaps others have. If you just like the wide brim, you could try something like a Tilley hat, which should be fine with leather shoes.

Yeah, didn't think so. Cowboy hat has to stay, so I'll have to figure out a summer boot that will work for me.

ByMyBeard said:

I've personally never seen a cowboy hat paired with anything other than boots. Perhaps others have. If you just like the wide brim, you could try something like a Tilley hat, which should be fine with leather shoes.

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Growing up in NE Louisiana back in the early 60's I saw plenty of western hats worn with dress shoes, wing tips, ect. Not so much the big rodeo styles you see so much of today but more the smaller Open Road style.

Look ok at panama hats.comand you can find plenty of non western styles, mostly fedoras but some planter styles that are well suited for costal NC., I wear some here in E Texas and get ore appreciative comments about them than for the common western styles.

The Mick said:

Yeah, didn't think so. Cowboy hat has to stay, so I'll have to figure out a summer boot that will work for me.

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Well, one thing I learned about keeping warm in the winter ... bear with me, this makes sense ... is that it's more important to insulate your legs well than your feet (since the warm blood has to travel all the way down the leg to get to the foot, and if it's lost its heat having to keep the leg warm, there's nothing left for the foot. Well, I"m guessing "ditto in reverse" for keeping cool in the summer: the pants will be more important than the boots.

(Of course, both are important in either situation ... a well-insulated leg won't save a sandal-wearing foot in the blizzard, and boots will still be hotter than shoes in the summer, but ... you know ...)

I like Chelsea boots in the summer as they just go over the ankle and have elastic. They vary a bit in the construction as some have lighter materials, colors, sole, broguing, and the toe can be wider or narrower. They are much lighter in weight and are easy to get on and off when it is hot/humid, but still look good with boot cut jeans.

I also find that the jeans that are distressed or have some sort of treatment to them are much lighter than standard denim. Also, flat-front cotton pants come in several weights and colors. I've also worn summer-weight uniform (garage) pants in dark gray and navy which were cooler and I could still wear boots with them.

Thank everyone, keep the ideas coming if you got them. I've got some ideas to look into now and hope to have it figured out by next summer. Winter is coming so I'll have a few months I can wear what I've still got from my old wardrobe.

What finally set me into figuring something else closer to my old looks was my wife ( who was just kidding with me but got me thinking ) when she said the other day while watching Longmire "what happened? I thought I married a cowboy". I though to myself I know she's kidding but she's right, I'm not me anymore.