Traditional clothing

The South is hot. Very hot. And often humid. What kinds of clothes do fair-skinned people wear if they spend most of their waking hours outside?

White linen or cotton. Shade trees.

I wear really lightweight cotton or linen. My favorite pants are pajama bottoms that I hope look like drawstring pants. I rotate changes of clothing all day long because I get wet every hour or two. And I agree with Ludi, shade trees.

Long sleeve cotton shirts, light weight wool pants, braces, and straw hat. (ala 1865, and no I'm not Amish ) I've learned when you get them wet they are cooler than anything else.

I have found that the most comfortable clothing for me is just a plain old pair of cutoff sweatpants and a sleeveless cotton t-shirt. A very lightweight loose dress is also very nice if I am just lounging around, but I find it interferes with any real work. When I have to be in full sun, I usually wear a bandana on my head to keep my scalp from getting sunburned, but I can't keep a hat on. I am always knocking it off on something or having it blown away, and if I tie it under my chin I feel like I am being choked and end up taking it off. My husband has more sensitive skin than I do, so he burns easily. For him its always a big straw hat and a long-sleeved white shirt over his t-shirt. I'm lucky that I just tan and never burn except for my nose and top of my head.

I'm fair, but due to the high humidity, I usually didn't wear long sleeves or a hat-the humidity makes the sky whitish, and the UV doesn't get through as bad.
I wore short skirts (hey, even if you're a guy-it keeps your legs WAY cooler!) Honestly, I tried to wear as little clothes as possible-thankfully we lived where no one could see us, and I didn't work during the afternoons. In the hot days I got up at 6am, got right out, came in around 10-11, and went back out around an hour before sunDOWN, which leaves a few hours....Even by moonlight occasionally. And yes, try to work in the shade AMAP. My DH also would stay wet-just pour a milk jug of water over his head to keep it wet. Be SURE to stay hydrated!!! You sweat a lot there and you HAVE to stay hydrated, cause heat stroke sucks!

Good luck!

I have LOTS of hats. Didn't learn that lesson until I had to have my nose rebuilt from skin cancer but it was topical so all is good now. But there is always a straw hat within reach!

cotton kilts...warm when they need to be, but they are like a heat pump air conditioner whe you are moving...also..if it is triple digits, the ONLY thing I am doing outside is checking stock, watering stock, cooling stock down, or falling into the water...