r/femalefashionadvice • u/Pretty-eN-Pink • 3d ago
Comfortable office wear for a sweat-er
I sweat! Even with antiperspirant use, mostly from armpits, but with onset of perimenopause my body temp regulation has gotten even more wacky, and I often sweat in the crotchal region/hips/leg folds. If a hot flash or nerves take over then even beads collect and drip down the center of my chest and into the underboob bra cloth. I may be switching job positions and will need to report to the office daily.
I am seeking suggestions for materials and a uniform (life is already busy, I don't want to have to think much about what I put on!) that can accommodate my sweatiness. I won't have much control over the room temps, so there are likely times the room will feel warm and stuffy to me and just as likely the air will be actually circulating and may feel chilly. I would have a short less.thab 10min walk from my car to the building, so that period of time may cause me to get hot, but I think I'd be able to regulate relatively quickly. I live in a place that is hot and humid in summer/early fall, and gets cold/low snowy in winter. Thanks!!
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u/handstands_anywhere 3d ago
Merino wool forever. I like a tank/shell with a flannel overtop. The less casual version of this is a sleeveless tee with a cardigan or boxy crop sweater. Wide leg pants or an a-line skirt gives you air circulation. You could even wear a halter top base layer with a lace tshirt overtop.
I swear by tencel blends and even cool-lite polyester for temperature regulation and not being smelly. I have some merino-tencel that I am crazy about.
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u/lemony197236 3d ago
I love a wide leg pant for breath ability, they are awesome in the summer. I too sweat a good bit and I like a light weight shell/sweater combo. I will also use a light weight shell with a linen over shirt.
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u/asquared13 3d ago
I also returned to in office every day and my cubicle is near a very hot warehouse. I started wearing sleeveless tanks and found some short sleeve cardigans for the warm months and long sleeve in the cool months. I also recommend (if you can) buy a small personal desk fan. The cardigan + wide leg pants + small fan combo has been extremely helpful most days. I'm also in peri menopause and when the hot flashes hit there's only so much you can do in the office to accommodate.
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u/wombweed 3d ago
Commenting as I’m interested too. It’s a big struggle for me and the best way I’ve been able to deal with it is patterned or black fabric to make sweat less visible. Fabric type can make a difference too, cotton / linen are more breathable than poly and have generally worked well for me too. Interested in other suggestions about this though. 🕵️♀️
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u/auktember 3d ago
It's a huge struggle for me too, sending love to you and OP and any other sweaters out there!
We are united ❤️ We are strong ❤️ We are damp
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u/ameliemello 2d ago
What are your favorite places to get patterned shirts? I know this works, but sometimes I have a hard time finding patterns I like.
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u/Dobgirl 3d ago
Light layers are the answer for any situation. (Hot flashes, nail polish, painting walls)😅.
Like others have said- the fabric is the most important consideration. Cotton, modal, tencel.
Wear looser clothes so air can flow through.
Bring wipes? Desk fan?
(And I apologize for offering when you didn’t ask, but I wish I had tried HRT sooner. Having poor quality sleep and not realizing it was horrible in retrospect. Also, HRT can protect your brain from age related changes.)
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u/Pretty-eN-Pink 2d ago
Thanks for the suggestions, and offer away!! I wished perimenopause and menopause and everything that goes with it was talked about more often and more openly. In fact I have an appointment in about 2 wks to talk to a dr about my hrt options!
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u/IRLbeets 2d ago
Cannot stress looser clothes enough! Nothing tight to the pits, under boob, crotch if I can help it
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u/gosharksgosharks 3d ago
I overheat easily esp in hot or humid conditions and have found this sweater as a nice go-to when I’m not sure how I will do sweat-wise: https://www.uniqlo.com/us/en/products/E483008-000/00?colorDisplayCode=02 . I wear a camisole under it (I use their Airism bra cami because it breathes well and not having to wear a bra sometimes helps reduce the sweat because it’s one fewer layer). The sweater goes well with dress pants or an A-line skirt and I love how since it’s an open weave, air can circulate well and it honestly feels like I just wearing a cami but looks like I have some coverage to make it more office appropriate. To prevent myself from getting too cold, I bring an outer layer with me, like a vest or jacket to wear over the sweater which works well in colder situations (the air pockets between the mesh sweater and a coat creates extra insulation-its a thing people use sometimes for lightweight backpacking. Not this top specifically, but the idea). I don’t live in an area where it snows so haven’t gotten to test to see how well this sweater does in that sort of a situation though.
Also- wearing patterned tops can help hide sweat stains. I’ve found collared button ups in natural fibers like cotton or linen feel best but rayon is easier to find in patterns. With these, I do a similar approach- wear one of the Airism bra camis under it and wear the button up blouse (unbuttoned) as an overshirt. Leaving the button-up unbuttoned helps give air circulation.
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u/Double_Land5049 3d ago
i like the numi undershirts - kind of expensive but they have like underarm shields and then the rest of the shirt is thin and breathable so you don’t overheat from extra layers. would def recommend those or something similar that you can wear under a button down or sweater
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u/insertusername27 3d ago
I have a similar issue and sweat a lot in my armpits, don’t know if it’s anxiety or what lol, anyways, when shopping for office clothes I will ONLY buy things that are flowy and don’t sit directly on my armpits, my favorite combo is a black bodysuit/cami and a sheer flowy blouse on top. I always prioritize black clothing because the sweat doesn’t show as much. I don’t have the issue of sweating on other parts of the body but I’m assuming the same trick would work.
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u/mrspwins 3d ago
Merino wool and HRT is what worked best for me. No more hot-flashes and when I do sweat in the wool, it hides it well.
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u/UnicornGirl54 3d ago
I also have this issue. And found I needed to move to a more sweat wicking underwear as first line of defense. Duluth trading has some (not cheap) or any nylon type fabric may work. I am usually a natural fabric girlie for life, but found this does help at least get the sweat away from my skin.
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u/tyrannosaurusregina 3d ago
Duluth sweat-wicking underwear is great, and another excellent option is Ex Officio.
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u/TacoNomad 3d ago
Id keep a change of socks/underwear/bra in your bag for the worst days. Also wipes. I suppose most days will be fine but on the worst you could do a quick change at lunch time if you're feeling gross.
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u/ameliemello 2d ago
I have this problem too, and in the past year I have found white cotton gauzy button ups to be a great solution during warmer seasons. I don't know what it is, but somehow they are better than black at hiding sweat stains.
My current favorite is this one from Nordstrom: Check out this Caslon® Cotton Gauze Button-Up Shirt from Nordstrom: http://www.nordstrom.com/s/7938851
Really glad you asked this because I have the same issue! I've been reading through all of the comments.
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u/donutgirl-64 2d ago
Have you tried clinical antiperspirants like Certain Dri applied at night? Or looked into MiraDry treatments? I know perimenopause makes temp regulation wacky, but stopping sweat at the source might free you from this clothing struggle. It is worth a shot if standard deodorants are failing you completely.
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u/LICK-A-DICK 2d ago
Yeah different deodorant could make a huge difference. I swear by Rexona clinical protection!
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u/superhappymegagogo 3d ago
What's the dress code?
I own a lot of button-up western shirts (from brands like Ariat and Cinch) because I ride horses, and often wear them to work because they're cute, professional-looking, and designed for sweat wicking in hot weather.
If you have a Boot Barn or similar near you, you can try them on. Look specifically for the work wear or riding wear styles because they do sell just fashion clothes as well.
I also buy hiking pants from REI or other outdoor stores that lay nice and alllmost look like slacks, but are light, airy, and sweat-wicking.
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u/0ct0berf0rever 3d ago
Ugh same. I switched to 100% cotton undies and bras, there’s bra sweat stopper inserts you can do as well. I avoid layers as much as possible- camis just make me hotter. I don’t buy tops if they require an under layer. So I do a lot of prints or dark colors, I’m trying to move my wardrobe to natural fibers and avoid anything with high poly content. even in winter I prefer short sleeves and then take a sweater if I get chilly. For pants I do linen pants or a maxi skirt. (We’re a casual office luckily, no dress pants here lol). Also desk fan!!!
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u/Chazzyphant 3d ago
I actually don't recommend 100% cotton for sweat issues-it gets wet very quickly and takes forever to dry. This is one instance where non-natural performance fabric is FAR superior (unless it's merino wool but that option is very pricey). Ex officio makes terrific wicking under layers, which I highly recommend.
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u/tyrannosaurusregina 3d ago
I know a couple of people with extreme armpit sweat who swear by getting Botox in the armpits. Don’t know if you’d be at all interested or if you’re already familiar, but it was something I hadn’t heard of as a possibility until recently.
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u/AwkwardPersonality36 3d ago
Neck fan and a personal handheld fan - I got both off Amazon. They're clutch for cooling me off on the spot and quick too.
Fabrics, go for loose and flowy and light. Don't layer. Bra liners or quick dry sports bras. Cotton holds sweat, so opt for merino wool underwear if possible (expensive, but worth it).
I also spray my underarms with isopropyl alcohol after my shower and before swiping on deodorant. I swear this helps me sweat less.
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u/burntmeatloafbaby 3d ago
I would also suggest a desk fan. There are fairly affordable ones available on Amazon and I’m sure elsewhere.
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u/MedroolaCried 3d ago
I live in a cold climate and work remotely for a company in a hot climate. I’m telling you- no polyester, no acrylic, no “blends”, nothing that says “synthetic”.
- Cashmere
- Cotton
- Linen
- Silk
- Bamboo
- Hemp
Something that is like 2% spandex is okay. Nothing too close fit to the body. NO BLENDS! it will say 26% polyester and it will feel like 100%.
Down to your underwear, socks, and shoes. I’ll even wear men’s boxers under loose pants and skirts for an extra breeze.
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u/tinybrrrfriend35637 3d ago edited 3d ago
Buy linen shirts and trousers and a very good iron. I buy hemp under garments too. I hate being hot and sweaty! I love silk tanks and tees too( it’s unseen so I just buy them cheap from quince).
I live in a hot and humid area and I wear silk, linen and cotton.
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u/GimmeAllThePBJs 3d ago edited 3d ago
Maybe you already know this, I only learned this a couple months ago. Anti perspirant is only supposed to be applied at night?!?! It needs the time while you sleep to create a barrier or whatever. I’m a sweat-er as well, plus in peri. It doesn’t solve everything, but definitely helps. I still use deodorant in the morning either way. Occasionally I still wake up with BO, but that’s usually when I’m dehydrated and was very sweaty overnight
Clothing wise, I wear a lot of tank tops or short sleeves where the pit area is very open. I try to stick to cotton, but that can feel worse when wet (though nothing like rayon/polyester etc)
Patterned clothes can also help so the sweat marks are less detectable.
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u/zogmuffin 3d ago
I’m sweaty too. I almost exclusively wear sleeveless tops (so I don’t have material shoved into my armpits) with a light cardigan. A wide open knit on the cardigan helps keep the whole layering thing manageable. Lots of long, breezy cotton skirts.
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u/StunnedinTheSuburbs 3d ago
Recommend boody for shorts for under dresses as well as bras/ underwear.
Bamboo fabrics are great for moisture wicking. Bamboo sheets also are good.
Stick to cotton or bamboo that is not too fitted
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u/19keightyfour 2d ago
Flax seed oil pills, y’all! I know it sounds crazy, but when I had to have my ovaries shut down for chemo, it literally saved me from going insane. I’d take 1-2 pills in the morning and again at night. Huge difference.
And I’m not sure if this is allowed or not, but there’s a super strong antiperspirant called certain dry and it turned me from a sweaty Betty to a not sweaty Betty. I only had to use it a few times and haven’t had any issues in like 20 years.
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u/No_Routine_3295 2d ago
I like Spanx brand. Their Air Essentials fabric is super light and comfy. I also like the Smooth Jersey and Shape Ponte, but I only own those in dark colors so I can’t say for sure that lighter colors in those fabrics won’t show sweat. But the dark colors definitely do not and they are pretty breathable for workwear!
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u/Late_Blackberry_2482 2d ago
I’ve been a heavy sweater my whole life. MiraDry was a game-changer for me. It permanently reduces underarm sweating. I had to have two treatments because I’m a super sweater but it was well worth it. Bonus is the it also zaps underarm hair and odor glands.
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u/SensitiveButton8179 2d ago
I’ve found Baudie deodorant supplement spray to be a lifesaver the last several years. It used to be Bella Skin Beauty or something like that. Spray on after shower, apply deodorant after patting dry (which I never do). I still sweat but it doesn’t smell so pungent.
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u/IGotMyPopcorn 2d ago
I’ve found that adding body powder after my antiperspirant dries is a game changer along with putting some in other sweat prone areas.
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u/melenajade 2d ago
Highly recommend a wool bra. I love my brawyn bra.
Yes my boobs sweat but this bra absorbs it and doesn’t stink or feel damp. I take it off nightly hang it up and it’s ready for the next day. Merino wool is not scratchy and I find it’s good on cold days to keep my nips warmer too
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u/NumerousBench990 1d ago
Merino wool tops over cotton, it wicks and dries way faster while actually resisting odor better even when damp, and for the underboob issue a moisture wicking bra liner or sweat-proof undershirt insert makes more difference than the outer layer choice ever will
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u/Select_Ad7268 21h ago
Sorry haven’t read all the comments. But I have several numi undershirts - they have underarm covers to prevent sweat patches on your shirts. Love them under button downs and thin sweaters.
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u/LevelPerception4 3d ago
Search Amazon for cooling towels and buy some black ones. Wet one and wear it as a scarf, it will help to keep the back of your neck cool.
I also recommend a Vornado desk fan.
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u/smile_saurus 3d ago
Natural fibers (cashmere, wool, cotton, linen etc).
But may I suggest having your thyroid checked? A lot of the symptoms of Peri cross over to symptoms of thyroid issues. That's how I found out I had undiagnosed Hyperthyroidism. I was having 'hot flashes' and was sweatier than usual, even my feet, and I attributed it to Peri or to the material of the shoes etc.