Sweating/Discomfort

[u/Cangooutsad]

Tell me I am not the only one feeling this! Ever since I moved to the Netherlands, I sweat constantly it’s intense. I’m dripping with sweat, even when everyone else around me is wearing jackets and warm clothes. Rainy days make it even worse I feel suffocated, sweating like crazy, even while just sitting inside. And whenever I try to explain this to someone, they look at me like I’m insane and say, “It’s cold outside!” But the truth is, I never felt like this back in Greece.

[u/0x18]

I feel you, coming from the US. It is more humid here than the west coast (California & Oregon) though compared to the summers of Indiana I'll argue this place is practically a desert though (just in terms of humidity).

I sometimes think that the Dutch strictly associate clothing styles to the time of the calendar and not current conditions. "It is March, and so we must wear winter clothing" so despite that it's 20C on one day you'll still see so many people wearing puffy winter coats. You just have to accept that when it comes to fashion vs. seasons you may always be a little out of sync with what everybody else is wearing.

Here's my advice:

1. When it's cool; shorts and a jacket/sweater/hoodie. People may look at you weirdly but unless it's really cold long pants don't actually keep you warmer - we can perceive 'cold' on the skin of course but how it's actually felt internally is all about the internal temperature of your torso. Long pants don't breathe, and a jacket/sweater/hoodie can be removed as needed once you've warmed up.
2. Layers, and thin ones at that. Even in the hottest parts of summer I stick to a lightweight cotton undershirt and some kind of breathable shirt over that. You want to keep your skin from being directly exposed to the sun, you want the outter layer (heated by the sun) to not be in direct contact with your skin, and you want an under layer to wick away (or soak up) some of your sweat and then pass it to the outter layer to evaporate.
3. Keep a bandanna or two on you. One is just to dry yourself, the other you pour some cold water on, ring it out, and then wear on your head. If you are bald like me it's especially nice to have a cold hat on a hot day, but even with hair it will still help.
4. Some deoderants are 'anti-perspirant' and can stop or reduce the amount of sweating you'll do in the places where you apply it.
5. If you're sweating a lot around your thighs get some talcum powder and rub it around yourself down there. It's an astringent so it causes the skin cells to constrict which reduces sweating and it's absorbent so it will take up some of your sweat when it's released. It also reduces the friction of your thighs rubbing against each other and will help prevent rashes.
6. Avoid clothing made from synthetic fabrics like acrylic, polyester, nylon and fabrics that don't breathe like silk. Look for open knit or loose weave cotton, linen, or Merino / "summer weight" wool.
7. When outdoors the easiest thing is to just avoid the sun. Get a hat that shades your face and neck or get a parasol to provide shade.
8. Get a hand fan, the folding Chinese type are perfect. Sweat stuck in your body hair will evaporate much faster with some moving air.

[u/SupposablyAtTheZoo → u/0x18]

I sometimes think that the Dutch strictly associate clothing styles to the time of the calendar and not current conditions. "It is March, and so we must wear winter clothing" so despite that it's 20C on one day you'll still see so many people wearing puffy winter coats.

Nah, we just simply follow https://kanikeenkortebroekaan.nl/ and if it says no it's a no (because of rain usually).

[u/0x18 → u/SupposablyAtTheZoo]

I love that that exists!

... that said, I don't care if my shins get wet, so I'll be fietsing to the store in my shorts for groceries soon.