The common instinct is to shed layers when it's hot, but I actually prefer two layers when I'm outside. Covering skin when it's hot isn't inherently bad. It doesn't really matter how much heat you're shedding through your skin if you're getting more back from direct sunlight.
The fabric will create a shaded and therefore cooler pocket of air around you, and as a bonus you won't have to deal with sunscreen. If you pick lightweight clothes with breathable materials and loose fit to allow airflow, the increased insulation from the fabric is negligible.
Besides, the biggest discomfort in the heat is the feeling of being baked in a puddle of sweat, not the temperature. That's why humid heat is so awful, your sweat can't evaporate because there's too much water in the air. When you wear two layers, the inner layer absorbing sweat isn't the same as the outer layer taking the heat, so you don't feel the sweat as much.
However, none of this applies if you're not in direct sunlight, such as when indoors or at night. You'll already be in the shade and won't feel the heat on sweaty fabric, so there's no benefit to the extra layer.
- Rew
Nightly Notes
I wonder if I've gotten too used to the local climate. I used to live in much colder places than I do now, and it shows. I still have a taste for cooler and cloudier weather than most people I know, yet I'm scared I'd freeze if I ever went back. Do I still even own clothes warm enough?
It's funny, the things you miss when you leave.
- Rew