As the temperature rises and the air gets heavy, top-notch style doesn’t have to come at the expense of dripping in sweat under a wool suit. Lighter fabrics can make for a breathable spring or summer look.

Casual clothing can be cool and feel cool. Finding the threads that accomplish both of these things is entirely a matter of selection.

Sweat, heat and humidity all cause great discomfort, so the natural response is to fight the heat in every way possible. You may feel the need to lose layers, wear sandals — basically expose as much skin as possible without being inappropriate. Logically, this checks out, but in practice, there are more stylish ways to fight the humidity.

Choose dark wash jeans over gym shorts, or even light-colored slacks if jeans are too heavy for your taste. Go for a pastel button-down or a thin, solid-colored shirt over a graphic tee. Always choose shoes over sandals. Running shoes typically don’t look quite as good as something understated like a loafer, but still look more better than flip-flops.

Having thin, lightly colored clothing won’t keep you entirely dry of course, so part of staying stylish in the heat will hinge on any work put in before venturing outdoors. Have an area that chafes regularly? Compression undergarments are light and reduce friction dramatically. Is sweat becoming an issue? In this day and age, deodorant not only blocks sweat but usually provides enough scent to replace the need for cologne.

In extreme cases, Gold Bond Medicated Body Powder or any other body powder will also stop friction while having a refreshing effect.

This summer, take charge and make the word “cool” take on two meanings. And whatever you do, don’t let humidity get between you and your ideal image. Dressing sharp doesn’t have to stop when the sun comes out to play.

Connor Tarter is a 21-year-old communication studies junior from Dallas.