Heading to Thailand next month!

Greek Goddess

Hi, I now know that I am heading to Thailand to take up a teaching post at a university . I will be there for three years at least, with short breaks in Greece and the UK. The dress code is business smart/business casual for work. It will be very hot and humid when I arrive at the end of June.

I would welcome suggestions for a wardrobe capsule for work. I have some pieces but I am not sure what to take to mix and match. I will not be allowed to wear vest type sleeveless tops at work. Sleeves need to be at least short sleeves half way down the upper arm.

I also suspect that the university will be air conditioned (which I am not used to) and I might have to pop outside travelling from one building to another on the campus.

Any suggestions welcomed. The university colours are Navy blue, light blue and yellow. The students wear a uniform of short sleeved white shirt and navy blue skirt for the girls.
Thanks

11 years ago

Urgent

11 replies

Latest reply was from CocoLion

bj1111

Veteran

Thailand humidity is beastly! I wilt in bangkok and i grew up in se asia.

You can get much made there if you wish. So perhaps pack enough to get you through a month or two.

Tailored or structured is the order of the day. Skirts typically. I don't remember many working women in pants.

11 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Beastly heat AND Arctic A/C. It's a crazy combination. You definitely need to pack warmer stuff too.

11 years ago

Greek Goddess

Active Member

I don't mind the humidity and heat so much as the air con! I live in the Greek islands and it is very hot with high humidity most of the summer months. I am worried about the air con I will be working in, then going out into the hot sun.

Thanks for your imput Angie, I thought I was crazy to consider nice jackets and toppers but I think I am going to need them when I am working. The advise from bj1111 was very helpful. The idea of taking enough to take me through a couple of months is very good. I can do that and it will take me to the rainy season. I have more idea of how to cope with torrential rain as that is what we get here in the winter. If only Greece was as dry as everyone seems to think it is!

I aim to get some nice skirts and silk shirts made for me when I get my first wages over there. In the meantime can anyone suggest a simple capsule that I can mix and match till I get clothes made. I want to see what the other people in the university wear to work!

11 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

You will absolutely need toppers while working in a/c! There is no other way. And warm trousers with closed shoes.

11 years ago

Ginkgo

Veteran

Good luck, sounds like an exciting adventure.

11 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

Hmm. I have pictures of Sigourney Weaver in Year of Living Dangerously in my head. I'd definitely buy clothes there. For a starter capsule, I'd do white button-down shirts, the long short sleeves (maybe 3/4 length sleeves for the frigid A/C), and darker A-line skirts or not-bombshell pencils. Low, maybe wedge heel pumps.

Yes, essentially I'd dress like a nun or government clerk. Maybe I've spent too much time in the West Indies... because you know what, I'd also be doing cotton/polyester. Polyester sounds so whackadoodle in that heat, but I feel it helps keep things crisp looking and it's a defense against A/C.

11 years ago

Greek Goddess

Active Member

Rachylou that was a very helpful post. Thank you for your advice. I have some nice blouses with three quarter sleeves and I wasn't sure as they are polyester/cotton. The viscose ones should be good as well, as they allow your skin to breathe and stay looking fresh. I am not a fan of linen as I hate the creased look. Most of the business outfits I have seen in photographs of Thailand are really quite conservative. I did wonder about using some variations of the University colours, which are dark navy, light blue and yellow. I thought it might be one way of starting to ''fit in''. I am going to assemble a few things and take some photos and get some opinions on here as it really helps me focus. Thank you all so much.

11 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

Ya, neat and proper is the name of the game I should think. I personally like the idea of doing your university's colours. They're good colours too.

Linen is not for me either. I find it a little rough and the creasing so terrible.

11 years ago

Greek Goddess

Active Member

Thanks for all your comments. I had a dream about how to sort out the clothes ready for Thailand. I got up and tried out the idea and it worked well. I am going for a couple of different jackets that will go well with a skirt or trousers, a few mix and match blouses and some good shoes. That will tide me over till I see how everyone is dressed and till I can order some made to measure silk blouses to enhance the wardrobe. I am going to get them done in the University colours and try to find a scarf that features the colours, to go with my current plain tops. Sorted! Thanks for all your suggestions, they really helped.

11 years ago

rae

(website)

Veteran

You have already gotten lots of great advice. You could also try knit linen shells/sweaters with 3/4 sleeves, too. They don't wrinkle up like woven linen. I also had the thought not to do too much of the school colors, since you want to differentiate yourself from the students.

11 years ago

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

I lived in Hong Kong for several years as well as Beijing and Tokyo (the latter having non-tropical climates but still in Asia). Hong Kong does have a short cooler winter, but its summers are long, hot and humid with a/c everywhere. When I lived there, I wore more skirts and dresses than pants.

Another thought was that in Asia, teaching is a respected profession. Projecting an image of authority and good taste will help meet students expectations for this profession.

11 years ago

Category