Attire to Quell the Fire

Heat-Wave Challenge: To Find the Lightest, Loosest Apparel

Alecia Oden realized she had it all wrong as soon as her boyfriend dropped her off yesterday at the Minnesota Avenue Metro station. She was not dressed for success; she was dressed in excess. Facing temperatures in the upper 90s, she had to "double-back home and change."

"My pants were sticking to my thighs, and I had sweat running everywhere. It was ridiculous," said Oden, a receptionist in the District. "I even had to change my pocketbook."

It was the heat-wave challenge: What to wear to the office on a blistering day?

Peter Finn deviated from his usual suit, opting for a polo shirt and khaki slacks. "The thought of putting on the tie was too much," said Finn, associate director for the International Commission on English in the Liturgy. "It's just common sense."

Because of an appointment, however, Finn will be back in the harness today.

Preston Benoit, a federal government employee, took no day off. He likes his suit; he needs his suit. "I'm the kind of man who doesn't like to dress down," he said. "I need structure . . . and my business uniform is part of that structure."

-- Sue Anne Pressley Montes