What to Wear During Menopause: The Fabric Guide Every Woman Needs

By SUKAAH

There's a moment I remember clearly.

I was standing in front of my wardrobe, pulling things out and pushing them back. Nothing felt right. Everything felt tight across the stomach, heavy against the skin, or just wrong in a way I couldn't quite explain. I was hot before I'd even left the house. I felt nothing like myself.

I was in the thick of menopause, and my clothes had become something I dreaded rather than something I loved.

That experience is what led me to create SUKAAH. And it's why I want to answer, honestly and simply, the question I wish someone had answered for me:

What should you actually wear when your body is changing?

Why Fabric Matters More Than Style During Menopause

Most conversations about dressing during menopause focus on cuts and silhouettes. But the real issue — the one that affects how you feel from the moment you get dressed — is fabric.

When your body runs hotter, when you're experiencing hot flushes, when your skin feels more reactive and your stomach fluctuates through the week, what your clothing is made from changes everything.

The wrong fabric traps heat, clings to the body, and makes a difficult experience feel worse. The right fabric works quietly with you — allowing airflow, sitting away from the skin, and never adding to the discomfort you're already managing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best fabric for hot flushes?

The best fabrics for hot flushes are natural fibres with an open weave that allows air to move through the garment. Ramie, linen, and cotton are the most commonly recommended. Of these, ramie is the strongest performer in heat and humidity because its natural fibre structure allows more airflow than cotton and does not go limp or cling the way linen can.

When you have a hot flush, you need fabric that does not trap warmth against the skin. Ramie allows heat to escape rather than build. This is a real physical difference, not a marketing claim. What is Ramie Fabric

Why do synthetic fabrics make hot flushes worse?

Synthetic fabrics — polyester, nylon, viscose blends — do not breathe. They create a barrier between your skin and the air, which means heat has nowhere to go. When you flush, the heat builds. You sweat more. The fabric clings. The experience becomes more intense and more uncomfortable than it needs to be.

For women going through menopause, synthetic clothing is not just uncomfortable. It can actively make symptoms feel harder to manage.

Is linen good for menopause?

Linen is a solid natural choice and far better than synthetics. It is breathable and keeps you cooler than cotton in warm climates. However, linen has some limitations worth knowing. It creases heavily with wear. It can feel coarser against skin that has become more sensitive during hormonal change. And it tends to go limp over the course of a day, losing its shape as it absorbs moisture.

For Australian summers and tropical climates, linen works well but is not the strongest option available.

What makes ramie different from linen or cotton?

Ramie is a plant-based natural fibre grown in Indonesia and parts of Asia. It is stronger than both linen and cotton, more resistant to moisture, and has a naturally open fibre structure that allows exceptional airflow.

In real terms, here is what that means when you wear it:

• The fabric does not cling when your body is warm
• Air moves through the garment, not just around it
• It dries faster than cotton in humidity
• It holds its structure throughout the day — no limpness, no collapse
• The surface is smoother than linen, which matters for skin that feels more reactive
• It sits away from the stomach, hips, and back — no pulling, no gripping

This is why SUKAAH is made exclusively from handwoven ramie. It is the fabric that performs best for the conditions many Australian women live in every day.

What clothing styles work best during menopause?

The most important thing a garment can do during menopause is remove restriction. Styles that work best are those that do not require your body to fit the clothing — but allow the clothing to move with you.

At SUKAAH, the silhouettes we stand behind most are:

• Relaxed shirts and tops — coverage without heaviness
• Wide-leg and straight-leg pants with soft elastic waists — no pressure across the stomach
• Kaftans and loose dresses — maximum airflow, effortless elegance
• Wrap styles — adjust naturally as the body changes through the week
• Lightweight kimono layers — easy to add or remove as temperature shifts

These are not shapeless pieces. They are intentionally designed to be versatile — dressed up for dinner, kept easy for a beach morning, styled however feels right for that day. The garment adapts to you.

What should I avoid wearing during menopause?

Avoid anything that adds to the discomfort your body is already managing. This means:

• Tight waistbands or structured waistlines
• Synthetic or blended fabrics
• Heavy or thick materials
• Anything that clings across the stomach, hips, or back
• Fabrics that require your skin to stay perfectly dry to feel comfortable

The goal is clothing that you put on and stop thinking about. If you're adjusting, pulling, overheating, or constantly aware of what you're wearing — the clothing is not working for you.

Is there a difference between menopause clothing in Australia versus other climates?

Yes, and it matters.

Australian women — particularly those living in Queensland, the Northern Territory, and coastal regions — deal with heat and humidity that makes menopause symptoms more pronounced. A hot flush in a mild European summer is a very different experience from a hot flush in a Queensland afternoon.

This is why fabric choice is not a small detail here. In warm climates, the right fabric is the difference between a manageable day and a genuinely difficult one. Ramie was chosen for SUKAAH specifically because it performs beautifully in all conditions — from warm coastal mornings to cooler indoor environments. It regulates naturally with the body, making it just as comfortable wherever your day takes you.

Can I wear SUKAAH outside of menopause?

Absolutely. SUKAAH is not a menopause brand. It is a brand for women whose bodies are changing — and that includes post-partum change, weight fluctuation, ageing, or simply a shift in what you want clothing to feel like.

The woman SUKAAH is designed for is not defined by age. She is defined by transition. Whether she is 35 or 72, whether she has just had a baby or is navigating a new decade — if she wants clothing that feels beautiful, breathable, and completely at ease on her body, SUKAAH is for her.

The Honest Answer

The best fabric for menopause is the one that gets out of your way.

It does not cling. It does not trap heat. It does not require your body to behave in a particular way to stay comfortable. It moves when you move, breathes when you need it to, and holds itself together without demanding anything from you.

For women living in warm climates, handwoven ramie is that fabric.

SUKAAH was born from one woman's search for clothing that worked with her changing body. Every piece is still made with that intention — handwoven by artisans, crafted from natural fibre rooted in the landscapes of Indonesia, and designed for the woman who is ready to feel like herself again.

Born from nature. Worn with soul.

Explore the SUKAAH collection — or read our deep-dive into what ramie fabric actually is and why it matters for more on the fibre behind every piece.