Dressing well in the heat can feel so intimidating it seems impossible. As the rising sun steals away our layers and textures and multitude of fabrics our advances in personal style come to a halt. How can you dress well when first and foremost you have to dress to stay comfortable? How can you build multiple outfits if the only items you can wear are shirts, shorts, and shoes? These are the shortcuts to looking stylish while keeping cool this summer.
Grey Tailored Trousers
Contrary to popular thought, tailored trousers aren’t just for sitting behind a desk in. A pair cut in a slim, tapered shape can just as easily serve as a step up from jeans on the weekend as a dependable choice for summer wedding separates.
White Long-Sleeved Shirt
We’re big believers that a man can’t own too many shirts, especially when they come in the form of a white long-sleeved version. No longer just the default uniform for bankers, lawyers and doctors, this classic piece still does the business.
Navy Tailored Shorts
The last thing you want when the sweaty, hot sun hits the high nineties is to have your legs trapped in an unforgiving furnace of a fabric. Stand up to the heat and leave a stylish impression with a pair of tailored shorts. The trick is picking a classic colour commonly used on trousers.
Lightweight Blazer
A lightweight, deconstructed blazer is essential for staying smart in the warmer months. Fabrics such as cotton or linen are great options. You’ll look smart, but not too formal. Style with a printed revere collar to nail any summer occasion.
White T-Shirt
No well-edited wardrobe is complete without the classic white T-shirt, ideally in supremely soft Supima or cotton-jersey. Its place on the menswear mantle is most important in summer when the light color helps reflect heatwaves and therefore keeps you cool, in more than one way.
Penny Loafers
The right pair of shoes will win you respect and endless compliments. They work with brightly coloured chinos, jeans and linen trousers. They are also practically the only shoe style that properly works with shorts.
Cotton Polo Shirt
Of all the ‘classics’ in the male wardrobe, the polo shirt arguably deserves the title more than any. Ever since Fred Perry and Lacoste emblazoned polo shirts, the world has been obsessed. This season, opt for a polo shirt in a bright color like pink or blue and team it with a pair navy shorts and some white trainers.
Woven Belt
A stylish belt saves any embarrassing slippages and can also be used to add a point of interest to an outfit. Waistbands are rising and shirts are being tucked in as men gain sight of their midsections once again. A woven style is versatile and doesn’t look too heavy with chinos or trousers in the summer.
