by It’s easy to get men’s summer style wrong – should you wear shorts to the office? Can you look smart and not overheat? How can you pull off a lively summer shirt? Here, we’ve put together dos and don’ts to help boys tackle every possible compromise during the warmer months: from the pub to the beach, via London Fields. (Some starters: dress up, slip into bulges, lean in nicely and be sure to give invisible socks a hard pass).
How to dress on holiday:
Do: Be brave, try to match your top and bottom
Don’t write off male coordination altogether. Tinie Tempah teamed up with sky blue Issey Miyake slacks with a matching shade shirt at Maro Itoje’s charity art sale, while Stormzy is a fan of the Homme Plissé short and a forest green shirt. Bright Days SMR printed cotton sets are great for holiday, as are matching white linen pieces, Saint Tropez style.
Don’t: Wear a tall paisley (or otherwise printed) cotton shirt.
A little too tight shirts with hideous prints should be avoided when abroad – looser suits are great to avoid the “pope lost in Palma” aesthetic.
Do: Try men’s safari style
An idea from the Marylebone front line (Chiltern Firehouse): take it safari style. Men at Gucci’s party last Sunday paired khaki shirts with staple front pockets with matching slacks and sandals. Think YSL, Morocco, etc.
Don’t: Appear in the wrong trunks
Strings have been pulled out, a smart tailored trunk with button fasteners is the ticket. While David Cameron loves Vilebrequin, I recommend Gusari and Orlebar Brown for the best proper swimmers.
When it comes to the office:
Do: Try a light, double-breasted summer suit
Thin cotton suits? It works for work. Luca Faloni chooses a subtle beige, after Ed Skrein presided over the Rebel Moon premiere, Luca Faloni styles a beautiful navy blue, or try a striped, striped blazer paired with white jeans, as Ralph Lauren suggests.
Don’t: Wear flat white leather trainers with them
Beware of flat-footed white leather trainers-cum-plimsoles. These look basic now. Wear loafers instead.
Make: Striped shirt, blue and white
This classic is a great bet to bring summer freshness into the desk job – if you can get away with it, a great vintage polo shirt paired with smart chinos is another surefire hit.
Don’t: Wear shorts of any kind
Troublesome search spike this week – “men’s workhorses” up 200 percent. Let’s hope it’s builders (which is fine, of course) and no one is going into an office. It’s not ideal to shave your knees in a 9 to 5.
When you’re out in the pub:
Do: Wear 7 inch shorts
From 5pm though, it’s time to whip out your pin! Perfecting the length is key: for the pub, a short 7-inch cut on the lower thigh is smart (LEGS make a nice pair), and for jogging or sunbathing, a 5-inch sports short works well. We’re very wary of anything knee-high, watch out for cargo shorts (Peter Phillips wore them at the Badminton horse trials and watched a few Dads abroad) and if you’re Gen Z, consider jorts (baggy jean shorts ).
Don’t: Be afraid of a boat shoe
Wear these instead of Loro Piana-style suede pumps, which Prince Harry was wearing in Nigeria. Miu Miu started the trend for the preppy staple among women, and it’s time for the boys to send too.
Do: Try a denim shirt with a short sleeve
For a bright update on the Hawaiian shirt (less of these for 2024, please) try an oversized, short-sleeved denim shirt. Model Ebeneze Brown can show you how, and Calvin Klein’s is perfect.
Don’t: Wear anything Tommy Robinson could
As a good rule of thumb for the summer months, avoid anything that signals Robinson and his band of buffoons – including certain brands of streetwear with logo tags.
For a nice weekend in the countryside:
Do: Consider gambling in the current core of sports
Golf, rugby, tennis – you name it, it’s all the rage this summer. Blue Array found that searches for “golf polo shirt” are up 340 percent in the past month, with rugby shirts and Challengers-esque tennis shirts being big hits.
Don’t: Walk around without a hat
Finding the perfect hat is key – an easy choice is Ralph Lauren’s colorful cap (not overpriced at £55). Avoid snapbacks, but don’t fear Panama; in Cambridge, students wear them with high-waisted chinos, shirt sleeves and small Fortnum & Mason picnic baskets during the summer. Dapper.
Do: Tie a sweater around your neck, like old Sloane
It started with the street style set by fashion shows, now everyone at home or in the country is copying Princess Diana and wrapping cashmeres around shoulders. The easiest outfit lift.
Don’t: Play in tracksuits
Unless you’re in your bedroom with the curtains closed or have a sick bug, tracksuits are out this summer. Lean in preppy instead.
Or a swanky rooftop restaurant and bar in London:
Do: Wear a great pair of loafers
Of course, the Gucci loaf is a perennial thing, but Sebago, Duke + Dexter and Grenson are very popular (you don’t choose styles with a bit of Gucci dupe on top, though).
Don’t: Never try to wear them with invisible socks
This is fatal. If you’re ready to show some ankle, ditch all the socks together, or wear a long black or white sock (Uniqlo is great) please. “Invisible” socks never do what they say on the tin.
Do: Try summer blacks
All black for summer? Damian Hurley, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Lennon Gallagher have done so now that the weather has picked up. Massimo Dutti and COS are good starting points on the high street.
Don’t: Show up in black sunglasses, though
The Hollywood team matches theirs with Aperol Spritzes – there’s orange in it.
For a picnic in the park:
Dean: A chance to pearl
No, they’re not just for Grandma. TwoJeys is a Gen Z favorite, and they have a new collaboration with Zara this June.
Don’t: Wear trainers with holes in them
Marathon hit Asics with a hole above your big toe are eye-catching. Smart runners from On, Loewe and Hoka work well (the latter have their sights on the trendy crowd, and are throwing a hot London bash with the LN-CC store tomorrow).
Make: Add a bit of gorp spice
The East London look is all about gorpcore (hiking clothes, basically). Dip a toe in with a Salomon Gore-Tex boot, or an Arc’teryx t-shirt for outdoor pursuits.
Don’t: Walk around shirtless
You can take it off while sunbathing, but it’s not true that there are no topless men on Oxford Street. Think twice before you reach out, things out, like Harry Styles and Paul Mescal, too.
At a posh long weekend wedding:
Do: Wear a colorful linen suit
Sadiq Khan rocked this look with a green two piece from London brand Percival. In the past week alone, Moss’s men’s linen suits have seen a 22 per cent rise in demand and are a great choice, along with WAX London.
Don’t: Put your faith in a white T-shirt
They don’t look good under a suit. Match the color of your top, or choose the right shirt – remember: overdressing is the most comfortable place to be.
Do: Try a collarless shirt like the BBC’s Matthew Amroliwala
The handsomest newsreader Matthew Amroliwala loves his white collarless shirt. Paapa Essiedu wears them well too (see: the BAFTAs).
Don’t: Forget that the breakfast outfit the morning after is just as important
Consider a knitted polo shirt, from Sandro or Sunspel. You’ll feel better for being rude, I promise.
Top 10 buys:
SALOMON, XT-6 GORE-TEX sneakers, £165, net-a-porter.com
Classic Chino Shorts, £55, cos.com
Chino Cotton Ball Horse, £55, ralphlauren.co.uk
Sand Safari Shirt, £149, suitsupply.com
London Trunks, £145, gusari.co.uk
Brown boat shoe, £180, timberland.co.uk
Rugger Heavy with Top Striped Shield, £120, gant.co.uk
Signature Pearl Necklace, £106, twojeys.com
Petit Piqué Polo Shirt, £95, lacoste.com
State side reload, £132, ray-ban.com
