What to wear in summer? T-shirts, shirts, polos, accessories, trousers and shoes

Hi guys, this post is coming in a little bit late. Anyway it’ll be helpfull for a few lucky ones who live in places where it’s summer most of the year. Cheers to my buddies in Thailand !

The team will be off for holidays in Greece in a few days and it really got me excited on this topic. Especially knowing that when I’ll be back it’ll be almost winter already at home. As you may know already, a warm and mediterean weather doesn’t require you to dress in the old age Greece toga.

When you talk about summer with men’s fashion fanatics or even fashion store managers, they are in unanimous agreement about one thing: dressing for summer is more complicated/less interesting than dressing for winter.

Why so?

Well, because you often have to go without items that bring a lot to your winter style: your well-cut coat, selvage denim, a nice blazer, or very manly chunky-knit pieces.

Dressing for summer means dressing for a more demanding context.

Out with the multiple layers of clothes, in with real fabrics that breathe and more subtle creativity to compensate for the limited options in your wardrobe. I can already hear you from miles away whispering, ‘but what do I do to be stylish in summer? What can I wear to feel comfortable in my clothes without opting for the traditional shirt + shorts combo, and for going to a BBQ or a terrace-bar with my mates?

Follow the guide!

Simple yet stylish summer outfit

Masculine elegance in summer: not easy

In winter, you arrive in a bar wearing a well-cut coat, smart Richelieu shoes, understated faded jeans, a smart grey woolen jacket, with a gingham shirt, and, why not, a smart knitted tie. That’s the easy way to be elegant in winter.

But in summer, it’s a whole other ball game. No go areas: flannel trousers with your Richelieus, a plain shirt with painfully rolled-up sleeves tucked into your trousers. You’ll look like a businessman who has been taken by surprise by the warm weather and completely unprepared for the heat…

On the other hand, finding a look that is 100% elegant in summer is a hopeless task; it would be ridiculous to wear a linen suit to go to the beach in the evening! Style for style’s sake is about feeding your ego and not for your own enjoyment.

Summer, like every year, is, before you know it, Paris’s beaches and its Japanese tourists with their ever-shorter skirts – both as fake as each other.

The saying ‘less is more’ never has meant as much in the literal as in the figurative. Like it or not, in summer, you will have to go for the laid-back and subtle. And in any case, it will be more comfortable for you that way.

Great in a look-book, but very complicated to reproduce in reality.

Key points to dress in summer…

But the laidback look in summer – what is that? Here are a few tips that I’ll go over in more detail throughout the article:

• Wear patterned, checked or chambray shirts in a laidback way (I’ll come back to that in a second)
• Have the right T-shirt for you (not the one that makes your body look weird in photos)
• Wear comfortable, smart shoes
• Wear something other than jeans (which in summer are a method of a torture)
• Have fun with accessories

Keep in mind, too, that more than ever, the contrast of style that readers of our Style for Modern Men Method will know all about is right on trend, that is:

‘For each understated accessory I wear = I wear a strong item in my outfit’

(Or, alternatively, another understated item, but very laidback).

The ideas are endless: understated chinos with a nice pair of high-rise sneakers or simple flip-flops and Bermuda shorts with a plain white shirt, but with an extra undone button.

T-shirts

If it’s hot, you’ll need to wear a different one every day. Have at least 5 or 6 in stock.

Therefore when you’ll have find the right one, you can buy 3 of them in white, no brainer.

I must emphasize their quality here, too. Low quality fabric will shrink or loose shape when washed and will be damaged quickly by sweat.

Where things start getting tricky is when you want a more ‘polished’ T-shirt :

• They’re more difficult to find
• They’re more expensive
• And, in particular, given that you’re going to sweat a lot, you’ll need a T-shirt that stands up well in the wash

It’s in relation to the latter point that I advise you to be vigilant with very high-end T-shirts made from mixtures of cotton, silk and cashmere (a specialty of Rick Owens). Preferably, when it comes to high-end items, stick to cotton, and be very meticulous when putting them in the wash: wash them cold, as delicates, and in a purposefully-made protective bag.

Oh, I almost forgot – don’t be scared of modal, that artificial material made starting with cellulose. It’s in fact a particularly soft fabric and stands up well in the wash.

A print that really fades into the tee, yet adding a lot of personnality to the outfit

Where to buy tee-shirts ?

If you are really into tee-shirts and wear a lot of them, you should check Tug’s website  “Undershirt Guy“. He has been reviewing every brand out there (or almost). It’s a good place to search if you have specific requirements on the cut, the fit or the fabric. V-Neck, Scoop-Neck, Bamboo fiber… everything !

If you’re just looking for a good place to shop, I’d advise to check out Asos.com. They’ve got plenty of brand and their own label has nice tee as well with different cuts and cool print-on.

Looking for a basic white tee-shirt, keep an eye on good old Gap, J-Crew, Uniqlo, but don’t spend too much money on that. Up to 15$
Same goes with basic plain color tee-shirts, avoid very strong and bright colors and look for soft pastel tones, blue, green, beige etc.

Nice and soft colors for a tee (double-sided or not it’s up to you)

But a T-shirt from a high-end designer – what does that look like?

Here, you can see the work on the material, which seems to be much more silky than simple cotton…It’s a mixture with cashmere, by the way.

Vast amounts of work on the material, the shoulders, the support and the bottom of this Rick Owens T-shirt. 

And now for the more graphic: Kowtow and its soft prints…

And Passarella, with its printed T-shirts that leave opinions divided…

A nice motif on a T-shirt/a well-chosen support…that alone makes a significant difference. (This is Sh*t!)

Shirts: Use them and abuse them

Shirts are going to be an important element of your summer wardrobe, because they can very easily be laidback items which are at the same time elegant. I can only advise you to wear them with the sleeves rolled up, it’s so much more laidback! If the shirt isn’t too long, that is if it doesn’t stop more than halfway down your thighs, don’t tuck it in to your trousers.

From there, the possibilities are endless; here are the basics:

Chambray shirts

There’s a plethora of choice mid-range: Dockers, Our Legacy, April 77, APC, etc.  But for more limited budgets, there are some gems to be found with Asos or sometimes even with the big chains of low-cost prêt-à-porter, like Gap or H&M. Wear them with chinos or faded jeans! (Stay vigilant all the same: you’re going to have to do some digging). Don’t hesitate to layer up by wearing a T-shirt underneath with an open collar:

Chambray shirt by April 77. Obviously, you’re not completely obliged to wear it with the collar done up! 

Checked shirts

Checked shirts: here, too, there’s a lot on offer across all price ranges… Go for gingham or madras shirts. There’s a multitude of types of check and colors out there, which makes it hard for me to give you more precise advice. Shirts that are risk-free for beginners, will have not too wide checks and simple colors. For instance with only only one bright or strong color.
For the rest of you, try out in-store! Every year, I see very decent checked shirts in J-crew or Gap, for example. If you go for higher quality, you’ll have no problem finding some extremely nice items. And, as usual, we’re flexible in terms of the cut, even if – comfort obliged – you can allow yourself a bit of room in terms of the cut.

A nice checked shirt begins in particular with quite small checks to play with the contrasts + the good combination of colors

A good patterned shirt, well worn – you’ve got the idea

Summer shirts

Let’s get to the heart of the matter. A summer shirt is simply a shirt made from a fabric that you could never put with a suit, for example, linen, cotton fabric, Japanese cotton, etc. Brands such as Gitman Bros, Gantt Rugger, Dockers or Melinda Gloss have made it their specialty to explore this kind of fabric in their summer collections. Problem:  you’ll automatically need to look at mid-range/ high-end items in order to get access to interesting materials. In other words: wait for the sales

>> Read our article on how to choose a shirt

Summer shirts in a range of special fabrics. It’s first and foremost
comfort and an almost no-fail choice (you can put that down to the fabrics)

The case of the linen shirt

I’m going to be honest with you: it’s very complicated finding a nice, well-cut linen shirt, except high-end. But other than that don’t waste your time looking in H&M: you won’t come out alive. Personally, I don’t recommend linen. Granted, it’s light, but it absorbs water like a sponge and unless you have a revolutionary anti-perspirant, you’ll spend the day with sweat patches under your arms after the slightest effort…

What do I wear all these shirts with?

Chinos or brut or faded jeans – quite simple! Don’t forget, summer is the period where everyone is laidback, so don’t try to overcomplicate things. Believe me, a checked shirt with rolled-up sleeves will go very well with chinos or jeans, don’t stress.

The case of polos

I’ve already had the chance to talk about men’s polos in one of my latest articles: in general, it’s not an item I greatly appreciate, because it’s very difficult to find a nice one that makes you think of something other than an umpteenth imitation of one by Lacoste or Ralph Lauren (which is far from flattering, you’ll agree).

The polo is a hybrid item that is somewhere between the laidback-casual and the smart-casual. A bit like if you were to put a T-shirt and a shirt together and they were to have children. There are no universal rules (the cuts and materials will be, of course, your criteria of choice) but avoid falling into the cliché of the rugby man’s polo with a stuck-up collar and a douchebag attitude. Polos are classy, granted, but they’re like muscles: show what you have to but don’t over-play it as you’ll lose all of the classy and the natural.

It’s for this reason that I advise you not to make the polo your top priority.

For me, a good polo is either this:

A faded, aged effect that nicely softens the color

Or this : A scalpel cut at chest/shoulder level to make your shoulders look broader.

 Geometric patterns are quite nice and sporty…

A well-pointed collar, pearly buttons, a deep neckline and a nice bit of detail near the buttons with a band of grosgrain cotton. What else could you ask for?

————

That’s it for the first part of the How to dress in summer post.

Wishing you a cool end of summer this week-end.

What do you like to wear the best ? T-Shirt, Shirt, Polo ? 

‘Tonight I went for the accessories…’

Accessories are a summer essential. They can easily make or break an outfit without us really knowing it. For example if your outfit is a plain white T-shirt and chinos, a pair of smart shades, a nice watch, a little leather bracelet and a light-weight scarf will easily take the outfit to a whole other level. And that’s without you having to make a massive effort.

Choosing your shades

If you try out enough pairs, you’ll actually intuitively find the pair of shades that are the right shape for your face. Trying them out is the easiest and most simple way to find the right pair, especially if you’re a bit lost faced with advice based on your face shape.

 Alright, even if the frames are pretty nice, you don’t necessarily have to go for the Russian oligarch look with gold-plated shades…

Don’t be afraid to try out tons of pairs and take photos of yourself wearing them. And feel assured knowing that if you’re struggling to get to grips with the idea of matching shades to face shape, trying out a mere ten pairs isn’t going to get you very far. You’re going to have to try out at least two or three times that amount and focus in particular on higher-end models as they’ll have a better design.

Speaking of price ranges, there are three of them:

1. Cheap: If you’re the kind of guys who easily loses your accessories (shades, scarf etc): have a look in Gap or H&M (there’s often a lot of pretty decent models for the price). If you forget them at the beach, you’ll only have lost $10 and not $350. I’d advise you not to buy your shades from a street-stall cos you can’t be sure that they’ll deal with UV rays and that’s dangerous for your eyes. You can read our full article on how to choose sunglasses here.

H&M for a handful of dollars. They’ll last you a summer, maybe two, but not a third.

2. For mid–range brands, have a look at Raybans (I know, I know!), Persol, Mosley Tribes, Moscott, etc. There’ll be a mixture of good and bad pairs so you’re really going to have to prioritize trying them out.

Persols can look really cool on a younger guy. Don’t listen to people talking crap about Zac Efron cos his style is actually really great…unlike his films.

3. High-end shades is quite a unique area. To start with there are the great fashion houses that offer really nice models that are, however, pricey. The design is often impeccable but the quality, in relation to the price, is sometimes just pretty damn average. On the other hand, when you start looking at true sunglasses brands like Dita (obviously!), Mykita or Oliver People, you really do start getting your money’s worth. I’m well aware that you need to be filthy rich to be able to afford these so my only advice would be to have a good dig around when the sales are on.

For example, I’ve already spotted a new pair of Ditas for less than $250. With these brands the quality really is top-notch. I promised myself that one day I’ll do a comparison for you between a pair of Tom Ford shades and a pair of Ditas…

Dita Midnight Special, they speak for themselves.

As for the readers of the Kinowear Bible, I invite you to take another look at the chapter on shades in there 😉

Choosing bracelets and necklaces

You know by now that at Kinowear we’re far from being fans of men’s jewelry. Having said that, a little leather bracelet in summer never killed anyone.

What’s more, H&M and Zara often have a lot of nice and simple items on offer with tiny price tags. Note that the more wear gained over time, the better the look. If you’re not scared to look at higher-end stuff, you can find some real gems:

Vim Beget

Robert Geller

Finally, there’s one golden rule to remember: your bracelets and necklaces should NEVER make you look like you’re showing off how rich you are. Gold and designs that are too clean-cut are therefore to be avoided. You should go for the total opposite – mixes of materials and irregular shapes.

And the rest…

It’s possible to go for more laidback belts, have fun with it!

Really light-weight summer scarves are your friends and they can be found pretty much everywhere, including (and in particular) in the women’s section of prêt-à-porter stores. I’ll invite you to pay particular attention to the accessories range in your girlfriend’s fave store!

Faliero Sarti scarf, extremely light and soft, but quite a budget.

The bottom of the outfit – it’s not about reinventing the wheel

‘But can I wear jeans in summer?’

In summer, I’d advise you not to wear selvedge denim jeans for the sake of comfort: you get very hot very quickly in them. Waxed jeans are even worse cos they completely stop heat from escaping. If you can, go for grey materials as they absorb fewer rays of sun. 

It’s a good time to look at faded jeans too – this is a difficult topic as it’s really hard to find a nice pair…The most common pitfall is a botched-job of the fading meaning that it comes across as cheap. Here are a few tips for you:

Small budgets: H&M do some decent faded jeans but they’re wrecked after the first wash. And then, well, H&M quality is just, well…Failing that, a bit more expensive, brands such as J-Crew offer some truly decent pairs.

Don’t go for more faded than this. Very washed out jeans are not classy at all.

Big budgets: DRKSHDW, obviously, to be found in the sales in on Yoox… Acne also do some nice faded jeans.

Geoffrey’s DRKSHDW jeans 

‘Ah…people have been talking about chinos for a while now…’

Chinos are still THE summer trousers all the same. You’re in luck: most low-end PAP brands offer really decent models for summer, so I can only encourage you to start looking in H&M, Zara and the rest!

When it comes to choosing them, chinos stretch a little bit over time so take ones that are very slightly tight, and a few days later you’ll be chuffed with your light-weight, very comfy, masculine, elegant and fairly polyvalent trousers! (don’t wear them with shoes that are too smart, though…)

As far as color is concerned, have fun with it: beige, grey, faded green, cognac or marine blue, whatever you go far you really can’t go wrong. Personally, I’ve got three pairs and I can’t get enough of them.

And because I’m sometimes asked the question: chinos don’t need to be as well-fitted as slim jeans cut to the precise mm! It’s no biggie if there’s a bit of volume: the absolute worst is if they are glued to your thighs.

Dockers provides 3 different fits in a lot of colors that you may want to try. Search for Alpha-Khakis.

The case of the linen trousers

Let me make myself very clear: it is a very light-weight and comfortable item of clothing (making them a joy to wear in summer) but I find that they don’t offer you much choice as to what footwear to wear – basically, it’s either flip flops or loafers…

Having said that, if you’re looking for a pair of trousers that you can whip on easily as you jump out of bed in the morning sun that shines in through the windows of your holiday home so that you can go and have breakfast on the terrace – then they’re exactly what you’re in need of.

One last thing I just remembered, when I met Julien Scavani, a young tailor, in Paris he was categorical about one thing: linen is not the material you should wear to go to the sea cos it soaks up moisture and from that point onwards has very poor breathability. 

The case of the white trousers

Don’t even THINK about it… this is non-negotiable. A completely white outfit is to be avoided like the plague in summer. It has very, and I mean very, bad connotations.

And classy sportswear?

Sorry to disappoint you but if you want a really top-notch pair of trackies, you’re going to have to break the bank. I’m under the impression that it’s the kind of clothing that doesn’t interest low-cost PAP stores.

That said, if you look at higher-end stuff you’ll find some really unique pieces because it’s the kind of clothing that designers in general like to go to town on:

Reigning Champ, a great quality-price ratio

Odyn Vovk

Shoes in summer: what can I wear on my feet?

I find that choosing shoes in summer is a toughie. Of course, if the temperature doesn’t go above 25° you can carry on wearing your smart shoes and brut jeans. But as soon as you start thinking about wearing something other than a dark pair of jeans, you’re going to have to be a bit more inventive.

You need to keep in mind, too, that ankle boots are –despite everything- still very polyvalent, particularly with a pair of faded jeans (now you see why you shouldn’t go for too clean-cut ones) so you can carry on wearing them with no problems…

Question of comfort, the majority of higher-end shoes are made from quite fine leather: the heat won’t bother you (you should only wear cotton socks though…without polyester!)

That’s it for the practical info. But what about the style? Well, in my opinion the brand n.d.c have made a cracking job of their summer footwear:

Virile design + summery color + the right amount of wear = just what you need for the summer (n.d.c). It’s a mixture of virile style/ nice design/ wear fit for an adventurer in the middle of the Sahara, that you should really keep an eye out for in summer (and the rest of the year, too, for that matter)

Sticking with n.d.c, this is a much more laidback shoe

Whether we’re talking loafers, espadrilles, ankle boots, combat boots or work boots: they’re impeccable every time. That said these pairs of shoes aren’t cheap so wait for the sales to grab a pair.

Don’t forget that desert boots are an absolute must

The most basic desert boot is made from suede in rather pale colors with a crepe sole (crepe as in the rubber, not as in the pancake)

They quickly made their appearance in popular culture. Since then, the brand has created countless variants, of varying levels of taste. Partial variants, for example the beeswax pair with a polished texture that allows for subtle shading

Loafers, driving shoes and boat shoes

As for loafers, in my opinion they’re a bit of an odd case. It’s really difficult to find a pair that stands out from the crowd. All I can say is have a look at n.d.c (again!) to get a bit of inspiration. All you need to know and more on boat shoes at Gentleman’s Gazette.

Apart from that, you can rely on good old brands such as Sebago or Sperry Top Sider but the design will be quite classic on both boat shoes.

Driving shoes are also an option but they look more precious with the very thin sole made of small rubber “balls”. Feel free to accompany this laidback style with a pair of faded jeans or chinos.

Whatever you do, don’t wear them with a Ralph Lauren polo and a pair of Diesel jeans… 

Even more laidback are espadrilles. These shoes, of Basque origin, are in the midst of a big comeback thanks to small brands who are making them popular again…Havainas, The String Republic Corp, Hutopa (Argentinean espadrille…) Maurice & Moi etc…It really is a shoe that’s massively on the rise now. And if I personally had to buy a pair, I’d be looking towards Espartine.

Espadrilles will look amazing with a pair of slightly rolled-up chinos, a braided belt and, quite simply, a polo/T-shirt/shirt on top…

As for flip flops, I asked Gil (who lives in Tahiti) which brands I should be checking out. His answer was simple, which I wasn’t expecting, and pronounced with his legendary asian wisdom:

‘Leather reef, the true pros know what I’m talking about’

From my point of view, you can easily find a decent pair of leather flip flops within all price ranges, whether that be in Zara, H&M, Havaianas, Lanvin, Rick Owens, or wherever else you fancy…have a look around and you’ll see! Don’t invest too much because whatever the brand they can be damaged or lost (can happen during beach parties, Thailand again…)

Sneakers in summer

I’ll start with a practical point: if you’re going off on holiday with your mates, ALWAYS take a pair of sneakers with you that are tough enough for everything (a pair of German Army Trainers, or a pair of simple Nikes at around $50 etc). You never know what’ll happen and you’ll be damn glad to have a pair that you can put to the test without worrying if you want to go rafting, climbing, go-karting, from a night out where everyone spills their pints to a day of high-wire swinging from the treetops! It’s a must!

For the rest of the time, low-rise sneakers are really in at the minute. However, if you’re a bit lanky, high-rise sneakers with Bermudas are a simple and stunning combination.

Most designers have some really nice models on offer, and I’m still really drawn to Wings+Horns sneakers that I was lucky enough to admire up-close in a boutique in Vancouver. More modest budgets should have a look in Zara or even the simplest of Nikes. Once again, it is important to stick to really simple designs.

Risk-free Wings+Horns model, good quality and will go with anything!

Obviously, you’re better off waiting for the sales to go and purchase a pair but you can get started right away with simple and non-expensive buys from low-cost PAP stores. Canvas sneakers, a pair of chinos and a simple T-shirt make for a great look, for example. 😉

There you have it – have fun shopping!

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