5 Summer Style Essentials

Staying cool and stylish during these summer months can be tricky. Whether you’re battling humidity, rain, or dry scorching heat, maintaining a sartorial look can be a challenge.  We’ve pulled together these five summer essentials to help you get through the summer heat in style.

The Straw Hat

straw hat

Although few would know to complain if you didn’t switch your hat to the appropriate material with the change of seasons, the unspoken rule of wearing straw in the summer and felt in the cooler months still applies. Whether you’re attending a summer concert or merely dining al fresco, straw hats are the perfect accent to any casual look.  Invest in a quality hat (we like Borsalino) and dress it up with a double breasted suit  or keep it casual with straight leg jeans and a gingham button up. Men looking for a younger, more modern feel, may turn to the trilby hat, while older men typically choose the wider brimmed Panama hat. Either way this is the ultimate summer style accessory.

The Casual Button Down

casual button down shirt

Casual button down shirts in cotton or linen fabrics are a mainstay for an easy summer look. Our Aldo blue pinpoint oxford is made from lightweight, breathable cotton, and can be paired with crisp chino shorts, jeans, or brightly colored trousers for a versatile look with relatively little thought. Gingham and madras plaid are other classic summer patterns, but pick patterns only as exuberant as you are — patterns that don’t overpower the wearer.  Two more points to keep in mind when choosing casual button downs – 1. Fit is paramount (made to measure if possible) and 2. Unless you are wearing jeans, cotton shirts should generally stay tucked in, skimming the body (linens may be worn untucked).

The Chino

The chino is simply the fabric of choice for men’s summer trousers.  Easy and comfortable, they are a great alternative to jeans in the summer and give a casual look an instant upgrade.   A clean, flat-front trouser in khaki or navy are classics for your closet that will carry you through many summers.  Pair crisp chino trousers or knee length shorts with a button down and loafers or sandals for an easy summer look.  Already have the basics? Branch out into brighter colors like cherry red or yellow if you dare.

The Sandal – for Grownups

Sandals are a great summer shoe, but a few basic rules are in order: Unless you are on the beach or at the pool, avoid flip flops at all costs.  Instead, choose a leather sandal that will last you for many summers to come.  Traveling to a tropical locale?   Choose a roman sandal for something chic, yet functional.

The Trenchcoat

The utilitarian, yet fashionable, answer to the rain that sometimes comes with the summer months, is the trenchcoat.  Although trenchcoats are made by a variety of brands, few can match the eponymous Burberry trench.  Created in 1901 as the official raincoat of British Army Officers, the Burberry trench has retained an iconic role through history, worn prominently by Humphrey “Here’s looking at you kid” Bogart in Casablanca and Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.  A purchase of this caliber will not only keep your suit dry during the rainy months, but may be cherished and passed down to future generations.

No matter if you are spending your summer at the beach or in the city, these summer classics will take you wherever you are going with ease.  What are some of your favorite summer pieces?  Let us know in the comments below.