{"id":307,"date":"2022-07-12T16:19:27","date_gmt":"2022-07-12T21:19:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/manlife.com\/articles\/?p=307"},"modified":"2022-07-12T16:19:28","modified_gmt":"2022-07-12T21:19:28","slug":"smart-summer-wardrobe-choices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/manlife.com\/articles\/index.php\/2022\/07\/12\/smart-summer-wardrobe-choices\/","title":{"rendered":"Smart Summer Wardrobe Choices"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

With the weather getting hot to the point where nearly every state can expect triple-digit temperatures, it’s time to start thinking about how to adapt well to summer styles. I struggle with this somewhat myself: sweaters, jackets, and the like are staples of my style, and doing summer style justice means looking good with a lot fewer layers.

So, in this piece, I want to spend some time working through some classic summer style choices that will not only look appropriate for the weather but also help somewhat in making these temperatures a lot more bearable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Straw Hats<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A theme you’ll notice here is an emphasis on two things: materials and specific cuts. A lot of men’s hats, whether baseball caps or flat caps that are gaining in popularity thanks to Peaky Blinders, are made from materials to keep you warm. That’s the opposite of what we want.

Instead, I recommend a straw hat with some kind of brim. Since the straw is woven, it breathes a lot better than tighter weaves like cotton or wool, and the brim will keep your face out of the sun a bit. Anything a man can do to prevent sunburn, hangovers, or bug bites, I argue, he should do. Specifically, a straw fedora or Panama hat is a great summer look, and if you can find a packable version, they’re a great vacation hat.

I also think it’s a good idea to keep the brim fairly small on these hats: once the brim gets big enough to get floppy, it starts to look a little unkempt and resembles the cheap straw hats that spring-breakers love down here in Florida. That said, a wide-brimmed hat is ideal for lounging by the pool to make it easier to see your book, so go with what makes the most sense for your particular needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Lighter Shirts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With shirts, fabric makes a massive difference. For summer, I recommend shirts that are made from either light cotton, linen, or a blend of the two. I generally go for cotton since linens tend to wrinkle, but if you own a steamer and do not mind wrinkles, linen and blends can offer a lot of airflow.

For a specific cut, look into the Guyabara: it’s a shirt made popular in Cuba by the Spanish, which has pockets (for cigars and sunglasses) as well as a generous cut that helps air flow through the shirt to keep you cool. They’ve become my summer go-to in Miami.

If you usually like slim-fit shirts, it’s also a good idea to think about a little looser fit for the summer. Minimizing the contact between the shirt and your skin is a great way to increase airflow, and give the sweat somewhere to evaporate other than directly into your shirt. Shorter sleeves are a good idea, too, though I typically go with long sleeves to keep the chance of sunburn down to a bare minimum. Sweat is slightly annoying, but skin cancer is a much more serious problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Gold Accessories<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Typically, I prefer to keep my accessories, whether it’s sunglasses, watches, belts, or pocket knives relatively understated, when it’s bright and sunny you can get away with a fair bit more.

When you’re already doing a relatively casual outfit, then it makes sense that you can also use accessories that are more casual and, in this case, evoke ideas of things being bright and sunny.

Of course, actual gold watches and the like can be outrageously expensive, especially for items that you don’t wear terribly often. To this end, I want to make a specific recommendation. If you’re into automatic watches and want one that you can afford, the Seiko 5 is hard to beat. I have three currently: a stainless steel banded model, a gold one, and a third one that has a blue face that currently sports a blue and white striped dial. On sale, each of them was under $200 and I get compliments on them all the time.

In a similar vein, a pocket knife with brass bolsters is a tool that not only stands out but will age nicely with time. For summers, it’s not a bad idea to get a model that also has a bottle opener attached. A corkscrew might not be a bad idea either if you can find a model that suits your aesthetics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Boat Shoes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Stay with me for a moment. I know boat shoes are part of the uniform of fraternity boys at tailgates. But, worn with a pair of khakis and a nice linen shirt, they can also be a great alternative to sneakers. Paired with shorts, they make sense in the summer.

I consider boat shoes to be an alternative to sandals. Generally, I am of the mind that flip-flops are almost entirely too casual to wear anywhere but the beach or a public pool. And, for someone like me who has flat feet, shoes without any support are a recipe for a ruined afternoon through foot pain. Thus, a pair of shoes that has a little bit more support can be a great summer option.

A specific tip here: get no-show socks. Seeing a line of white or black above the line of a shoe can make any outfit look a lot less put-together than what we’re hoping for here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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These outfit tips, ideally, will help you keep a little cooler in the summer. In general, the idea is to use the lightest fabric possible and go for cuts that allow for more airflow to keep the sweat off of you as much as you can.

Additionally, I do recommend wearing sunglasses whenever you can. Not only do they add sophistication to an outfit, but they also protect your eyes from harmful UV rays. The same thing goes for sunscreen: it might not seem like a big deal today, but preventing sun damage and cancer is something that we should all be concerned with now, to do our future selves a big favor. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With the weather getting hot to the point where nearly every state can expect triple-digit temperatures, it’s time to start thinking about how to adapt well to summer styles. I struggle with this somewhat myself: sweaters, jackets, and the like are staples of my style, and doing summer style justice means looking good with a … <\/p>\n

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