Summer wardrobe
You are talented, but not JL
Summer is a precarious time for men. Everyone wants to dress like they are an extra in the Talented Mr Ripley, while not exactly looking like Jude Law in his prime. There are, however, a few items that add some personality to the summer wardrobe without making you look like you are cosplaying as Matt Damon in that same movie.
edit: for the love of libor rates, pick some colors and don’t default to the fifty shades of beige.
Bowling shirts
The only short-sleeved shirt that is acceptable - in my opinion.
Pleated shorts
I call them formal shorts, and they just look better than flat front shorts by adding volume and a “tailored element”. Polo has some, and some menswear brands also feature pleated shorts, although often in combination with a ghurka waistband - the choice is yours.
Woven loafer
Bottega bro is not what we are going for here. It is more about texture in general. While you may not like the texture of linen wrinkles, at least add texture to your outfit via a pair of woven leather loafers. My only advice here is to get a pair that is lined, because if those woven leather strips start rubbing on your feet, you might as well wrap your feet in sandpaper.
If the woven leather is a little too ostentatious for you, then suede tassel loafers are the next best thing. They let you walk that fine line between business and casual perfectly.
Sandals
A good pair of leather sandals goes a long way. And while I personally swear by Havaianas, my oldest pair has outlived three pairs of designer leather sandals, flip flops are also not everyone’s cup of tea. So stick to some handmade leather sandals from independent brands.
Read the leather sandals article
One-piece capri collar shirts
You won’t wear your shirt buttoned up during the summer months, so you might as well lean into the hotter temperatures. A one-piece capri collar shirt is the answer to casually dressing up and embracing the sunshine. Cordone 1956 offers a great version, which comes in linen too.
Linen knits
Whether it’s a sweater or a t-shirt, linen knits reign supreme. Sure, a Ralph Lauren cotton cable knit will shout that you have read Take Ivy with photos by Thayashida. But a linen knit is so much more comfortable to wear because of its breathability and crisper textures.
Heimat cotton-linen sweater - Made in Germany
73% linen and 27% cotton fisherman sweater - Made in Italy
Beach towel
Two things make for a good beach towel.
One, is the look, think of it as a statement towel. No, not the ones with the logo on them. Think more along the lines of a nice print or tone-on-tone pattern/jacquard. It’s a pointless luxury,
Two, a built-in zipper pocket. I don’t know why these have not become the norm. There are plenty of brands out there that offer them, and some of the luxury brands equip their towels with them, too. Because there is nothing more annoying than having to juggle your stuff on the beach by digging little hiding spots or leaving someone behind to watch the items.
All of this is completely irrelevant if the only beaches you frequent are commercially occupied by hospitality businesses, of course.
The dark navy polo from Wolf Versus Goat looks exactly like the one Dickie Greenleaf wore on his fateful canoe trip with Ripley.