We hear it constantly: “I wish that I could dress up more often, but it is just too hot!” Today, we’re putting an end to the excuses as we share the secrets to classic style in even the hottest of temperatures.
- Don’t Compromise On Style Just Because It’s Hot
- 1. Opt for Long Sleeves
- 2. Wear a Collar
- 3. Lighten Up Your Color Palette
- 4. Reconsider Your Summer Shoes
- 5. Make Neckwear Optional
- 6. Ditch the Synthetics
- 7. Rethink Your Reliance on Linen
- 8. Switch to No-Show Socks
- 9. Embrace Cooler, Looser Cuts
- 10. Reduce Your Lining
- 11. Adjust Your Cuffs
- 12. Wear a Truly Stylish Hat
- FAQ
- What To Read Next
Don’t Compromise On Style Just Because It’s Hot
When the temperature spikes, it is incredibly easy for a man’s style to take a vacation. The default reaction for many is to shed as many layers as possible, resorting to flip-flops, cargo shorts, and graphic tees.
However, looking polished and staying cool do not have to be mutually exclusive. In fact, many common assumptions about warm-weather dressing actually make you hotter.
To help you maintain your sartorial standards without melting, we have compiled 12 essential rules to help you beat the heat in style.
1. Opt for Long Sleeves
It seems entirely counterintuitive, but short sleeves are not always a shoe-in for warm weather. When you wear a short-sleeved shirt, you expose more skin directly to the blazing sunlight, which can cause you to feel hot, sweaty, and sunburned much quicker. Instead, consider a long-sleeved shirt in a lightweight fit.
Why It Works: A relaxed, long-sleeved shirt allows air to circulate around your arms, creating a gentle, cooling breeze while shielding your skin from direct solar radiation.
2. Wear a Collar
While a basic crewneck T-shirt theoretically keeps you cool in broad strokes, it lacks one crucial component: a collar. Without a collar, the sun beats down directly on the sensitive back of your neck. From a classic menswear perspective, a T-shirt simply isn’t the most put-together look. Wearing a collared shirt, such as a polo, popover, or lightweight button-down, instantly elevates your professionalism and prevents a painful neck sunburn.
3. Lighten Up Your Color Palette
Most men naturally swear by dark, conservative colors like navy and charcoal. This summer, we dare you to lighten up your wardrobe.
Why It Works: Incorporating lighter shades yields an airy, casual, and highly refined aesthetic. If you aren’t ready to give up your favorite navy sport coat, that is perfectly fine, just lighten up the rest of your ensemble. Pair it with beige trousers, lighter leather shoes, a bright shirt, and a vibrant pocket square to balance the look.
13 Masculine Colors Every Gentleman Should Know
4. Reconsider Your Summer Shoes
The Hallmarks of Summer Shoes
- Unlined and lightweight
- Crafted from breathable canvas or supple, thin suede
- Designed to let your feet breathe naturally
Our Favorite Summer Shoes
5. Make Neckwear Optional
If you want an instant drop in your body temperature, skip the necktie. Tightening a silk tie around your neck effectively seals off your collar, trapping heat inside your shirt.
Don’t forget your
Bow Tie
If a dress code requires neckwear, swap your regular tie for a bow tie. A bow tie utilizes significantly less fabric and leaves the entire center of your torso exposed to airflow, keeping you considerably cooler.
Learn how to tie a bow tie
6. Ditch the Synthetics
This is advice we preach constantly, but it bears repeating: synthetic fabrics are not your friend in hot weather.
Fibers like polyester and nylon act like plastic wrap; they trap the heat your body produces close to your skin and hold onto moisture, making you feel sticky and damp. Natural fibers, on the other hand, actively wick moisture away and breathe.
A Warning on Hidden Synthetics
Always check the garment tag. A sport coat might be made of 100% summer-weight cotton on the outside, but if it features a full polyester lining, it will act like a greenhouse the moment you step outside, because the synthetic layer will trap your body heat.
7. Rethink Your Reliance on Linen
When men think of hot weather, they immediately think of linen. While linen is excellent, it does have three distinct drawbacks: it can be deceptively heavy, it is often tightly woven, and it wrinkles instantly. (While we personally appreciate the casual charm of linen wrinkles, it isn’t for everyone).
An excellent linen alternative
Tropical Wool
A high-twist wool with an open weave is incredibly lightweight, allows maximum airflow, and naturally resists creasing. Because of the high twist of the yarn, the fabric springily snaps back into its original shape, keeping you sharp all day.
Meet the Neapolitan tailor who hates linen for the summertime
8. Switch to No-Show Socks
An over-the-calf dress sock is a cornerstone of classic style, but running a layer of cotton or wool all the way up to your knees under trousers is a recipe for overheating. In the summer heat, switch to high-quality, lightweight no-show socks. They protect your shoes and skin while leaving your ankles bare, allowing a refreshing breeze to hit your skin.
9. Embrace Cooler, Looser Cuts
Skinny and close-fitting garments are notoriously poor performers in the summer. When fabric sits directly against your skin, there is zero room for air to circulate, and any moisture you generate stays trapped against your body.
The secret to summer comfort is airflow. By opting for a slightly looser, more relaxed cut in your tailored clothing and shirts, you allow air to move freely across your skin, evaporating sweat and lowering your core temperature.
Review proper suit fit
10. Reduce Your Lining
If you are purchasing a summer blazer or sport coat, look at the interior construction. You want as little lining as possible. A fully lined jacket, even one in a summer fabric, completely blocks the breeze. Look for unlined or half-lined jackets paired with an open-weave fabric. If you hold the jacket jacket up to the light, you should practically be able to see through the weave.
11. Adjust Your Cuffs
When wearing long-sleeved summer shirts, skip the heavy double cuffs and metal cufflinks, which add unnecessary weight to your wrists.
Instead, opt for simple barrel cuffs and leave them unbuttoned. Opening up your sleeves allows air to travel directly up your arms, keeping your pulse points cool.
Learn more about French-cuffed shirts
12. Wear a Truly Stylish Hat
A hat is essential for sun protection, but the ubiquitous baseball cap falls short. A ball cap only protects the front of your face; it leaves your ears and the back of your neck entirely exposed to UV rays.
A gentleman’s summer wardrobe is far better served by a classic full-brimmed hat, such as a genuine Panama hat with a beautifully woven edge. Not only does a full brim look immensely polished and sophisticated, but it casts a wide shadow that protects your face, ears, and neck all at once.
Explore more summer hats
FAQ
Is wool really wearable in the summer heat?
Yes, but only if it is a high-twist tropical wool with an open weave. Unlike heavy winter wool, tropical wool is incredibly lightweight and woven loosely enough that you can easily see through it when held up to the light. It allows maximum airflow, resists wrinkling, and drapes beautifully, making it an excellent alternative to linen for formal summer settings.
Why does wearing long sleeves keep you cooler than short sleeves?
Long sleeves act as a barrier between your skin and direct solar radiation. When the sun beats directly down on bare arms, your skin heats up rapidly, causing you to sweat faster. A lightweight, loosely fitted long-sleeve shirt blocks the sun while allowing a gentle buffer of air to circulate around your arms, keeping your core temperature lower.
What is the best alternative to a linen shirt if I hate wrinkles?
If you want the breathability of linen without the inevitable creases, look for lightweight cotton-linen blends, seersucker (which has a natural puckered texture that hides wrinkles), or high-twist lightweight cotton fabrics like voile or poplin.
Do I really have to stop wearing sneakers or dress shoes in the summer?
You don’t have to give them up entirely, but you must look at their internal construction. Standard leather dress shoes and leather sneakers have multiple sandwiched layers and heavy synthetic linings that trap heat. For summer, switch to unlined versions of loafers, canvas sneakers, or thin suede shoes that allow moisture and heat to escape from your feet.
How can I tell if a jacket has a synthetic lining before buying it?
Always check the composition label inside the jacket or on the online product page. Look specifically for the lining fabric. Many summer blazers are advertised as “100% Cotton” or “100% Linen,” but a closer look at the fine print reveals the interior lining is 100% polyester or acetate. For hot weather, seek out jackets labeled as unlined, half-lined, or lined with highly breathable Bemberg or cupro.
Why are baseball caps considered bad for hot weather?
While a baseball cap protects your eyes and the front of your face, it leaves your ears and the back of your neck completely exposed to direct sunlight. A gentleman is far better served by a full-brimmed hat, like a Panama or a straw Fedora, which casts a 360-degree shadow, protecting your entire head and neck while elevating your look.
What To Read Next
Classic Summer Style
Take a deeper dive into dressing cool while it is hot.
Summer Fabrics
Explore the materials that will keep you cool when it’s hot outside.
Hot Weather Accessories
We explain the seven accessories that are critical for the summer.