Please see this previous post for an intro as to why you're getting a summer (men's!) fashion list in the dead of winter. Here goes, Part II:
I feel terrible for men in the summer, I really do. It’s so difficult to find warm-weather alternatives that look dignified and professional. As a girl who loves a man in a suit (three-piece, preferably), I sympathize with how difficult it is to find a comparable warm weather alternative.
The answer: seersucker. And in case you think you know where I’m going with this, I don’t mean an entire seersucker suit so that you look like Atticus Finch, though you could do much, much worse—can I get a witness for Gregory Peck?
A co-worker of mine exemplified professional and sleek when he wore seersucker pants with a tan stripe instead of the usual blue, which he coordinated with cognac-colored leather monk-strap dress shoes, a white button-down shirt and a beautifully patterned tie that had elements of the tan and cognac in his shoes and pants. No vest, no suit jacket, so he wasn’t dying in the heat, and he looked positively dapper.
Since I don’t have a picture of him, here are a couple of detail shots from The Sartorialist that show some seersucker color:
This is not to hate on shorts. It takes a certain kind of man to pull them off, but it can be done. And, of course, I have to mention that despite what the likes of Thom Browne want you to think, you really can’t wear shorts to the office and expect to be taken seriously. This is what we in the business like to call a big fat NO:
There’s the preppy short situation (not really my cup of tea, but some girls go crazy for it; maybe it’s the implied wealth):
And there’s the cut-off short scenario (better than you’d think):
With the cut-offs, that’s the kind that can obviously be done with any old pair of Gap khakis. I had a friend who once wore, all summer, a variation of dark blue cut-off khakis, a white t-shirt and Chucks. And he looked awesome.
If you are the kind of guy who won’t let his lily white legs be seen in the summer under any circumstances, then a linen suit or linen pants are other alternatives for the workplace. JCrew has a lovely and rather affordable linen suit at the moment:
Last but not least is my wild card, the crazy suggestion. It’s one that I don’t think the majority of men would even half-heartedly embrace (or even be able to pull off), but I found it so striking that I had to share it with you. The mandal:
I was surprised to find the all-black sandals kinda… sexy (can always do without studded man sandals). Usually I am very anti-mandal. Men’s sandals are usually so earthy-crunchy-mountain-climbey/hippie that I can’t get into it. But those Givenchy lovelies remind me of Rome, which reminds me of James Purefoy, and what lady doesn’t swoon at that?
(Actually I would pay good money for that leather cuff he’s wearing; it’s gorgeous.)
My final suggestion for looking crisp and clean in the summer? Hygiene. Gentlemen, please wear deodorant, and make sure to shower regularly. I stand next to you on the subway and I do not want to smell your body odor, no matter how hot—literally and figuratively—you are.
Until next time,
TheAL
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