Building a Summer Wardrobe

[uppercase]

I'm in a bit of a quandry as to putting together a casual, Summer wardrobe.

First consideration is comfort in face of the heat, then elegance and appropriateness.

What are the fabrics, the styles, the accessories needed to remain cool and comfortable as well as elegant in a variety of situations, when traveling and when at home?

The casual Summer wardrobe needs to include clothing suitable for a city (think, for example, tourist in a commercial center such as NYC, Paris, Rome in the middle of Summer; walking, touring in the sweltering heat, then popping into an elegant city hotel or restaurant for lunch); then we have clothing needed for a seaside city (think Beirut, Cannes or Nice; seaside, sunny, yes, but still primarily a commercial city, not a beach resort); then, we have a beachside resort (think Nantucket, St. Tropez or Phuket where the town revolves around the beach and tourism); finally, we have weekend clothing, worn in our home towns, worn when going to the mall, to brunch, for a stroll to get an icecream or a martini down the street.

This is a very wide range of situations but entirely within what one might encounter in the Summer.

First thought was to throw out the blue jeans and consign the khakis to the back of the closet. The suits and ties stay at home as well. The stiff collared shirts, the city shoes, the country odd coat and woolen trousers, the dark socks don't get packed. The T-shirts, tie-dyed shirts, all sorts of stretchy, synthetic clothing as well as the varied and sundry mistakes are packed up for later disposal. The shorts are saved for backyard wear.

But then, I don't have any clothes left....

So what is one to elegantly wear in the hot Summer?

[Guest]

Well, I think you will wear trousers ... at the end!

Being serious, never give up tailored trousers. Mr. Alden will add better considerations here, but the main fabric type suggested for a hot summer is: plain weave, expecially for coat. All the twill weave fabrics are too much warm, even if they are 7oz. It is much better a 10oz plain weave. This is Fresco, but not only, hopsacks too and many others. Just look that weave is plain and not diagonal, and that it let pass some "air".

Of course better colors are light colors. Tan, off-white, sky-blue, kakhi.

I would get some Cotton Drill, Fresco trousers in that colors, unlined suede shoes. Popeline or batista shirts. Ascot. Maybe a panama. And that's it. Of course in a city or a social environment you will want to add an unlined coat in a fabric and color we have discussed above. For a trip I would find useful a safari jacket in the same fabrics.

That's my choice.

GIona Granata.

[ccox]

The casual Summer wardrobe needs to include clothing suitable for a city (think, for example, tourist in a commercial center such as NYC, Paris, Rome in the middle of Summer; walking, touring in the sweltering heat, then popping into an elegant city hotel or restaurant for lunch); then we have clothing needed for a seaside city (think Beirut, Cannes or Nice; seaside, sunny, yes, but still primarily a commercial city, not a beach resort); then, we have a beachside resort (think Nantucket, St. Tropez or Phuket where the town revolves around the beach and tourism); finally, we have weekend clothing, worn in our home towns, worn when going to the mall, to brunch, for a stroll to get an icecream or a martini down the street.

Dear uppercase,
As noted, remaining elegant in the swealtering heat is quite a trick to pull off. But I have full confidence in our membership and its advice.

I will add my own two cents. My wife and I lived, for a time on The Cote d'Azur, so Cannes, Nice and St. Tropez are very familiar to me. The dress codes there are casual, but subtly elegant (in some quarters. St. Tropez seemed awash in Versace in the late 90s. Think Miami Beach.)

I got by with lots of white, dove grey, khaki, and blue. I packed a linen blue blazer and a couple of ties for sartorial emergencies. I couldn't afford the $5,000 (US) to get into the back room of the casino in Monaco, so didn't miss my evening clothes. I rarely wore socks and agree with Jona that unlined suede is much appreciated -- I like loafers. I also wore espadrilles during the day. These worked particualrly well with my linen trousers (and swimsuits). Other trousers were tropical weight wool, which traveled well and allowed perspiration to evaporate. Shirts were linen or Egyptian cotton, long sleeved. A lightweight silk or single-ply cashmere sweater is also recommended. A short sleeved polo/tennis collar shirt or two is useful during the day and layers nicely under your blazer. A linen pair of off-white "jeans" and Tod's driving shoes were perfect for train travel. I also wore a "mariniere" striped jersey, but was considered rather "old fashioned." (I had hoped for "very Cary Grant." Nope.)

Now, having given you my summer travel wardrobe, I'll tell a story of a most elegant gent (British) spotted in a restauarnt (Les Vieux Murs) in Antibes. He was wearing white trousers with side tabs, an open-necked, awning striped, blue and white shirt with cut-away collar, no socks and his velvet "Prince Albert" slippers. He looked, for all intents and purposes, as if he owned Monaco. He certainly could have owned the large yacht with helicopter that was floating in the near distance. And it might have been the deep tan, but I don't think he perspired at all....

Have a wonderful summer! I envy you your travel plans.

Regards,
CCox

[alden]

Summer casual dressing is indeed a challenge but elegant solutions are readily available. As Giona has rightly pointed out, in Summer the trouser takes center stage. The trouser is often overlooked in favor of the coat in many men's research for elegant dress and yet the trouser is equally important as the coat in every season but particularly in the heat of Summer. The trousers cut should be full and favor comfort and maximum circulation of cooling air.

Linen trousers worn with side tabs or worn with a belt are the staple item when combined with linen shirts, ascot and linen cap or Panama. Canvas shoes or spectators work well in combination with these basics. It is good advice to routinely commission two pair of linen trousers every year for the Summer season until your wardrobe includes fifteen or so pair.

If you require a suiting, then linen, and fresco are the choices above all others. An unlined light gray fresco or linen suit is a Summer must that can be worn in almost all situations.

A lightweight sweater or a linen Safari coat rounds out the elements that will give you versatility in almost all situations.

If you can succeed in appearing at ease and elegant in Summer, the other seasons of the year are a snap!

[alden]

There is no place to hide a poorly cut trouser. In Summer, the trouser takes center stage. Windsor shows how to use the ascot and Summer hat to perfection in this photo.

[ccox]

Wonderful photo. I like that it shows Windsor sporting a short-sleeved shirt, something that I am normally not in favor of. He looks quite smart.

CCox

[Cruz Diez]

Dear members,

I think short sleeve shirts in pure linen or a cotton voile or etamine are beautiful and elegant for the Summer months. I look forward to the warmer weather, and start wearing my short sleeves!

Cheers,
Miguel