Great summer style is a balance of comfort and class, no matter what tribe of menswear you subscribe to. It’s about having a relaxed aesthetic that stands up to warm temperatures but at the same time looks considered and well put-together.

The natural default for our wardrobes is to lean in on looser layers and lightweight fabrics. This is clearly a good idea, but if you want to maintain a sophisticated edge, there are a few essential menswear pieces that will provide just the right balance of elegance and refinement without feeling overly dressy.

We’ve curated some of our favourites that are easy to style and never fail to turn heads. Each is an investment worth making.

The Lyocell T-shirt

Cotton T-shirts are the bedrock of summer wardrobes, being so easy to wear with just about anything and everything, from casual shorts to tailoring. But if you want to raise the bar in terms of both look and comfort, then a Lyocell design should be on your style radar.

Lyocell is an ecological cloth made from the fibres of compressed wood pulp, which has an almost silk-like texture. It’s very breathable and lightweight, with a soft luxury handle.

It’s perfect for wearing under an unstructured jacket. Alternatively, team it with tailored shorts for an elegant yet relaxed aesthetic.

The Silk Shirt

Silk shirts used to be something your dad wore in the 1960s when he was single and feeling lucky, then they disappeared into the graveyard of menswear, popping up in bold-as-brass Versace collections in the 80s, only to slide away again.

Then came Gucci’s maximalist period, followed by Casablanca a few years ago – a brand that completely reinvented the silk short-sleeve shirt and cemented its place in the modern summer streetwear wardrobe.

Silk feels incredible on the skin too, offering a fluid, tactile handle that works with both casual and smart fits. Not only that, it’s lightweight and breathable to boot, meaning you’ll feel as cool as you look.

The Knitted Polo

Knitted polo shirts have been on a tear in recent seasons, with just about every luxury brand worthy of the moniker producing them each season. From loose and casual crochet styles to fine-gauge merino or cashmere iterations, knitted polos give you all the casual props but with a distinct touch of elevation.

They are great at dressing down summer suits, especially linen ones where you can juxtapose the textures. Still, the knitted polo can also be worn with tailored shorts or casual separates for a relaxed yet sophisticated summer vibe.

The Suede Jacket

Whether in the form of a smart blouson, trucker or safari jacket, suede brings a uniquely luxurious edge to the style equation. Buttery soft with a stunning texture, suede jackets have a uniquely masculine aesthetic and are investment pieces that will last you a lifetime if cared for properly.

Naturally, good suede doesn’t come cheap, and most luxury fashion houses charge eye-watering premiums, so look to specialists such as Valstar to get the most bang for your buck.

Sunglasses

A top-notch pair of luxury sunglasses will instantly upgrade any outfit. As Jack Nicholson once said, “With my sunglasses on, I’m Jack Nicholson. Without them, I’m fat and 60.”

Luxury eyewear is a huge business mostly dominated by two companies, but a growing number of independents produce stunning frames these days.

Brands like Ahlem, Gentlemonster, Mykita, Dita and Jacques Marie Mage have been at the forefront of innovative frame design and technologies, and slipping on one of their designs is the quickest wardrobe fix you can make.

Linen Suit

The linen suit is featured in articles on ‘what to wear to weddings’ every summer, but that undermines its dexterity.

Linen tailoring is a dream in warmer weather. It’s relaxed and unstructured yet still has a hint of formality and elegance in the shape of the suit silhouette. Thanks to the slubby fibres, it’s beautifully textural and takes colour well, especially light tones and pastels.

The fabric’s natural crinkle ensures it always looks nonchalant and easygoing. It looks perfect styled with other textured pieces, such as knitted polos or T-shirts, but even an unfussy cotton tee will be a stylish dance partner to this underrated two-piece.

Linen Trousers

We’ve just spoken about the linen suit, but we want to differentiate it from the smart tapered style of trousers because, for the past few seasons, plenty of straight-leg and wide-leg linen strides have been making the rounds, and we love them.

For one, they’re preposterously comfortable, and two, they have an inimitable way of making your summer looks feel effortless. Wear them with fisherman’s sandals and a Cuban shirt for a tropical aesthetic, or sneakers, an OCBD and a cotton crew-neck jumper for a more preppy attitude.

Tailored Shorts

Shorts, of course, underpin our summer wardrobes, but many guys find them difficult to style well, most often because they’re choosing overly relaxed or sporty styles that only have a home in streetwear ensembles.

That’s where tailored shorts come in. Whether you prefer minimalist chino shorts in heavy cotton twill or single-pleated linen shorts, having a tailored element elevates them enough to open up a plethora of styling options, from preppy looks such as crew necks and boat shoes to smarter fits with loafers and a blazer.

Terry Cloth Resort Polo

Terry towelling has exploded in recent seasons, with brands such as Oliver Spencer leading the way with a variety of tactile polo styles.

Terry cloth was originally conceived for towelling because of its absorbency, but much finer terry fabrics have come to the market in the shape of tees and polo shirts. These make for versatile resort pieces that can be worn by the pool just as easily as at an al fresco dinner with chinos.

Camp Collar Short-Sleeve Shirt

The camp collar shirt, aka the Cuban shirt, is a modern relative of the ‘guayabera’ shirt – a blue-collar garment that eventually became Cuban national dress. The modern iterations of this classic are diverse and plentiful, with the likes of Casablanca making silk versions and a host of other menswear labels offering cotton and linen styles, too.

They have a soft, unstructured collar that’s good for wearing with a suit to give it a more relaxed appeal. However, they’re most at home combined with tailored shorts and loafers.

Leather Sandals

Summer footwear is a tricky piece of the style puzzle and can completely ruin a look if you don’t get it right. You can have the best shirt and shorts combo in the world and then completely undermine it with a pair of ill-chosen sneakers and ‘invisible’ socks (if they’re invisible, why are they a constant eyesore?!).

Cue leather sandals, the answer to all your problems. Whether in the shape of slides or fisherman sandals, bookending your feet with leather instantly upgrades your look. Sandals and slides are versatile too – you can wear both with a tailored linen suit as easily as you can swim shorts and a terry cloth polo shirt.

Suede Espadrilles

A quick style fix to instantly upgrade your off-duty summer looks with a slice of luxury: suede espadrilles.

The classic cotton espadrille is beautiful in all its laid-back casualness, but going for a suede option makes a subtle but important difference. It allows you to wear them with more considered smart-casual looks throughout the season while elevating your beach fits.

Sun Hat

The hat is one of the most overlooked accessories in a man’s summer wardrobe. Not only does it provide important protection from the sun, but a great hat will also really set you apart from the crowd.

Branded caps are one thing, but for a real injection of luxury, look to specialists such as California hatmaker Nick Fouquet, who makes stunning artisanal full-brimmed hats brimming with character and style.