How To be Fashionably Cool

     

Welcome to Part II in our hot weather dressing series. In this article we’ll cover general guidelines to remember when dressing for the heat and specifically get into hot weather headwear, footwear, and lower body clothing. If you haven’t read it already, please make sure to read A Man’s Guide to Summer Dress Part I before diving into this article. Although I try to make these articles capable of being stand alone pieces, they do build off each other and are best read in order.

Starting Where We Left Off

In Part I we spoke about the three things that you should remember when dressing for hot weather: 1) keep it clean, 2) keep it light, and 3) keep it understated. Building off those three guidelines, we’ll expand with two more.

4) Natural Fibers – When selecting the clothing you’ll wear in hot weather, always check the label to see what the garment is made from. Despite all the advances we’ve made over the last one hundred years, we have not yet developed an affordable alternative to nature’s cellulose based fabrics. Quality plant fiber fabrics, with cotton being the most popular, have for over a millennia successfully wicked away heat and provided protection from the sun. The natural properties of plant fiber fabrics allow them to dissipate heat and pass moisture through – exactly what you want when the temperature rises.

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5) Loosen-up – Please note that I do not advise you to wear your clothing two sizes too big. What we are aiming for is enough room to allow air flow as you move about normally. Tight clothing that hugs the body, especially if closely woven, will not allow air to flow over the skin. You want to encourage airflow so that the sweat on your skin evaporates.

Typically when I wear a sport jacket and dress shirt, I’ll unbutton my cuffs to allow more airflow up into the sleeves. I’ll also refrain from wearing a tie and instead wear a v-neck undershirt with one to 2 buttons left undone. FYI, this is where a pocket square comes in very handy as it adds a bit of color and lets others know you chose not to wear a tie, not that you forgot one.

Hot Weather Clothing Specifics

Lower Body Menswear – Shorts, Jeans, Chinos and Dress Slacks

Shorts

Shorts are casual-wear, period. No matter how you dress them up they are not in the same league as trousers made from a similar fabric. Outside the US they are not universally accepted as appropriate for wear in public; many still view them as children’s wear or suitable only when worn for sport. Looking to make a strong first impression? Think twice about wearing shorts. That being said, shorts are not going anywhere and are accepted as casual weekend and active wear throughout the US.

How should shorts fit? – For summer wear anything that sits 3 inches above the knee (give or take 2 inches) is perfect – higher it starts to enter the territory of gym shorts, lower and they begin to look like capris…..which along with jean shorts men should always avoid. Shorts should fit with two to four inches of room in the hips depending on personal preference.

What fabrics? – Short fabric should be cotton; not only is it the perfect fabric for hot weather, but its durable properties allow you to wash it a bit rougher in order to remove any grass or food stains. As for summer colors, think light and airy. Light khaki, tan, and even white if you’re not attending a bar-b-que are fine. Madras, a summer staple with Indian origins, is a multi-colored patchwork fabric made from very lightweight cotton. It was introduced into the US market over 50 years ago and has established itself as colorful but safe summer classic for the younger man.

Short style – The simpler the shorts, the dressier they will look. Hence cargo shorts with their oversized pockets, logos, and loops are the most casual and best reserved for the young man. On the other end of the spectrum are the sleek dress shorts you see for golfing – complete with belt loops and pleats; these are meant to be worn with shirts tucked in and are made from tighter woven cotton fabrics.

What to wear with shorts – Shorts naturally are at home with t-shirts and sandals. Most of us consider it dressing them up when we wear them with a polo shirt, so pairing them with anything more formal than a short-sleeve button up sport shirt requires a bit of sartorial sophistication. Be very careful when looking to pair shorts up with garments such as a blazer – it’s a look very few can pull off. Better to move up and put on a pair of trousers.

A quick note on Jeans, Chinos, and Trousers – since we just covered these in the wardrobe series part II, I’ll simply focus on these clothing articles as they pertain to hot weather wear.

Denim Jeans & Heat

Blue jeans are not my first choice when it comes to lower body wear on a day exceeding 90 degrees. Although normally made from cotton, their extremely tight weave and treated fabric inhibit much of the positive attributes of the fabric and with no vents they can trap in heat and cause excessive sweating. The only exception would be very lightweight denim that has been washed extensively.

Cotton Chinos & Heat

Often a better choice than jeans as cotton chinos have a looser weave that allows more air to flow between the fabric and your legs. A gentleman who finds he’ll need to be wearing these throughout a hot summer would be well advised to ensure the length of his chinos are hemmed with no break. This slightly short length may not be “sartorially correct” to some; however, it will promote airflow when he walks, separating the pant leg from the shoe.

Dress Trousers & Heat

Tropical wools or high end cotton weaves should be the fabrics you look for in a good pair of summer dress trousers. By far these are some of the best lower body coverings for summer; lightweight and breathable, they promote proper airflow and resist trapping heat. Wool will drape better and resist wrinkling but is more fragile and less breathable than equivalent weight cotton. Cotton is usually less expensive, more durable, and found in more lively colors, but unless custom made, is often less flattering to a man’s figure due to the stiffness of the fabric.

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July 17, 2010