Summer is all about easy comfort. I can get on board with that. The problem with this is that the words “easy” and “comfort” can be taken too far. Sometimes people mistake them for strictly casual. Relatedly, men often assume that warm weather makes dressing up neight unto impossible.
As someone who moved from the West Coast to the East Coast, I’ve had quite the journey when it comes to summer style.
Growing up, I was used to dressing for mostly warm weather, then I’ve spent my adult years learning how to accommodate seasons. I now know that leveling up your summer wardrobe can be both easy and fun.
In the summer you generally want to opt for lighter colors and/or cooler-toned versions of colors, for example, lime green and aqua green over saturated olive “military” green.
Any time you’d wear a black version of an accessory or garment in the winter, in warm weather consider going for a light tan version of it instead (dress trousers, for example). You don’t want anything too intense, which is why shades of white are good go-tos for essentials like tops and outerwear to anchor an outfit.
Color theory aside, pinks, lavenders, light blues, mauves, and whites are organically associated with warm weather. Think about the kinds of plants that bloom in the summer. They are the basis for the concept of “summer colors.”
There are, however, several pesky devils in the details. Two important examples of dark colors that work well in the summer are dark blue and purple.
On the practicality front, dark blue offers a high level of UV protection. On the style front, cobalt is an excellent deep blue that doesn’t look out of place on a summer palette. It’s deep, but it isn’t loud, especially the shades that border on green.
If you’re attending a summer wedding, you can go for a cobalt or cobalt-adjacent suit jacket if you aren’t a tan or white suit kind of guy. It can be styled the exact same way as a navy jacket.
Purple sits between naturally cool blue and naturally warm red. That being the case, it can be worn in any season, so it’s especially important to go for lighter versions of purple. Also since darker purple shades don’t work well with all skin tones.
I believe that anyone can incorporate a pastel piece into their combinations without it strictly indicating any type of personal style. A pastel blue t-shirt with light tan linen pants, is summery and neutral enough for any guy.
Relatedly, subtle contrasts, a leftover concept from spring, remains relevant in summer.
Other prime summer colors include blue-greens, sand shades, blued and pinked grays, and as previously mentioned, pink. A salmon shade on a textured fabric is a great entry-point if you’re “pink-hesitant.”
Orange and red aren’t strict nos, the way black and charcoal are. They’re reminiscent of the sun after all.