Getting the perfect summer wardrobe requires planning and strategic shopping. I feel you—dressing well during these months can be difficult, especially in the South Florida heat. But don’t let summer heat be your excuse to schlep around looking like a hobo, there are places to go, people to see and personal styles to be expressed.
From Pride festivals to awesome vacations, it’s better to be prepared with fashionable merch in advance. It can be undoubtedly tricky to figure out what to wear and how you can impress onlookers.
Here are five Dos & Don’ts of Summer Menswear.
SHADE:
The perfect pair of sunglasses is a great investment and makes one hell of a difference to your look. I love the classic Ray-Ban sunglasses. These sun glasses look great on pretty much everyone, but experiment with different frames until you find the best one for you. Unless you are Anna Wintour, sunglasses indoors are a big no-no for me. Instead, place them on your head or on your shirt collar when you walk indoors.
The T:
The backbone of the casual outfit, a basic t-shirt is as versatile as it gets. Keep it simple with a plain colored shirt, or spice up your look with one of my Marrero Collection design tees (shameless plug).
The most important thing is to find the right fit for your body type. Speaking of fit, don’t wear baggy clothes—it just sloppy. No matter what type of physique you have, baggy clothes do you no favors. Don’t even get me started with the big logos that make people look like billboards! My next column probably needs to be dedicated to the t-shirt.
Shorts
We couldn’t possibly survive the heat without them, but shorts don’t have to look frumpy. And can we PLEASE release the CARGO shorts to the Holy Spirit already?
The 3/4 lengths are just not flattering. Sure the pockets can be helpful, but really, do you have that much stuff to carry around?
Remember the most important part about your shorts should always be the fit and fabric. To stay cool and breezy opt for materials such as cotton and linen-blends.
Shoes
Whether you’re wearing shorts or sporting the cuffed pants, your footwear becomes the MVP of your look. A pair of white sneakers with a minimalist design keeps your look fresh.
The penny loafer is a classic when you need to dress it up a bit. They can be worn with or without socks and go with basically anything.
Wearing socks with sandals is probably one of the biggest fashion faux-pas and the absolute clearest sign of sartorial ineptitude. Interestingly enough, this style is starting to pop up all over the runways and is now officially a “look.” But in the words of Ariana Grande, “THANK U, NEXT”!
Headgear
Play around with headgear. Baseball caps look cute on most guys, but sometimes I feel like we get too stuck on that look. Why not try a Panama hat or a fedora? And definitely no sideways hats! This is not the 90s.
Lightweight hats are always great for summer days and these particular styles will elevate your look instantly.
The real key is to wear your hat with confidence!
It’s not impossible to look great when you’re dressing down. You don’t have to sacrifice style for comfort. Buy what you need, buy what makes you feel great and hold on to nothing more. If you feel like you need to edit and update your wardrobe, summer is the perfect time to do so.
Stay stylish, fashionista!
