There are invites to barbecues, picnics, boating and more outdoor events to attend throughout any given summer.

Deciding what to wear for all these events can be challenging, even for the most stylish and impeccable man. The standard default of a conservative suit is much too formal, and the ultra-relaxed look of shorts and T-shirt simply does not look as put together as other cool and breezy options for summer.  

So what’s the answer? You’ve come to the right place! Here we offer a number of casual options for men going to outdoor social events in summertime.

Men’s Summer Shirts

Most any event held outdoors in the summer wouldn’t require you to wear a necktie, which means you can wear almost any type shirt you want.

For summer you’ll want it to be comfortably dressy, breezy and light. You’ll want your hosts to think you put some effort into looking nice, so it better not resemble anything like a T-shirt, but a business shirt wouldn’t be appropriate either.   

Here are some styles to add to your wardrobe for summer outings:

Dress Shirts with a Light Pattern

For an easy style requiring no effort that works well for almost any occasion you might select a couple of dress shirts made of 100% cotton with a light or faded pattern on a pale background.

The advantage of these is that they are appropriate attire for both social and business events, so they perform double duty. They can be worn with a jacket and tie to the office, and then you can remove the tie for an after-work outdoor event.

Because these shirts have long sleeves, you won’t worry about getting cold. When it’s warm out, you can just roll the sleeves up, which makes for a more casual look. Either way, a patterned dress shirt works well in social settings.

Dress shirts usually look best tucked in, but lately you see men wearing them untucked, especially younger men in casual settings. They’re flexible so you can customize your look to fit the formality of the occasion.

Classic Polo

The classic look for summertime casual is the collared polo shirt, which comes in several varieties of knit short-sleeved shirts. These are comfortable, very respectable and entirely safe for any outdoor occasion. You won’t look overly casual for an event with no mention of a dress code, and you can’t be accused of looking stuffy either.

This is why the classic polo is the go-to shirt for many men. This is all well and good, but you can’t expect to stand out in a crowd. You can up the ante a bit by making sure yours fits well, as many men wear their polo shirts too baggy. This is a distinctively un-corporate looking style, which can be enhanced with a stylish watch or even a silver or gold ID bracelet.

Need a BESPOKE tailor that understands gentlemen’s style? Contact us now.