Summer Mode
While the brighter days and shorter nights are welcome, the new season brings its own set of sartorial quandaries. Our six summer style tribes prove that warmer weather needn’t sabotage your look
The Wedding-Season Survivalist
This man has five invites on the fridge door, so he has put eight weeks’ salary aside for the stags – and that’s before he has even glanced at the gift list. Knowing that the day job’s flannel two-piece isn’t going to cut it for wedding season (when it resumes, anyway), he has invested in a light-hued number from Reiss to see him through with some savvy tweaks. Think sans tie for the town hall, full bells and whistles for City nuptials and well-judged tie-and-footwear combinations for country house shenanigans: Gieves & Hawkes, Topman and Russell & Bromley are all firm favourites. Preparation, he believes, is key: he’ll make it through this.
The Grown-Up Glamper
A seasoned Glastonbury-goer by the time he hit 20, mosh pits became less appealing after the kids arrived: there’s enough mess to deal with at home. Besides, it’s all been postponed now. The next time he hits Worthy Farm, he intends to trade up from the Decathlon two-man tent and wellies to an air-conditioned yurt and double bed. Equally grown-up are the impeccably crafted Frescobol Carioca trousers and graphic-print shirt. The nappies and childcare accoutrements can be found in the oversized tote bag. While the bucket hat remains, it’s been upgraded from Kangol to Prada. It’s more about spritzers at 3pm than morning swigs of Red Stripe now.
The Eco Enthusiast
Heeding Greta Thunberg’s prophetic speeches, this Earth warrior is keen to shrink his carbon footprint, eschewing all forms of dirty travel. If he were able to, he’d be taking the train to Scotland and then going island-hopping from Mull to Skye, and then Harris. Eco-friendly and ethically sourced options from Gandys, Finisterre, Patagonia and Raeburn are stowed in his upcycled holdall. Single-use plastic is anathema to him; he sips his drinks through an FSC-certified paper straw, while his aluminium Chilly’s water bottle is always within reach. Even eyewear is closely scrutinised for its ethics, with brands Solo and Grown topping the list.
The Sporting Grandee
This gent is unflappable even when the thermometer is topping 29°C, thanks to a wardrobe of deconstructed tailoring in fine, summer-weight cloths. In years past, he has proved his mastery of semi-formal sporting dress codes at Goodwood, Wimbledon and Henley – and he’ll do so again, even if he has to make do with a Pimm’s in the back garden. Beyond his lightweight, tailored separates, his arsenal includes classic British shirting from Hackett, with carefully chosen accessories from Reiss. His look is grounded by classic horsebit loafers, while Oliver Goldsmith shades cut the glare and provide a conversation starter at the finish line.
The Fitspo Sun Seeker
A regular at HIIT classes and KO Boxes, he believes his summer getaway should be no less intense. Accordingly, he has already booked into a wellness boot camp in Cornwall and is hoping it doesn’t cancel. Let’s face it: when your body is a temple, there’s no such thing as an “off day”. When packing, functionality and athleisure flair are crucial and his gym kit is at the top of the pile. The latest gym-to-pool apparel from Orlebar Brown and a pair of Canali shorts are his morning uniform, while a MyZone fitness tracker keeps tabs on his vitals as he pushes on beneath the liquid sun. Seeing those green bars climb ever higher gives him just as much gratification as the trip itself.
The Balearic Veteran
In his misspent youth, he might have been the last man cutting shapes to Ibizan house into the wee hours, but now, he’s more inclined to retreat to a Zen-like casa nestled in the shadow of Mount Sa Talaia. Once the travel ban is lifted, where better to remain socially distanced? His uniform for sultry days and nights includes elegant trousers in fluid fabrics and silk and linen shirts from Equipment, topped off with rakish tropical tailoring that says considered, not contrived. Soft, suede footwear from Russell & Bromley and slick Tom Ford aviators are staples, while tasteful gilt jewellery adds just the right amount of swagger.