MAN F RI DAY HOW TO DRESS F OR A NOT S O GREAT BRITISH S UMMER
Come hail, rain or shine, you don’t have to lose your sense of style, says Stephen Doig
Acase in point as to why the term “summer style” is fraught with misinterpretation; a sundrenched Sunday in Breton stripes and cut-off denim on Aldeburgh’s shingle beach followed by Monday back in London that found me peering into the lashing rain like George Clooney in A
Perfect Storm. A Macintosh to fend of the May drizzle is fine in theory, but factor in the relentless mugginess of summer and you’re arriving at the office like a yogi emerging from a steamy Bikram session. When waders look like a more feasible option than Wayfarers and a solid jacket doesn’t quite cut it, how to dress for inclement weather?
Perhaps buoyed by seaside nostalgia, the smock-shaped top makes a curious return in various guises. There’s something pleasingly simple about its shape and enough of a cover-up to fend off coastal breezes, but lightweight enough to toss in a beach bag. And while venturing into the world of pakamac takes us into dubious style territory, British stalwarts Aquascutum – the go-to for all-weather coat options – has elevated the notion with “packaway” trench coats in showerproof tech fabric (and a merry band of colours) which folds into its own pouch, for the man who’s life is less Cornwall and more City sharp.
There’s also a case for layering in transient weather. Gilets have infiltrated the most considered of wardrobes over the last few years, a trick spearheaded by Brunello Cucinelli and Moncler – with no man worth his salt at annual peacock parade Pitti Uomo (fashion trade show) in Florence stepping out in front of the street style cameras without one – and are less cumbersome than a jacket. And while there’s been a deft reimagining of the humble Jesus sandal, with designers like Ancient Greek Sandals and Alvaro Gonzalez creating sleek, beautifully made versions, there’s nothing so dampening as sodden toes when the weather turns. Espadrilles come into their own in such circumstances (there’s a reason that the likes of Christian Louboutin are creating embellished numbers in three figures), while Riviera’s “leisure shoes” (a naff term for a neat little footwear option) are perforated for breathability and have a touch of JFK-inNantucket-preppiness about them. Just remember – no matter what the question, the answer is never Crocs.