Summer in the City is amazing; longer lunches, earlier finishes and general high spirits all around. However, if you have to commute on hot trains and tubes (which most of us do) it can become a logistical nightmare and we often tend to forgo our sense of style for comfort and ease. Here are a few ways to stay stylish and beat the heat.
Don’t commute in your outfit
This might not work for everyone but I’d highly recommend keeping your shirts and jackets at work and travelling in a t-shirt. There are a lot of dry-cleaners that will pick up and drop off your dry-cleaning to your office so you’re not having to carry your clothes back and forth. You'll feel much better about putting on a jacket in an air-conditioned office than you will about commuting in one!
Experiment with colours
Summer is the perfect time to branch out from the grey and navy comfort zone. Don’t be afraid to be a bit more adventurous with your style, if you’ve got a tan you can wear more colours and not look washed out, think Italian Riviera! Be more creative with your look, even if you start small with a colourful pair of loafers. Think pastels and patterns and if you are darker skinned don’t be afraid to throw some vibrant colours in there. Keep the tailoring sharp and don’t be afraid to show off a bit of your personality.
Remember : Everyone looks better in the summer!
Accessorise
You can leave the jacket and tie at home and still look smart. Add a pair of braces to a shirt and trousers to immediately look sharp. Leave the tie off but add a pocket square. Wear a waistcoat and tie but leave the jacket off, smart but cool. Add a hat to a blazer and chinos outfit and no one will accuse you of looking too casual! Wearing trainers and a t-shirt with a well tailored suit looks is a great dress down option, and is really comfortable! The key is to look put together, so people notice what you’re wearing and not what you’re not.
Stick to natural fibres
It might seem obvious but natural fibres like linen, cotton and silk breath a lot better than synthetic fibres like nylon, rayon and polyester. Look for unlined jackets as well, as often the linings can be synthetic and make you sweat more. Don’t forget that a lot of jackets you buy off the peg will have glue fusing inside them, making them even less breathable.
Tip : If you like the idea of a linen jacket or suit but don’t love the extreme creasing, opt for a linen blended with wool or silk (or both!) The creases are much less prominent and you get a much softer drape and handle. However pure linen suits do improve with age, so if you’re prepared to play the long game, they are worth the investment.