(Source: Refinery 29 and used without permission. Let me know….)
Warm weather dressing needn’t be all flip-flops and cut-off short shorts as the young lady at Cochella ably demonstrates. Simple and chic nautical stripes, and coördinating accessories. I’m a big fan of sandals — perhaps it’s my Greek heritage — and would love to see them take the place of flip-flops everywhere but at the seaside or pool.
All well and good, you say, but where does that leave the men?
If the runways are any indication, we’ll be seeing a lot more linen, cotton and seersucker come into our lives. There are always tropical weight wools with their natural wicking properties, but they must be made with a minimum of lining to work that well. The major objections to linen and seersucker are the wrinkles and less formal look. I think they are a fair trade-off and will wear mine for all but the most important meetings.
As far as your feet are concerned, best to stay away from flip-flops and sandals. If you do feel like going sockless, loafers are your best bet. I find suede to be wonderfully cool and for hard leather, foot powder does wonders.
What can you get away with at the office during the warmer months?
This isn’t for the office, but can men get away with wearing Tom’s? What about Sperry topsiders without socks?
I think the rules are more relaxed for summer, but it all depends on your situation. I am not a “no socks” guys with anything except boat shoes and one old pair of pebble grain loafers. I do however bring out the lighter color leather and suede dress shoes to wear with lighter weight wool/mohair, cotton or linen suits. I have a dark blue linen that looks great and is conservative enough with its color to wear to the office. Also don’t discount the classic tan wool or cotton suit for summer. I have one of each in the closet and the wool gets weekly work wear with the cotton saved for more casual/weekend affairs.
The last item to consider is less formal silk knit ties, cotton or wool summer weight ties and brighter colors.