Dress for Success This Summer With These 5 Style Tips for Men

1. Patterns

Patterns always look great on guys, however, it is time to break away from the plaids and into the florals. You can still look masculine while rocking bold floral prints in deep solid colors, but stay away from lighter pastels. To tone your floral print down, pair it with an unconstructed hopsack blazer and denim or a lightweight summer twill pant.

2. Colors

Green is in this year. Try a rich rainforest green or a lighter dusty green. Stay away from pastels and jewel tones. Pair powder green with caramel brown, or a darker watermelon color with khakis.

3. Suits

Summer too hot for business suits? Consider these options to look sharp and stay cool:

• Khaki sport coats are lightweight and neutral, so they can handle any color combination. If you opt to go with a full khaki suit, it is almost impossible to screw up — as long as its impeccably tailored.
• Lightweight sport coats and “statement” blazers with defined patterns and brighter colors make for great outerwear.
• Bamboo or hemp jackets are amazingly lightweight, ideal for humid summer days, and they are both sustainable, Earth-friendly textiles.

Avoid casual blazers with grosgrain (edge) detailing. And unless you are 15 years old, stop wearing a hoodie under the suit with athletic shoes. Stick with a simple T-shirt and consider pairing your suit with a Car-Shoe loafer or monkstrap instead.

4. Denim

You can never go wrong with dark wash, indigo blue denim jeans. They are the most versatile choice and can be worn with anything from a T-shirt to a henley to a button down or sport jacket. As the weather gets warmer, you can also lighten it up a bit with hand-aged treated denim so it looks and feels more broken in. That said, do not wear jeans with holes or that have been acid washed — you will get confused as an extra from Dukes of Hazzard.

5. Accessories

One of the cardinal sins of style is sloppy collars, whether on a button-down shirt or polo. When choosing to not wear a necktie this summer, use magnetic collar stays for a crisp, clean look. On a related note, always wear a fantastic pocket square in your jacket, especially when going without a necktie.

Lastly, ditch the backpacks. Man up and find a classic briefcase with handles. Not only will you ensure the longevity of your jacket (a backpack wears on the shoulders), you will appear more elegant and well dressed.