Surviving Summer Style: Wear Woven, Knit-wit.

It’s summer. It’s hot, and sometimes it’s just hard to put on clothes, much less a suit. This is the reason social functions have a season. From September to May we don the dress up and head out on the town, when the weather permits us to layer on the articles of a well-dressed man. But summer. Now that’s a clothing conundrum. I have  a few tricks I employ when dealing with the scorching sidewalks. Number one is to dress accordingly for the heat. It gets on my nerves to see a man wearing a cotton sweater in the winter. That is what wool is for and cotton just looks cheap in the winter, not to mention color and fabric inappropriate. The same approach to season-friendly fabric should be followed in the summer months. Fabric knowledge, men, is not just for housewives and seamstresses.

This weekend a friend stopped by for a scotch and a smoke. He walked in the door around 10 PM drenched in sweat.

I said:  Is it that hot outside at 10 PM?

He said: It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity.

I said: No, it’s that knit t-shirt and jeans.

He said. Besides, I sweat a lot.

So here’s tip number one.  And trust it. (I was born, raised and have spent much of my life in the Deep Hot South). Knits and Wovens. That’s all you need to know, guys. Knits stretch, like t-shirts, undershirts, etc. Wovens do not. Most dress shirts are woven cotton (or Oxford cloth). Wovens breath. Knits do not. Knits hold moisture and cling to your body. Wovens do not. I told my friend he would have been more comfortable in a long-sleeve cotton button down than a short sleeve t-shirt. Really? He had no clue what the difference was between knits and wovens and I figured this is the case for many a man.  Don’t even get me started on wearing jeans in hot weather. That’s just stupid. Stick to light, summer weight khakis.

And then there’s linen. I don’t know how any man can survive even a mild summer without linen. Linen (the greatest woven ever weaved) shirts and pants should be a staple of every man’s summer wardrobe. And don’t let the word scare you, linen does not have to be expensive. I just picked up this shirt number at Target for 19.99, and I have literally worn it every day for 3 days. Ok, I was at the beach, but still.  You can find the same comfort in pants. Here are some great linen pants. And you don’t have to be afraid of washing linen. Follow the directions on the label. I like my linen soft and don’t mind a wrinkle so I throw it in the dryer for a few minutes. If you like it crisp or insist on a pressed shirt in the summer, let shirts and pants dry stiff on a hanger. Your choice, but get thee some linen, fellas. It will change your life. If you don’t like the styles above, all the good men’s stores are having crazy summer sales right now. Check out Brooks Brothers, Polo, J. Crew, Eddie Bauer and Banana Republic. In fact, this is the time to stock up on hot weather clothing. All the stores are on sale, and when you buy classic, it will always be in style.

Now, for seersucker. It’s the suit of choice in the summer. I just bought this Brooks suit on sale. It’s a slimmer, vintage Fitzgerald fit, and I added a little more tailoring to make it look bespoke. Now you East Coast capitals (NYC and Boston) may bemoan the casualness of seersucker in your banks, your Wall Streets and your hedge funds, but that is phooey. Your profession is sometimes referred to as White Shoe employment for a reason. White shoes are worn with light summer suits. And Seersucker is the lightest, whitest shoe of all.  Now I’ve been hearing some moaning even about seersucker in the heat. It’s still a suit, they say, with a collar and constricting tie. The layers are impossible in stifling heat and humidity. And to that I will agree. I was invited to a  business luncheon deal last week and was accompanying my date on the scorching streets of downtown Charleston. The heat index was 105. The humidity nearly matched. My date, of course, was wearing a breezy linen sundress number and was content to park many blocks away and take a nice walk through the historic district to the restaurant. I was less enthusiastic but succumbed. It was then that I enlightened her on my second trick for surviving walking in oppressive heat. Walk very slowly and follow the shade, even if it means crossing the street. The trick is to never break a sweat for once broken, all hell breaks loose and you are a withering wet mess. As for the layers in a light suit (layers create the structure of the jacket, inner linings, etc) , it is just the price of doing business. You can do your part to ease the pain: Wear a linen dress shirt with no undershirt. Don’t over tighten the tie. Make sure your suit has minimal lining layers.

Now I know I’ll hear from some who will say, but what about the undershirt? Doesn’t it absorb the sweat and not show through my shirt? Yes, but it’s the knit undershirt in high heat and humidity that will keep the heat in. For one, you are not going to remove your jacket if you are in a suit. Right? There is no need for an undershirt and more need for comfort. Knits and Wovens. Learn it. Live it. Love it. Good luck in the heat. Now get me to a sailboat.