Men's Summer Style 2023: 10 Stylish Must Have Clothes & Shoes (2024)

Warm Weather Is Upon Us

With the arrival of spring (finally) in Italy only recently, it was about time to talk about Men’s Summer Style in 2023.

This will be a simple guide talking about colors, fabrics, shoes and combinations to look fresh but also cool (literally).

Let’s dive right into it and step up our summer style.

Style, Cool & Comfort

If you are like me and live in a really warm country such as Italy you surely know that summer gets extremely hot.

So hot in fact, that it becomes almost impossible to dress up without sweating uncontrollably.

Even worse, if you recently moved to such a country from somewhere cold your wardrobe needs a total revamp.

Ask me, I moved after 8 years in Sweden and a wardrobe full of knitwear, flannel and wool.

Those fabrics just don’t cut it and I actually forgot how to do casual style.

Since last year, I began collecting some great timeless pieces that I will be able to use for many years and look smart and stylish.

Here are some of the things I recommend.

Disclaimer: There are some links that give me store credit but I have bought all of the items myself.

1. Linen Shirt

Linen is a wonderful fabric that comes from the flax plant.

It is hypoallergic, cool and quite porous, allowing more air to flow through it.

It might be but more rigid that cotton but also quite durable and sweat absorbent.

I made a few linen shirts over the years but my favorite still remains the one I got in Turquoise by Apposta.

I like the zephyr weave which is very airy but if I made one change it would be to actually get short sleeves.

Yes, you can roll up the sleeves but at the very high temperatures I prefer the shorter ones.

Linen does wrinkle a lot but it is part of the charm, so embrace it.

When it comes to colors, you can go classic, wear pastels or even some darker colors that compliment your complexion.

As mentioned above, I buy my linen shirts from Apposta due to the variety and good quality.

However I can definitely recommend Luca Faloni as you will see them often in this list.

2. Linen Polo Shirt

Polo shirts are a no brainer and (as I found out the hard way) a must in a man’s wardrobe.

I had none so I splurged on two by Luca Faloni and they were my most worn pieces during last summer.

Smart, airy and available in a variety of colors.

You cannot go wrong with any shades of blue but I prefer some lighter colors for a more summery vibe.

While pricey for a shirt, I found the quality of Luca Faloni exceptional and you can get 15% Off Your First Purchase.

3. Cotton Polo Shirt

Following up the trend from above, you can opt for a flexible cotton polo shirt too.

When it’s spring or the weather is milder it is an excellent piece to have and pairs well with all types of trousers such as chinos, linen and jeans or shorts.

Since I went for lighter blue shades, this time I shopped for a navy one once again from Luca Faloni.

I will be reviewing it on the website in the next few weeks alongside my first pair of jeans from them.

Colors can be very flexible as always so it is up to personal preference.

I would recommend something that is easy to pair and versatile for multiple seasons.

There’s tons of good brands out there but I am extremely happy with Luca Faloni (15% Discount) or even Lanieri.

Of course, you don’t have to spend $150 on a polo shirt but make sure to buy good quality materials and pure cotton.

4. Cool Overshirt

When it’s not overwhelmingly hot, there are occasions that it actually gets a bit chillier at night.

The overshirt I bought from Lanieri is one of my most worn pieces this spring and I’m actually wearing it as we type.

You don’t have to go for brushed flannel wool, but something simple and airy might be a good idea to have around.

Plus, if I get compliments from my girlfriend I know I’m on the right track.

Lightweight Safari Jackets are also cool and on my radar.

5. Linen/Cotton Suit Or Jacket

This is down to personal preference and will depend a lot on the climate.

If it’s 40 degrees Celsius nothing will help you for example and it will be a bad idea to wear a suit.

Regardless, a lightweight cotton or linen unstructured suit in a lighter color is a way to look stylish and not suffer.

No matter what people say, wool or tropical wool just doesn’t work for me and I sweat profusely.

So I would stick with pure linen, fresco or seersucker if you like that kind of texture.

I like earthy lighter tones of beige and actually recently commissioned a very light cotton/silk suit from Lanieri.

For those that do not wear suits, you can opt for just a jacket which is also a good option.

There you can play more with patterns and colors as well.

I personally only shop from Lanieri or local tailors, but there are plenty of good brands out there.

If you want a recommendation though, make sure your suit is unlined otherwise it defeats the whole purpose.

6. Linen Chinos

I won’t go through the benefits of linen again but if you want to wear trousers it is a must.

I got 2 from Lanieri (what a surprise) and they are my go to summer trousers.

As for colors I recommend something lighter and earthy but also one darker for versatility.

Mine is light brown and the second teal blue (mix of blue and green) which is quite a bold color but I love it.

After all I live in Italy and it matches the culture and my style!

7. Linen or Cotton/Linen Shorts

When the heat is too much and trousers are a no-no, you can always opt for stylish shorts.

Linen is once again the definitive material and you can even find some with modern style single pleats.

I only have one and is actually the last remaining Suitsupply piece I use frequently.

It was also quite affordable at like $80 for pure linen.

My next purchase will either be from Luca Faloni or if I feel adventurous I will try the more modern ones from Yeossal.

It is a piece you can easily wear with T-shirts or those lovely polo shirts we talked about before.

8. Unlined Loafers

Loafers are probably the only dressier shoes that you can wear with a suit or shorts.

When you remove the inner lining, you get what we call an unlined shoe.

Coupled with a soft material such as suede, it becomes flexible, lightweight and incredibly comfortable while allowing the top of your foot to breathe more.

The style will be your own personal choice but there are a few of them.

I really like my Belgian Loafers by Caulaincourt (Review Here).

Recently I acquired some wonderful unlined light suede penny loafers from Carlos Santos.

You can buy those limited editions at The Noble Shoe.

Tassel loafers are also a possibility if you prefer them.

Generally this is a great opportunity for you to put some more color in your outfit and have some fun!

I recommend checking out my for an idea on what brands to look for.

9. Suede Sneakers

Not every outfit needs loafers though so it’s important to have a cool pair of sneakers.

You don’t have to go with suede, but it’s the perfect summer style.

I have some mid-brown ones but I really think navy blue suede will be the way to go for me.

Some of them even come unlined!

Skolyx in Europe has some excellent ones for fantastic prices.

Or you could take a look at Vekla who makes top notch high quality sneakers.

10. No Logo T-Shirts

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I don’t think I have a plain shirt with no logo.

I still have some older “childish” ones from my younger years but it’s not good enough.

Seriously, just get 2-3 nice plain t-shirts in cotton or linen for those casual days.

Amazing how something so simple yet important can be such a low priority for some people (looking at me).

Blue, white, light blue, light pink and the options are endless.

Just don’t wear logos or silly prints on them, please.

Final Words

This brings us to the end of the Men’s Summer Style 2023 article.

It’s not game-breaking by any means nor it does reinvent the wheel, but sometimes it is good to see everything in a list or writing.

Or don’t forget there are tons of us out there that have no clue and need guidance.

I remember when I started I had no idea what linen is for example, let alone seersucker or fresco.

While you can look dapper in all of those items, always remember the occasion and most importantly the climate you are in.

Don’t wear a suit even if it is from linen if it’s 40 degrees Celsius and you know you sweat easily.

Speaking of which, I will showcase some really cool shoes hopefully next week.

See you in May!

Thank you for reading,

Kostas Mandilaris,
Misiu Academy