10 men’s summer outfit ideas, because you can do better than just shorts and a T-shirt

There comes a point, usually at the year’s searing zenith, when your well of men’s summer outfit ideas runs dry. You’ve been there: it’s already balmy at 7:30am and the thought of reaching into your wardrobe is making you sweat — this is all before you’ve actually shrugged into the same linen shirt for the third time this week.

If you’re at all familiar with that scenario, then it’s not a bad idea to have a few pre-loaded (and GQ-approved) fits in the back pocket.

From beer garden session uniforms, to fits that will pass HR muster in the office, we’ve compiled a cheat sheet of 10 men’s summer outfit ideas to call on.

Cut it short

We know, we know. Shorts: not revolutionary for summer. But as obvious as they may be, having a few go-to combos in mind never hurts. Paul Mescal demonstrates the skin-happy approach in a boxer-style pair, a button-up and loafers. Ideal for a long lunch or daytime date.

Meanwhile, louche god Justin Bieber’s longer cut works for a baggier look, including an oversized polo, a backwards cap and Mary Janes. Both fits share something in common, though. Crisp white socks stop it feeling too gym bro.

Muscle up your tees

You’ve been cutting the sleeves off your workout shirts for ages, but it’s time to embrace the muscle tee in the real world, too. Both Pedro Pascal and Lewis Hamilton demonstrate a dressier approach in all black. With loose-fit trousers, shiny boots and well-cut tops, Pascal and Hamilton both prove guns are for nights out, too.

Sheer out the knits

No one wants to be sweating through their knitwear in summer. But if you’re bored of tees and shirts, a sheer-er knit works wonders. Troye Sivan’s cardigan uses a more open weave to let some air in. Jonathan Bailey went for a finer fabric to show off the gains (plus, a pair of micro shorts — if you’ve got the legs for ’em).

Unbutton your layers

You don’t have to re-invent the wheel in summer. Your old faithful shirt and jeans combo can be hot weather-proofed by opening up the shirt over a plain vest. For Kit Connor, an all-neutral combo keeps things light. Harris Dickinson, meanwhile, went more classic in blue and black. This is one of the fits where your shirt benefits from being a little oversized, instead of hugging the shoulders and arms.

Let colour do the talking

If you don’t want to switch things up shape-wise, look to colour for the heavy lifting. For Andrew Scott, his deeply classic shirt-and-trousers combo is updated via a shot of hot pink. NFL star Stefon Diggs taps a blue and yellow rugby shirt to liven up a pair of black pants.

Skip the underlayer

Sweater vests needn’t be banished to the winter pile while the degrees are high. Barry Keoghan and Tom Blyth both demonstrate the summertime update: skip the undershirt or tee and wear it over a bare chest. Take a leaf from their books and let the accessories do the rest — hiking boots for Keoghan, or a stunty pair of sunnies on Blyth.

All hail the polo

There’s a reason the best dressed men of yore are always in a good old polo. The right polo — short sleeved, open collared, perhaps with a subtle weave-pattern — will carry you from the office to drinks without overheating. Tom Cruise and Jeremy Allen White, both experts in the world of hot formalwear, both go for monochrome. Eternally classic and deeply cool.

Breeze out the chest

If you really must wear a jacket, there’s always the option to get some fresh air flowing elsewhere. Colman Domingo and model Alton Mason are excellent examples of how a suit can be sexed up and summer-ified at the same time by unbuttoning the shirt. A few buttons will do for any event where your boss, parents or in-laws may be present. For all other occasions, go as low as you dare.

Keep it simple

Finn Cole and Joaquin Phoenix demonstrate the two main approaches to a solid T-shirt-and-trousers combo. On Cole, a more polished example: tee tucked, a straight-leg trouser, loafers, a little chain swinging. On Phoenix, the weekend all-rounder: a looser fit tee, trusty denim, Air Force 1s, a great pair of specs.

Invest in a tank

Hey, those bicep curl reps deserve their airtime. If you’re happy with the rig and the mercury is hotting up, why overcomplicate it? Strip it back to basics in a vest. Shawn Mendes does it up in white with a beige trouser and sneakers. Tom Blyth goes all black with a tiny Cartier tank.