Men's Summer Style '07
[ 3 August 2007 ]
I recently received an email from Ben in the U.K. asking what I thought men should be wearing this summer, so here are my thoughts on the subject!
At the moment, I really like it when men dress in a casual, not-trying-too-hard style. The only man whose rather formal style I endorse is that of Karl Lagerfeld, one of my secret boyfriends. (As in, it is a secret that even HE doesn’t know!) Super-starched, high-necked white shirts, fingerless gloves, powdered white hair, a plain black tie… drool.
The best way to dress casually is to organise your outfits ahead of time, so you know what goes with what & you don’t have to think about it too much in the morning. Usually it is a simple case of shirt + pants + shoes, but a blazer or a great hat (like a straw fedora) always scores you points. Couple your casual garb with an immaculate haircut & fantastic eyewear or even a bit of makeup if you’re game! (Black mascara or a tiny smudge of eyeliner can make you look slightly broody & mysterious, which I think is hot hot hot.)
I love comfortable looking collared shirts with the sleeves rolled up, outfits which are all black & white & also designer stubble — meaning you shave everything below the jaw line & don’t let it get longer than a few days worth of growth. I am really into well-fitted jeans, too — not necessarily skinny or wide-leg, but just something which fits the body well & shows off a man’s best features, whether that’s his slim thighs, perky butt or super-knobbly knees.
Without further ado, here are some men’s street looks I love, & in some circumstances, what I would do to improve them…
This guy at Uniqlo in NYC epitomises effortless summer chic to me. He looks flawless. I cannot fault him on any aspect of his outfit. His red-check shirt is very “classic American”, & I love the way he’s rolled up the sleeves & left the top two buttons undone. His hair, glasses & facial hair are all brilliant & I love him for carrying a satchel! Only real men carry bags!
Take away the blazer & the hat & you’d have a very average-looking guy. It’s these two little details which totally raise the quality of his outfit & give him the appearance of a man with style, rather than just some guy who picked yesterday’s clothes up off the floor! Again, he has great facial hair & there’s even a badge on his lapel! Great touch.
Look at that pout! Owwww! I love the white hat, shades & bag. The cardigan is FABULOUS but I think a close-fitting polo shirt would have made this look impeccable — as you can, it’s too big so it’s creating strange folds below the cardigan, & the collar looks a little loose. I adore the monotone styling, though. Definitely someone you would look twice at.
I love the way he’s rocking the blue colour scheme here, but mostly I wanted to demonstrate that shorts can look REALLY good on a man! If you’re worried about exposing your pasty legs to the public at large, exfoliate & then use a good tanning lotion! (Read this from Winona for a brand comparison!) I love his tote & watch & shoes, they’re all fantastic. I think if his shirt was untucked this look would be more relaxed looking, & less — how can I put this? — bus driver. (He’s really cute though so we can forgive him just this once.)
Oh my godddd. AMAZING. He’s wearing a vintage stiff-fronted tuxedo shirt. These things button in the back, so I can only assume he had someone to help him get into it, but a plain white tunic would do just as well. LOVE the silhouette created with those skinny jeans & trainers. Wayfarer sunglasses like his drive me a little bit crazy but he definitely wears them with a lot of flair. Again, rolled up sleeves, jeans which fit well, few accessories. He looks like he just threw this on, though I’m positive he didn’t!
For the men: What do you normally wear in the summer? What have you been loving recently? Is there any kind of style you see on other men which you think looks amazing but don’t know whether you could pull it off yourself?
Everyone else: How do you like men to dress? What kind of style stops you in the street?
Super-love & cupcakes,
Gala 
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Wow, they’re really great!
I love the way some of the guys on Hel Looks dress, guys who wear skinny jeans tucked into boots look so awesome.
I also love pinstriped suits with t-shirts and cons… And eyeliner and black nails.
I also like really super formal 1920s/30s clothes on me: hats, ties, tie pines, waistcoats, umbrellas, Saville Row tailor type stuff.
Also, there’s something about a man in winklepickers…
Sorry to comment again!
But from Hel Looks, this man:
http://www.hel-looks.com/?p=image/archives /1/20070618_01/
is pretty special. LOVE men in red shoes.
Rachael — Don’t apologise for commenting, the more the merrier baby! I am SO with you on pinstripes + t-shirts & Converse. YES! Ditto eyeliner & black nails… I bet we would fight over boys if we lived in the same city, haha! & it definitely takes a special kind of man to wear red shoes…
Haha, speaking of red shoes, at the country club where I work, the tennis pros wear these goofy matching red sneakers. They’re required to wear all white, so the sneakers really stick out! They both ordered them from the same catalogue, but won’t let anybody else order the same pair…
I loooove man-bags. Im also partial to a good man scarf. And hats! The accessories maketh the man.
I pretty much melt when boys wear any of the following –
Winklepickers. Any pointy-toe shoe is hot hot hot!
Cowboy boots with skinny jeans.
Western style shirts.
Plain white wife-beater worn in a James Dean-esque fashion, rather than an “I beat my wife” fashion.
Fingerless gloves.
Geek glasses. I vibe geek-chic to the max.
Fob watches.
And I saw a boy wearing a pearl necklace once – probably should have proposed to him on the spot.
Now that I think about it, Noel Fielding (of The Mighty Boosh) probably embodies how boys can best look stylish.
I love these pictures. My hubby is just a jeans and t-shirt kind of guy. In the summer he wears cargo shorts (I hate them). And he swears by Teva sandals (I hate them, too). I’m slowly trying to introduce fashion into his wardrobe. It’s coming along oh so slowly. He would probably be willing to pull off the red checked shirt look and the blazer and hat look (with his usual jeans and t-shirt). Maybe I’ll have to go shopping for him!
I love to see them in a nice pair of jeans and shirt, with a nice belt..can’t go wrong with that ;)...and by the way the boy with the short shorts in the picture has amazing legs!! hehe
anyway I also think you shouldn’t forget to include your style in any outfit you wear…you have to be comfortable..that is another accessory that makes a man look good
These are great looks for gay men but if you’re straight, do not adopt these styles because you will find yourself in an awkward situation, having to convince the gay man that’s flirting with you that you like women.
Nadia — A man in pearls? HELL YES!
tee tee — Buying clothes for your man is always a bit tricky. Better to take him with you, OR (& this is an excellent solution), enlist a stylish male friend to take him shopping instead. My boyfriend’s brother took him shopping when we were in London & he came back with some FANTASTIC things.
vanessa — Duh, of course! I can’t believe I forgot to mention personal style! Obviously, my mind is entirely somewhere else…
dodo — Bollocks! Straight people are allowed to be stylish too, you know ;D
Heavens… where to start with this topic…
I personally think that all guys need to invest in a classic pair of sandals as part of his summer ensemble. It is essential infact. Try to avoid more novelty shoes like Crocs and Flip Flops… I just don’t think they’re great for guys. If you must wear an actual shoe, go for a loafer in soft leather and don’t wear socks. Actually, avoid socks during the summer season if possible.
Other essentials include a white linen or cotton shirt (with as few buttons done up as possible), a cream linen suit, a dark pair of sunglasses… Ray Ban’s still look funky as hell and are timeless pieces. If you’re looking for a less classic summer look, your best bet is to find shorts which suit your frame and once you’ve found said shorts, buy in abundance. There is nothing worse than a fellow male wearing ill fitting shorts so it’s important to find ones that suit you, not just because they’re shorts. Trousers wise, I suggest wide leg trousers in linens and light cottons and a few pairs jeans in a lighter denim would be fab too.
Tops wise, look for unique prints and patterns, especially in foriegn boutiques during your travels. As the summer is all about letting things flow and hang out, you might even want to consider venturing into the chicks section and buying a t-shirt dress and combining it with jeans. No-one will be able to tell its a t-shirt dress, they’ll just think its an over sized t-shirt length wise and let me tell you, there are some funky ass t-shirt dresses about! Sleeveless t’s are a must but only if you’re not carrying around a small brewery in your gut and if you’re lucky to have body art, you get to show it off along with an awesome body. Quick tip… if you’re wearing a sleeveless T, before you leave the house on a night out, perform 5 mins worth of pushups – it’ll expand your muscles so you appear more toned =oP
It is tricky to get the summer clothing balance right here in the UK owing to recent fluctuations in summertime weather over the past few years. It seems to be either wet and dismal or very very warm indeed. The best thing though is to remember that summer is summer and more people lose their inhibitions so use the opportunity to lose yours too and experiment, have fun and remember, if you get lucky… slap something on and stay safe!
The third picture (not counting Karl) reminds me of my old spanish teachers best friend. He was uber gay. Not that there is anything wrong with that! I adored him. teehee! He would go and get me and my (former) bff Burger King for lunch and bring it back to the spanish room for us. (We were too cool for the lunchroom)I miss him…
My boy is pretty much jeans and t-shirt too. Except he went out and bought himself a pair of pink and black slip-on Vans and he wears them with EVERYTHING.
I think he looks adorable in jeans and a plain black t-shirt myself. I have a thing about black t-shirts…
Robin, you’re the greatest! Thank you so much for your marvellous perspective! I love that you take risks & push to the edges of your stylistic comfort zone. I would be thrilled to see some of your daily outfits if you were ever keen to take some shots & send them through!
Jamie — Any guy who works pink into their ensemble gets MAJOR props from me. I have a thing about plain, well-fitted black t-shirts as well actually, they’re so simple & classic but very, very appealing.
Gala,
I promise to get myself a decent digital camera soon then you’ll be inundated with photos from this crazy island we call the UK!!! xoxo
i like anything on a man that isn’t just baggy jeans and a lame t- shirt. that’s all guys wear here and it’s pretty disappointing. so anytime a man steps it up and makes an effort to be different gets major brownie points from me
Gala – his favorite color is pink!!
Two of my best friends are the best dressed men I know! Link overload, sorry!
http://a82.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/ images01/38/l_81ceb33d279c8a7bc38f29938f64f709.jpg
http://a17.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/ images01/69/l_34b8e5d59cbfb8f6f4e571a3c623d6b0.jpg
http://a993.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/ images01/97/l_bd910ba9d4a45113d6ff85b0e045cb28.png
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1434/743457 585_61f9135608.jpg?v=0
(On the left)
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1033/643853773_ af16e187dd.jpg?v=0
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1378/644713566_ a6c2e695a6.jpg?v=0
And a few other lovely boys that I know
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1056/643869809_ 8ddcef1f90.jpg?v=0
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1065/579125250_ e8de3c45e1.jpg?v=0
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1097/743446791_ 2fc2b032b5.jpg?v=0
(No those aren’t his flip flops! Hah!)
I want a man who dresses like Buster Keaton.
Largerfield is fantastic.
But something about the fifth guy makes me want to steal his lunch money and shove him into a locker.
The Sartorialist (http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com/) has heaps of cool summer men’s looks and tons of comments. Of your picks, Gala, my fave is far and away Mr Red Checks. For any man, a winning smile and good posture (stand up STRAIGHT! Suck it IN!) are going to take any ensemble a long way in the right direction.
I agree with Dodo, those guys are definitely all rather camp. This is a very ‘Melbourne look’ you would never see straight guys in Auckland dressing like that. The one in the middle looks like a girl! (its the boots)
Ok maybe I am too straight-laced but I love a broad shouldered man in a white shirt and snug jeans with short hair and 1 day of stubble.
Laurel,
Bowie is one of my all time heros and his style is simply brilliant! Let’s Dance by Bowie is an ALL time anthem!
I like boys in wife beaters (oh my, is there another term for this type of shirt?), dark jeans and aviator sunglasses. Simple, but I like it anyway :)
It makes me sad that some people here think that style is only for gay men; stereotyping is no fun :[
& ohhhhhh I wish more men around here dressed like the guy in the white hat. I think I am having an eyegasm just from looking at him! Hot!!
annaloren, I don’t think you got my point- whether you like it or not, people (or society) will stereotype you into something you’re not.
I know about this problem because I have a “metrosexual” straight friend who complains to me that the people he meets always assume he’s gay and that makes for lots of awkward situations where he’s like: “Oh, no (haha) I’m straight” And they’re like: “Oh…really?!?” And in the back of their minds, they wouldn’t believe him and they’d think he was still in the closet.
It’s good to be stylish and free-spirited, but you still have to think of the impression you give off to the rest of the world. You can’t just live in your own head.
:)
im also putting in my vote for checking out what noel feilding is wearing.
gala i’m with you on the plain black fitted tshirts! i honestly think they are the one thing that any man can wear and look good in. combined with good jeans and a nice street sneaker, i think that’s my ideal outfit on a man.
my husband wears patterned shirts pretty well (note: Ben Sherman all the way!), and he has this new pair of dark denim jeans with cute pockets on the bum that i love. unfortunately he is not very adventurous when it comes to shoes: his staples are Converse in winter and thongs in summer. sigh.
x Sarah x — I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but Auckland isn’t style mecca :D Those photos are taken from Finland, New York, Canada & Germany. I love boys who push the boundaries of “looking masculine”, it’s so overplayed, who needs it?! Bring on the androgyny!
dodo — Seriously, who cares if clothing makes you look ‘camp’? You say that like it’s a bad thing. Better to be hit on by gay men than get no attention whatsoever… at least you’d know you were doing something right!
I lurve every one of these guys! Totally gorgeous!
And speaking of hot guys with great style, I can think of no better example than Patrick Wolf:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andrewkendall/483434077/
With whom I am now completely obsessed with thanks to your introduction of him Gala in your article “Irregular Choice Shoes I Love & The Imaginary People Who Wear Them”. I cannot get enough of his immaculate style…not to mention his musical genius which I also right now seem unable to live without for more than five minutes together.
Quite possibly the most beautiful man on Earth!
And after that little droolfest of mine I’d like to thank you Gala for this wonderful site! You’re such an inspiration!
I like the first guy, the one from Pike/Pine. That’s pretty much how I prefer guys to dress. The last three men on this post I probably wouldn’t be interested in if I saw on the street, because I have to say I like my men to look more masculine.
As long as stuff fits I’m happy (Not too tight or too baggy). But I think it depends on the man as to what is best. Skinny guys can get away with different things that fuller men can.
I have to say I know guys that dress like this in their every day Auckland lives…we might not be New York or Berlin but there are amazing designers in NZ for men and women alike!!
My man friend had three pairs of nearly identical pants, and a million fitted black t-shirts… that’s all he wears! I mean… it looks good.. but he could spice things up every once and while.
I’ve been meaning to send him shopping with one of his well dressed male friends… Must get around to that.
Gala maybe someday you could show a picture of your boyfriend!! Dating you, I assume he’s a very well dressed man.
Have you heard the song “dedicated follower of fashion” by the kinks? That’s the ultimate song for a post about male fashion.
Yes, touche. I must say one of my favourite things about Melbourne is watching the gorgeously dressed girls and guys.. Oh, but I love those ruby player built type guys (sigh)..
Hey… I absolutely LOVE this post… like I love how your doing more of men’s fashion… it sometimes seems that i’m like the only guy that loves this site… hehehe… OMG I’m in love with the Jil Sander, Yohji Yamamoto, Miu Miu and Marni SS/08 mens collections to name a few… but my opinions vary depending on the different seasonal range… Keep up the good work Gala!!!
Shalom XOXOX
Androgyny rocks my world. I go to a art school filled with stylishly-dressed skinny-jeans-wearing artboys. They’re actually one of the the reasons I decided to go there! Unfortunately, I have yet to claim one for my own :(
I loovvee the NYC guy, thats perfect…period.
Just love the look of guys (any age) in skinny jeans and knee high boots.
So, so sexy.
Come on guys get your boots and skinny jeans out!
Wow!! So stylish!!
Wow. I’m so late to the conversation, but I’m desperate trying to find somewhere to buy short-shorts. I love them and I can’t seem to find them anywhere! HELP!
I’m in NYC so one would think I should be able to find so easily… no?