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?