How do you dress casually in the summer? It can be a difficult season for men’s casual fashion.
You’ve got fewer layers to work with, and wearing shorts and a plain t-shirt every day can get a little stale.
Without the added benefit of layers that colder months give us, we’re left to make casual basics more exciting. It takes some creativity to stay stylish with casual summer outfits.
In this guide, we’ll give you ideas to do just that.
Casual Summer Style: What You Should Focus On
If you’re like me, the first thing that comes to mind this time of year is how hot it’ll be and how I can avoid sweating through my clothes.
There are a few things for us to consider before we jump into outfit ideas for the summer:
Materials and Fabrics
Keep your fabrics light and breathable. This is key to avoiding embarrassing sweat stains and hot, uncomfortable situations.
Linens and linen blends, seersucker, breathable cotton, tropical wool, and terry cloth are all good options. Stay away from any heavyweight wools or bulky cottons that will trap heat.
Good Quality Basics
Casual summer clothes mainly consist of staple pieces like tees, button-downs, shorts, and light pants.
Since you shed layers as the mercury rises, viable options from your wardrobe get reduced to bare bones. It’s important that you have good-quality “bones” (i.e., summer basics) rather than ill-fitting or worn-out essentials.
Opt for shorts and pants with some structure and devoid of holes or stains. Choose versatile items that can be mixed and matched with other items in your wardrobe.
Fit
The key to basics looking good on their own is how they fit you. By nailing the fit you’ll solve many of your style issues.
You want to find shorts that hit above the knee and shirts that fit in the shoulders and sleeves. In other words, you want to look like your clothes fit you and aren’t just hand-me-downs from your older brother.
Check out how to wear shorts (and how men’s shorts should fit) and how a button up shirt should fit | button down fit guide for more in-depth breakdowns on fit.
Check out how to wear shorts (and how men’s shorts should fit) and how a button up shirt should fit for more in-depth breakdowns on fit.
25 Casual Summer Outfit Ideas for Men
In this list, we’re giving you a wide range of summer outfits. I’ll highlight the main features of each look. We’ll touch on smart casual and some classier options, so you’ve got what you need for any summer style scenario.
Light Layers
Keeping them lightweight is key if you’re not ready to get rid of all your layers.
Brock keeps it easy with the Noragi Jacket. It’s a light fabric and stays open to keep you cool. It’s an uncommon (but stylish) piece to rock this time of year.
Short Sleeve Button-Downs
I once had a co-worker tell me that short-sleeve button-downs were dead. I strongly disagree.
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They’re classic, in my opinion. In this photo, Eric shows us a smart way to dress them up for summer. The loafers also make for a great smart casual summer choice.
Simple Patterns
Summer is your time to experiment with patterns. If you’re new to the game, start with simple, muted patterns.
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Nick does that well here. Choosing light colors with a simple pattern gives an airy feel to the whole outfit.
High Low Combos
High-low combos are when you take dressier or smart pieces and mix them with more casual options.
I took the loafers, which are definitely more dressy, and paired them with a patterned shirt and tank top. It still says casual summer, but there’s a little more intrigue to the look.
Summer Campus Casual
We’ll call this one a classic. Choosing pieces that offer some contrast and work well together is a great example of using basics to their full potential.
This is where the fit of each piece becomes important. Since the pieces are all pretty basic, they need to fit you properly to look good.
Otherwise, sub in different colors for each piece as you please.
Light Long Sleeves
Personally, I’m a fan of a long-sleeve paired with shorts. Something about that juxtaposition just makes sense to me.
This particular shirt is great because it’s a linen blend, and you can easily tuck it to give some structure. Remember, the long sleeves work because the top is thin and breathable. Don’t go for your Chris Evans Knives Out cable knit.
Smart Details
Making basic casual summer outfits feel more personal and stylish is all in the details. You can make smart choices that give it all personality.
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Adding elevated details like a polo, espadrilles, and a straw hat add those unique personal touches
Hoodies and Shorts
This always gives off a coastal casual summer vibe, and I like its simplicity.
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This look works because the colors contrast but still work well together. The hoodie and shorts fit properly, and there’s some good detailing in the shorts as well as in the styling of the socks and shoes.
Relaxed Smart Styling
This is a great example of “unexpected styling.” It’s as if he subbed in trousers with some great shorts.
Taking dressier pieces, like the socks and loafers, and relaxing them into casual styling with the shorts and button-down gives you an eye-catching casual summer look.
Floral Prints
It would be a great mistake to not mention floral prints here. They’re always summery and are a good casual choice when you’re looking to add a pop.
I like that Brock chose a shirt with a dark base color and brighter florals to make them stand out.
Camp Collar Shirts
Another great staple for summer is a camp collar shirt. It’s light, unique in its collar detailing, and usually pretty bright.
You can simply style them with shorts or light denim and let them do the talking.
Vertical Stripes
A vertical stripe is a great pattern for any guy. Stripes can help to elongate your torso and make you look taller subtly.
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A post shared by The Modest Man | Men’s Style (@modestmanstyle)
Pairing with shorter shorts like Brock did here helps you balance out the proportions if you’re on the shorter side.
Simple Color Combos
You can stick to cooler colors this summer. It doesn’t all have to be bright.
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Eric does a great job of this here by bringing grey tones with a bit of blue. If you prefer simpler outfits, stick to 1-2 colors.
Dark Summer Colors
If you’re someone who prefers darker colors year-round, the key is to remember to utilize the proper materials. Stick to thinner fabrics in those dark colors you love.
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A post shared by Derrick Brownie | Photographer (@thedrk_knight)
Derrick also shows us a smarter casual summer look. The shorts’ pleats and waistband with the nice polo detailing elevate the whole outfit.
Smart Summer Options
This is a great smart summer outfit. The shirt and chinos are crisp and look high quality. The bag also adds to the dressier nature of the outfit.
I personally also think that Eric found a great fit in the sleeve. This shirt accentuates his arms, which is a good “fit focus point” for short-sleeved shirts.
Bright Summer Colors
If you are feeling adventurous, try the kind of bright colors you might shy away from during fall and winter. Summer affords us more leeway in terms of wearing louder pieces.
Everything in this outfit is bright, but it works together. That’s because there’s not a lot of it. The shorts are on the shorter side, and the shirt doesn’t have sleeves. It’s a compact dose of brightness.
The shirt is also terry cloth, which is almost towel-like. It’s a great summer fabric.
17 Pop of Color
This is an excellent example of a simple pop of color with layers. The yellow is bright but not too bright and works well with the rest of the outfit.
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I like that you have the choice to wear the pop of color or take it off since it’s the top layer.
Winter Colors
Brown tones aren’t always associated with summer style. What works here is that while the color is more wintery, the shirt styling and fabric are summery.
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This is a great way to make some of your winter base layers work for a casual summer style.
Summer Prep
I love this round-up of a preppier rugby style. It’s casual but still has some great dressier details in the collars and details.
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A post shared by Oxford Cloth Button Down (@oxfordclothbuttondown)
I’m a fan of the long sleeves and patterns mixed in to make each outfit here feel unique.
Subtle Contrast
Subtle contrast always works. It doesn’t always have to be a stark difference to make an impact.
Brock also went for a great choice in the pale pink color of the tee. It’s an appropriate summer color without being too saturated.
Full Summer Send-Off
You can also go all-in on summer styling. Picking a terry cloth shirt with linen pants makes you look like you’re on vacation, but it’s totally worth it.
Huaraches are also some of my favorite summer shoes. I don’t enjoy sandals, but the woven leather of these shoes offers a great compromise.
Year-Round Basics
Brock shows us how to style year-round basics for the summer. You can find yourself wearing these pieces under layers and on their own.
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A post shared by The Modest Man | Men’s Style (@modestmanstyle)
It’s a good case for investing in quality basics that stay versatile.
Summer Dad Aesthetic
This sort of cool, hipster dad style has become more and more popular. It’s especially great for summer.
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It’s simple and effortless but still looks intentional. That’s all you could really ask for in casual summer outfits.
Monochrome Styling
Monochrome is always a good choice. You don’t have to worry about pairing colors, and you get something that looks very intentional.
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A post shared by Derrick Brownie | Photographer (@thedrk_knight)
I like that Derrick did this with a brighter blue. So often, we see monochrome done with black, greys, and neutrals. I think testing out brighter colors is great for the summer.
Matching Sets
Matching sets can be your best friend. You can wear them as a set and take the thinking out of styling or break them up and get more use out of them.
This is also a great way to incorporate prints and patterns in a fun way. You know they’ll work together because they’re a matching set.
Casual Summer Styling Final Thoughts
Sometimes it feels like we have fewer options during the summer, but the truth is that we actually have a lot more freedom to play around with different styles.
I hope you found some inspiration for your summer wardrobe in this guide.
Questions? Comments? Leave them below!
