17 Men’s Summer Clothes That Look Great and Feel Even Better
SmarterTravel
Caroline Morse Teel is the Managing Editor for SmarterTravel Media. Follow her on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline.
Caroline joined Boston-based SmarterTravel in 2011 after living in Ireland, London, and Manhattan. She's traveled to all seven continents, jumped out of planes, and bungeed off bridges in the pursuit of a good story. She loves exploring off-the-beaten path destinations, anything outdoorsy, and all things adventure.
Her stories have also appeared online at USA Today, Business Insider, Huffington Post, Yahoo, Boston.com, TripAdvisor, Buzzfeed, Jetsetter, Oyster, Airfarewatchdog, and others.
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Breathable, lightweight, quick-drying, and stylish. What more could you ask for in a summer travel wardrobe? Here’s everything you need to pack to look and feel cool on summer vacation.
Want a shirt you can wear straight from a sweaty hike to dinner? Bluffworks’ Threshold T-Shirt is it, thanks to its unique blend of moisture-wicking, quick-drying, sun protective, lightweight, breathable, and anti-odor fabrics. The shirt has gold and silver nanoparticles embedded in the fabric that kills odor-causing bacteria, meaning you can wear these on a multi-day trip without needing to wash it. Best of all? It looks like a regular, casual t-shirt—not a workout top.
Polo shirts are one of the most versatile pieces of summer clothing in a man’s wardrobe. Dress it up with a blazer or go more casual with shorts and flip flops. But regular polos don’t tend to breathe or pack well due to their heavy and easily wrinkled fabrics. Thankfully, Bluffworks has reinvented the polo with its Piton Polo Shirt. This clean-looking, unbranded collared shirt is breathable, lightweight, and quick-drying. It’s also wrinkle- and odor-resistant, and can be machine washed.
Chambray is one of the coolest fabrics to wear in summer, and United By Blue makes its out of a durable hemp/cotton/spandex blend that feels great and looks even better. The Manse Chambray Button Down has adjustable cuffs so you can wear sleeves rolled down or up.
Dobby weave is a unique fabric that’s similar to seersucker—it stands away from your skin and is naturally cooling. Orvis’ Dobby Weave Surf’s Up Travel Shirt uses this fabric to create a lightweight long sleeve shirt that’s cooler (and nicer lolling) than short sleeves.
Made from pima cotton, Revtown’s Standard Polo is anything but standard. It’s soft and goes with anything, and is designed to withstand numerous machine washes without losing its shape.
Headed into the wilderness or happy hour on the water? ExOfficio’s Chios shirt will protect you from bugs (including ticks and mosquitos), the sun, and even pickpockets—there’s a hidden security zip pocket.
Orvis’ Signature Chinos Cotton Shorts are made from soft and cool double-washed Pima cotton. Tailored in a classic fit, these shorts will look good wherever you go.
For an athletic vacation (or just your weekend run), Saxx’s Kinetic Sport shorts are the perfect choice. These moisture-wicking shorts are designed for tough workouts, with a semi-compression fit and flat seams to reduce irritation.
Love the convenience of cargo shorts but hate the look? Check out SCOTTeVEST’s Hidden Cargo Shorts, which give you the same amount of pocket space as traditional cargos but look like regular shorts. These shorts have eight pockets hidden in the slim silhouette, including a space for your passport.
Columbia’s Silver Ridge Cargo Shorts are the ultimate hiking shorts. They have built-in sun protection and moisture-wicking technology, as well as multiple pockets to hold everything you need on the trail.
On a budget for your summer wardrobe? Give Amazon Essentials’ Classic Fit shorts a try. These affordable shorts are made from 100 percent cotton and come in 17 different colors.
Unlike most performance pants, Bluffworks’ Ascender Chinos actually look like normal pants. You’d never guess that they’re made from a wrinkle- and odor-resistant stretch fabric, and hide 10 pockets, including standard side pockets, secret inner zippered pockets, and even a money pouch pocket. The money pouch compartment is tucked away on the inside of the pants and designed to replace the need for a money belt—you access it through the front pocket, so there’s no awkwardness when it’s time to get out your money.
Even on sweltering days, DUER’s Live Lite pants will keep you cool, thanks to hidden ventilation and a trademarked T2X fabric that’s made with breathable TENCEL fibers. The pants come in a classic straight fit that’s not too tight or too loose.
Shorts aren’t always the best option when traveling in hot destinations (think cold flights, local dress codes, and visiting religious sites), but regular denim can be stiflingly hot. Bluffworks’ Departure Jeans are super lightweight and made with a breathable, moisture-wicking, COOLMAX fabric blend designed to keep you from overheating. The jeans have a total of seven pockets, including two secret zippered, water-resistant pockets to keep your valuables secure.
United By Blue takes the standard chino and makes it better, using primarily organic cotton and then adding a touch of stretch with spandex, resulting in pants that look great but don’t restrict you. You can feel good about buying from United By Blue, too, because it’s a certified B Corporation, which pledges to clean up one pound of trash from the earth for every product purchased.
Who says hiking pants have to look like hiking pants? prAna’s Hendrixton Pants are hiking pants in chino disguise. Everything you need in an active pant—durable and water repellent fabric with stretch, abrasion resistance, UPF 50+, mesh pockets, and ventilation—is housed in a stylish chino silhouette that won’t look out of place at the office.
Revtown was founded by former Under Armour employees, who decided to reinvent denim with all of the comfort of active wear. Their denim is a blend of performance stretch, Italian-milled denim, and durable thread, which make the Revtown Sharp Denim jeans comfortable, long-lasting, and stylish. These slim-fit jeans retain their shape and don’t bag out even after wearing them all day.
Caroline Morse Teel is a Senior Editor at SmarterTravel. Follow her on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline for style and travel photos from around the world.
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