With summer (finally) in full force I’ve been getting a lot of questions about how to handle the heat while still dressing for a professional setting or for summer events. With that in mind here are 5 easy summer tips to keep you a bit cooler:

1. Forgo the tie – in certain business scenarios this will be difficult but if it’s appropriate do away with the tie.  All the heat that is generated from your upper body needs a place to escape and opening up the top two buttons allows exactly that.
2. Roll your sleeves – for those moments when you’re able to take your jacket off get those sleeves up.  In combination with opening the top up you actually get full circulation which is critical to regulating that lower back and armpits.
3. Let the ankles breath – in the same way that opening up your neck and wrists cools your upper body the same occurs with your legs when you go with the no-show sock instead of a traditional long sock.  Baring your ankle might be a big step for some of you style-wise but once you feel the breezy cooling effect on your ankle you won’t go back when the heat turns up.
4. Unlined Jackets – the reality is that linings don’t breath as well as the cloth that your jacket is made from hence get rid of as much of it as you can in the warmer months.  A warm weather cloth is made with a looser weave to enable your heat can escape and the cooler air around you can get in and cool you down.  With that in mind shed the lining and allow the cloth to do its thing.
5. Slightly fuller trousers – based on the first four tips it’s clear that air flow is critical to keeping yourself comfortable in the summer.  A really trim pant makes this very difficult thus opting for a slightly fuller leg is a good play.  Nothing drastic but an extra 1/2″ to 3/4″ in the circumference will make a noticeable difference.

I’m in a bit of a rush this morning but a quick google search found me this guy – a pretty solid example despite the fact he is on the more casual side spectrum and that he has a vest on (he’s Italian thus he must deal with the heat better than us Canadians!).  He does check all the boxes though – open neck, rolled sleeves, no-show socks, unlined jacket + the slightly fuller trouser.

Let me know if you have any questions or comments – take care…