10 Men's style & Grooming hacks for summer heat
Because, home or away, looking coll is as difficult as staying cool
For all its joys, the hot season is a pain in the arse. Author Russell Baker had it best: “Ah summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it”. True enough, it makes masochists of us all; whether we’re sweltering in a suit on public transport or masquerading as barbecued meat as we burn on a beach, the heat doesn’t always allow for our best performances, especially when it comes to our style. And that’s without even starting on the myriad pitfalls of travelling. It’s enough to make you want to stay indoors.
Of course, that’s not an option. To borrow from some nameless youths, summer is ‘where it’s at’. And to paraphrase Shakespeare: Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day trip to the coast? Thou ain’t as lovely nor as temperate. Because days at the beach trump everything and holidays are why we go to work in the first place.
So a man needs to know how to style it out when the mercury rises. Start by looking around you. There’s always that guy on the underground breezing to work in a shorts suit while everyone else gasps for air through the door cracks. Invariably there’ll be a pair of white chinos turning heads in the airport while you rock up in swim shorts and a band tee. Benedict Cumberbatch at Wimbledon.
No, these men are not blessed with some kind of divine internal thermostat. Rather they’re sporting a little fabric nous, which allows them to wear what threads they want without sweating like that suckling pig you’re definitely going to eat if you can find a linen blazer for your mate’s hog roast this weekend.
Of course, there are problems that go beyond simple material mishaps. Packing for your holiday leaves blazers looking like crepe paper by the time you land. How on this hot, green earth are you supposed to style your hair when the sun’s microwaving your head? And what the hell is with those irremovable yellow armpit stains on white T-shirts? It’s one-nil to summer.
These are problems easily solved, however, when you look to men in the know. Which is why we bribed the savviest summer sartorialists (at great cost, mind you: two Cornettos and a Magnum in total) in return for the inside track on staying cool in the heat. All you need do is dust off the shades and study this action plan. We’ll see you on the beach for some joyful suffering and that first sweet Corona.
The Cool Men In Your Corner
Dan Rookwood, US Editor Of Mr Porter (DR)
Never caught short when on the move, wayfaring style journalist Mr Rookwood looks the part come rain or blistering shine. His expertise is put to use by hot brands including GQ,The Times and ES Magazine.
Phill Tarling, London Celebrity Stylist (PT)
Called upon to make stars look their best under the hot, hot heat of TV lights and then seem on-point in the soporific studio environment, Tarling is well placed to rework your wardrobe and streamline your summer.
Jamie Millar, Associate Style Editor Of Men’s Health (JM)
If Jamie isn’t keeping his cool in the front row of men’s fashion shows, you’ll find him outdoors, somehow managing to make summer workouts look stylish.
His hairstyle hacks will help you keep your head, indoors and out.
Jack Gibson, Aesthetic Expert At PHI Clinic (JG)
Running things behind the scenes at London’s premier cosmetic clinic, PHI, Jack knows more than the average Harley Street expert about the final solutions for sweat problems during summer.
1. Cool Investments (PT)
Maybe you work in a suits-only office or perhaps you just need another line of defence between skin and shirt. Either way, as counter-intuitive as it sounds, adding a vest is the best way to control the sweats.
The Cool & Fresh vests at Marks & Spencer or AIRism vests at Uniqlo react with body heat to absorb moisture and reduce sweating. Definitely not to be confused with a Sweat Vest, designed to make you sweat even more.
