null Skip to main content

Keep Cool: How to Dress for Summer From Head to Toe

Summer style often means shorts, tees and sandals. But if you sweat more than the average person, your typical summer look likely involves many, many layers.

Sure, layering might be an easy way to hide the sweat pooling beneath the surface, but sweating through multiple shirts isn't a realistic solution to the scorching summer heat.

So what’s a guy to do?

Here are some of our favorite summer clothes for men and tips to stay sweat-free from head to toe this summer:

1. Choose natural fibers

summerbottoms

Natural fibers like cotton and linen are some of the best fabrics to keep you cool. And this applies to pants, undershirts, socks and everything in between. 

While there’s no shortage of linen and cotton shirts out there (we love the Rivers Woven Linen shirts from Nordstrom), sweat-friendly pants and shorts are a different story. 

Fear not — we've got you covered. The 100% cotton Stanton shorts from J.Crew are the perfect summer short. If you’re looking for lightweight pants for summer, the 100% cotton chinos from Bonobos are breathable, stylish and can easily be dressed up or down.

2. Untuck your undershirt
untuckedshirt

Keep it casual by untucking your undershirt and outerwear. When these layers are tucked in, they trap heat and can actually make you feel hotter — and therefore sweatier. For the perfect length dress shirt, try Express - Pinstripe Anchor Print Short Sleeve Shirt.

3. Hide armpit sweat with Thompson Tee undershirts
thompsontees

Oust those nasty wet marks and sweat stains, and keep your button-ups looking newer longer by wearing a sweat proof Thompson Tee beneath them. The patented sweat proof underarm barrier traps moisture and releases it as vapor so you can sweat all you want without anyone having to know! Learn more about the best undershirts for sweat.

4. Wear a grey undershirt with thin materials
RibbedTee_Undershirt

It’s summertime. You want to wear that lightweight white linen shirt but need an undershirt for extra sweat protection. If white undershirts show through your summer button-ups, try swapping it out for a gray tee to conceal those undershirt lines and create a cleaner, seamless look.

5. Liven up your flip flop game with leather

shoes
Sure, sticking to open-toed shoes will obviously get more airflow to your feet and help reduce feet sweating. But for some guys, flip flops are a bit too casual.

Dress up any casual summer look with these classic leather flip flops from OluKai. If flip flops aren’t your thing, these leather slide-on sandals from Vince are a great comfortable yet stylish alternative with a little more coverage.

6. Cover up with canvas kicks
canvasshoes

If you're a staunch supporter of the anti-sandal movement, canvas shoes from Tretorn can help to keep your feet cool while concealing your toes. These lightweight yet affordable kicks come in tons of colors and styles.

7. Go for blended merino wool socks
mens_casual_socks_header_032216

Wool…in the summer? No, we’re not suffering from heat stroke (yet, at least). Wool is actually much more absorbent and quick-drying than cotton, making it a great option for sweaty feet. Merino wool socks from SmartWool have just the right blend of wool to keep your feet dry all summer long.

8. Stay stylish & stop sweat with no-show socks

Not wearing socks with close-toed shoes just isn’t an option for most guys. Your shoes can quickly become slippery and smelly. When wearing boat shoes, low-rise sneakers or slip ons, soak up sweat (while appearing sockless) with no-show socks like  these options from Nordstrom.

9. Wear hats sparingly

lightweight hats for summer
Although hats might cover up sweat, they actually make you hotter. If your a victim of head sweating in the summertime, it’s best to nix the hat. But if you can’t do without one,  look for linen caps like this Chambray linen hat from Hickoree's.

These are just a few tips and tricks for how to dress for summer and beat the heat. What other summer clothes for men or style tips do you have for staying cool?