It’s been blazing hot here in California, and while I like my oxford-cloth button-downs with tailored sport coats and workwear, sometimes they feel a bit too boring on their own. With a pair of chinos and loafers, they cut a little too close to business causal territory. Perfectly fine for the office, to be sure, but also not terribly inspiring.
For days when it’s too hot for a jacket – or when I want something to wear with contemporary casualwear – I like less traditional tops. Bolder prints, unusual collars, textured fabrics. They’re not as versatile as your basic button ups, but they can feel perfect for certain outfits. I posted something last summer on various styles I’ve been wearing, but here are a few more that I’ve been looking at this season:
Anything from Camoshita: It’s little surprise, I suppose, that a guy as well dressed as Yasuto Kamoshita – who’s often photographed in interesting tops – should sell similarly nice things through his own line. I recently bought this ribbed knit sweater and v-neck polo from the company. Both have this 1970s sportswear vibe that’s surprisingly easy to wear. The sweater has a rounded body and banded hem that allows for a forgiving fit, while also sporting a wide, ribbed collar that looks great under suede bombers and olive cotton field jackets. Weirdly like something I’d imagine on a minor character in Woody Allen’s film Annie Hall.
Camoshita has some other great things right now, including wide collar polos, camp collar rayon shirts, and band collar seersucker tops. The whole line is worth a look.
Boldly Printed Shirt: Maybe the easiest and most straightforward way to add something interesting is to move away from your solid colored shirts and opt for a bolder print. I rounded up some of my favorite options last week at Put This On. Lots to choose from here, although my two favorites include YMC’s sponge print and A Kind of Guise’s Gioia shirt. The second is made from a lightweight silk and features this retro 1970s print that reminds me of soul music and Latin jazz. As I noted in the post, I tried it on recently and love how it looks with tan tropical wool trousers. You can almost hear the vibraphones coming out of a Roy Ayers song when you put it on.
Short-Sleeved Sweatshirts: They sound like a contradiction, but look at how great Kamoshita looks in his short-sleeved sweatshirt and textured (maybe striped?) cotton trousers above. You can also wear them with jeans for a more rugged, Outsiders inspired ensemble. The 3/4th length sleeves make these more comfortable in the summertime – easier to layer under slim jackets, but can also be worn on their own.
Mine is from Jackman, which is made with overlocked stitched edges that curl up (I like how the fabric reveals a contrasting color). You can find other good options this season from creative workwear brands, such as Chimala and Blurhms. Additionally, Document sells something they call their Vaseline tee – a mid-weight t-shirt that’s been cut like short-sleeved sweats. Available in different colored banded hems at No Man Walks Alone and Namu (both sponsors on this site).
Terrycloth Shirts: I’ve been wanting a terrycloth shirt ever since I saw the photo of Picasso above, sporting a jaunty, red polo made from piled fabric. Terrycloth, of course, is the fabric you traditionally find on bath towels. Made with little looped yarns, it’s designed to absorb as much water as possible. Or, in this case, give you something fun and casual to wear.
Orlebar Brown sells a really nice, fitted model, although it looks better in beachside towns than downtown city centers. For something a little more versatile, Naissance has a piled t-shirt this season that could make for a nice layering piece. Additionally, Etsy is worth a look. Given the vintage style, you can often find second-hand pieces floating around on the site. This one actually looks something Picasso would wear.
A More Interesting Collar: Finally, you could always go with a more interesting collar. I’m particularly enamored with the styles you find on mid-century vacation shirts – camp collars, Cuban collars, Capri collars, etc. All refer to various one-piece constructions, which differ from your standard dress shirts in that they don’t have separate collar bands. Instead, two pieces of fabric – one for the topside, the other for the bottom – are stitched together, often with some interlining for structure. They then flow seamlessly into shirt body, giving a clean, casual look. Mr. Porter has a billion options this season from different companies.
Another option is a band collar. When I met up Agyesh from Stoffa last year, he was sporting a band collar, denim Western shirt underneath his suede flight jacket. His was a simple DIY project – just a $20 Wrangler shirt, where he cut the collar off above the collar band – although you can also have this done though a tailor for a cleaner look.
Again, Mr. Porter has a ton of options this season for band collars. The stand-up style works better under jackets, I think, although good, creative summer style is always about experimenting.
