4 Best Summer Shirts

With temperatures climbing to the twenties and the sun making more of a regular appearance (we hope!), your shirt choice should be in keeping. Arguably the shirt is one of the most important components to your outfit, building the foundations to an occasion-ready formal look and therefore it does require more than a fleeting thought. This time of year you should be stocking up on the essential cool cotton blend shirts, exploring colours and experimenting with different collars to beat the heat. Sometimes the simplest of tweaks can make all the difference in the warmer weather. Here's our top 5 summer shirts...

Why go for a tight restricting collar when you have the option of a grandad collar? This type of collar is a lifesaver for summer as it allows extra breathing room for the neck and generally creates more of a relaxed feel.  It is a vintage style in nature but quickly becoming a contemporary fashion trend. The Cooper shirt features a pinstripe in summery sky blue and a white contrast collar, adding interest and the ability to become a standalone feature with no need for a blazer or waistcoat over the top. As the pattern is subtle you can afford to pair with blue check trousers for a pattern clash or keep things simple with a block colour. 

Pink is a colour you should not be afraid of working into your formalwear wardrobe, especially during the summer months. Coloured shirts in general should be welcomed with open arms however the pale pink of the Charles shirt is something to be admired. With a high cotton content too, the Charles shirt allows breathability through its natural fibres and combined with polyester you'll be able to marginally avoid creasing when packed. Wear with light stone chinos for casual summertime style.

As grandad collars are just too good for summer, we couldn't help but feature another one! If you're a man with a plainer preference, the Archie shirt is a must-have. In a classic clean white you'll have no problem pairing it with your existing formalwear items, although try combining with a shade to match the contrast buttons and you'll look seriously smart. This cool cotton, unrestrictive style can be made suitable for chilled summer events left untucked and styled with trainers. You can also bag this one with navy buttons.

Another style proving a pink shirt is the way forward is the Alfie, featuring an ever so slightly deeper shade of pink to the softer tone of the Charles. If the fear of matching up a pink shirt to the rest of your outfit holds you back then we'd suggest going for failsafe blue. Blue in most shades such as sky blue or navy complements pink perfectly and with the Alfie you can tie in the blue with the accent buttons. This summer you need the underrated pink shirt in your wardrobe, either casual or formal you'll show confidence and style!

Shop the Alfie shirt