Dressing sharp can be difficult in the summer. You throw on shorts or chinos and a polo and that’s the outfit. How can you stand out from the crowd with minimal options? Thanks to Antonio at Real Men Real Style for these helpful tips.
The answer is common but often overlooked.
Like always gentleman, it’s in the details. Summertime accessories are a little different. They’re not your usual suspects like neckties. You want accessories are light colored, lightweight, and functional.
Many guys (especially those who prefer to dress conservatively) stray from accessories. That’s a mistake. Accessories allow you to stand out and add a touch of your personality to your outfit.
This article is going to cover 5 must have summer accessories. So what are the five items?
I. The Perfect Sunglasses For Your Face Shape
It’s the summer so obviously, the sun will be out and shining brightly. This time of year sunglasses are a necessity. The right pair can up your casual style, but the most important thing is to protect your eyes. It’s no secret that sunlight can damage your eyes and the amount of damage can be catastrophic.
The sun emits ultraviolet (UV) rays that will impair the eye over time. The UV rays can lead to:
- Cataracts – clouding of the lens of the eye that can lead to partial or total blindness
- Pterygium or pinguecula – grows of fleshy tissue on the eye
- Ocular melanoma – cancer of the eye; there are eyelid cancers that can be caused by overexposure to UV rays as well
With these conditions being the result of overexposure to UV rays, the benefits of sunglasses far exceed any kind of style value that they may provide. So please wear them. Your health could really depend on it.
So what about the gents that do wear shades? There is an opportunity to switch it up and try something new that can change up your entire look for the better. You want to know the shape of your face (hairline + jawline + chin) so that you can have the proper fit.
Heart Shape Face
Features: Widow’s peak or pointed hairline with a sharp chin and prominent jawline.
Recommendations: Wear sunglasses that are wider at the top than the bottom and with frames that are polyurethane. This will balance out your sharp chin and strong jawline.
Sunglasses: Aviators are your best friend
Round Face
Features: Widest at the cheekbones but will slightly narrow at the forehead and chin/jawline. Gentlemen who are called cheeky generally fall in this category.
Recommendations: Wear oversized and rectangular frames that will offset the roundness
Sunglasses: Square Aviators, Rectangle-rimless, Wraparound Rectangle, Retro Squared
Oval Shaped Face
Features: This face shape is longer than it is wide
Recommendations: Any round or square frame will work as long as they are proportional to your face. Not too big, not too small.
Sunglasses: Wayfarers, Aviators (all types), Round frames, Clubmasters, Persols, Shields
Square Face
Features: All features are prominent – wide forehead, wide cheekbones, strong jaw.
Recommendations: Frames should soften the hard/strong features to maintain balance
Sunglasses: Round frames, Aviators (all types), Shield
Do note that these are recommendations. The best thing to do is head out to a quality eyewear store or menswear store that has quality items and try them on. It’s ultimately what you feel comfortable and confident in. Click here for a more detailed graphic about eyewear.
II. A Unique Watch That Stands Out
A watch is a classic element of style that should always be adorned. It should be
- Functional – tell accurate time over an extended period
- Durable – should be strong enough to handle your lifestyle
- Stylish – whether it’s minimalist look or a focal point of the look, the watch should make people think, “Damn!”
Change up your normal routine for timepieces. Switch up the style and/or the brand. There are dozens of quality brands available that you will get your money’s worth out of. Watches are traditionally in two general styles: watches with straps and watches with metal bracelets. We all have our preference and generally have settled into those.
- Watches with Straps: The straps can vary in material with the most popular being leather, polyurethane/silicone, Nato thread
- Watches with Metal Bracelets: the options are steel, aluminum, and precious metals
You can upgrade from these watches to watches with woodgrain. Woodgrain watches provide a light change of pace. These watches take center stage as a standout when most other gentlemen will be wearing traditional leather and metal bands. The options in pairing with your summer attire may be limited. More style possibilities are available when you adopt a new aesthetic.
Woodgrain watches will pair well with:
- Summer textiles – cotton blends, linen, chambray, seersucker, etc
- Bright colors that are found in the summer
- Day to night look – outfits that can transition from the office to dinner or a night out with friends
- Traditional Metal and Hides to create classic timepieces – Note: Stay away from trendy watches, as classic timepieces will give you the most functionality and are more versatile. As a generalization, trendy watches can suffer in quality.
Original Grain has patented the world’s thinnest woodgrain watch bezel at 1.7mm. The precision of engineering gives this watch incredible detail. They use all-natural wood, and no watch is identical to another. Every watch has its own unique wood grain pattern…its own unique fingerprint. If you want to stand out, this is the perfect accessory for you.
Click Here To Discover Original Grain
III. A Summer Hat
Headgear has long been a staple in a gentlemen’s wardrobe. Men have relied on hats to endure all weather and for various occasions. Dating back to medieval times, hats were worn as a sign of sophistication and culture as well as used for necessity.
Just like sunglasses, hats are a functional element of a man’s wardrobe and can be super stylish. Some functional elements of hats are:
– Protect the head/eye/ face from UV rays
– Provide shade from the scorching sun
– Shield the head and face from summer rainstorms
When donning a summer cap, it’s all about the material. As is the case with shirts, summer hats need to be constructed from breathable material and have a sweat wicking or sweat absorbing headband.
The summer is all about being light and fun so your hats should follow suit. Common summer hats are:
- Straw fedoras
- Straw trillby hats
- Straw pork pie hats
- Linen newsboy caps
- Polyester baseball caps
An added benefit of upgrading your headgear is the confidence that is will bring. It’s an accessory that draws people and compliments to it. When wearing a great hat it can become the centerpiece of the look. Wear it proud gents.
IV. Lightweight Footwear
Footwear is to style as wheels and tires are to cars. The whole look is off when the wheels (footwear) are wrong. Summer is a great time to spice up your shoe game. We’ve discussed at length about understanding and purchasing quality shoes. Quality is determined by the construction and materials (leather). High-quality leather means a high-quality shoe. It also can mean a hot shoe.
Switch it up during the summer with a lightweight shoe that is comfy and breathable. Look to try:
- Espadrilles – constructed using canvas or cotton for the upper and a sole made of jute rope which is the defining characteristic of the shoe. The breathability of the upper great feature that allows keeps the foot cool and the fabric can hold all types of colors and patterns.
- Lightweight Sandals – The ultimate laid back summer shoe. I stress lightweight because the leather can still make the foot sweat. Now the key is to get stylish sandals! The hiking sandals are not in that category. A stylish sandal is one that can be worn with nice pair of chinos or linen pants/shorts
- Canvas sneakers – The canvas upper is the same technology as the espadrilles but the canvas sneaker is far more casual. Classic gentlemen only pair them with shorts and jeans but they work with chinos as well.
Regardless of the type of lightweight shoe, you decide to choose, make sure that it’s breathable and full of style. It’s the summer so you’re going to show some leg when wearing shorts. Make sure that the shoe is worth looking at.
In addition to the lightweight shoe, make sure that you wear no shoe socks. The upper of most of the suggested footwear doesn’t rise above the ankle. The no show sock is the most stylish option that’s out and it’s functional and can aid in the health of your feet.
Some advantages of wearing socks are:
- Sweat can be absorbed and wicked away from the foot
- Helps to manage and prevent foot odor
- Can prevent fungi from forming
- Protects the foot from chafing due to rubbing on the shoe
V. Quality Leather Portfolio or Notebook
Leather portfolios are a must have because of their practicality. Portfolios are the modern man’s day to night carry-on. Unlike the fanny pack from days of old, a portfolio provides the proper amount of space for all the essentials.
During the summer months, traveling light for leisure or work becomes a priority. Additionally, the great weather including warm days and cool nights are optimal backdrops for gaining inspiration for creating and managing personal and professional projects and plans.
A portfolio is a great accessory as it is useful for carrying:
- Notepad for notation or journaling
- Tablet (iPad/Galaxy etc.)
- Digital book
- Pens
- Business cards
The functionality of a portfolio cannot be overstated. The key is to obtain a well-designed portfolio that’s made from a great company with quality leather. The options are vast so do your research to find the kind of portfolio that fits your needs and lifestyle. Depending on the style, material, or brand, a portfolio can cost between $50 -$1500.
This post was brought to you in collaboration with Original Grain.
Original Grain has patented the world’s thinnest woodgrain watch bezel at 1.7mm. The precision of engineering gives this watch incredible detail. They use all-natural wood, and no watch is identical to another. Every watch has its own unique wood grain pattern…its own unique fingerprint. If you want to stand out, this is the perfect accessory for you.