Fashion Feature: Summer Fashion on a Budget

Gentlemen, Summer is here and you still have to try. I mean, seriously, cargo shorts with flip-flops and a branded t-shirt just isn't going to cut it. If I'm being completely honest, I struggle with clothing myself in the Summer more than any other time of the year. But, if you stick to a few basic tenants, you'll be able to dress well and still have money in your pocket for the much more fashionable fall season.

Shirts:

A lot of us had retail jobs and got great discounts on some clothes when we were younger. The problem is that it's likely that most of those clothes are what I call 'hyper-branded'. You know what I mean, the American Eagle shirt that you bought for $5 sophomore year of college that you still wear and has a big eagle sewn onto the front of it made out of felt and your other offenders.

You need to un-brand yourself. Here are a few options for your summer t-shirt needs:

H & M Stretch T-Shirt- $9.95

GAP Essential Striped Pocket T- $19.95

Polos for men are always a fantastic summer go-to when you want to dress up but don't want the added heat of a full button-up. It's okay to spend a bit more on them--think of them as your summer dress shirts. Here are two polo options:

Banana Republic Signature Pique Polo- $39.50

Lacoste Slim Fit Pique Polo- $69.99

The key to Summer fashion for men is bold colors. There's no other time during the year in which you can get away with wearing bright orange. Embrace summer on top and keep the rest pretty subdued.

You can get away with jeans in the Summer at night, but you really need shorts on those hot days. Shorts are very straight forward and you don't need to drop a ton of money. Just remember--you actually want the hem of your shorts to hit above the knee when you're standing up. When you sit down, they will ride up a bit. This can be uncomfortable for some of us gents who became fashion conscious in the early 2000's when long cargo shorts were in. Now, you want a flat-front and clean looking pair of shorts that hits at or just above the knee. Patterns are acceptable, but not preferred. Your plain chino colors are best here--khaki, white, or grey--and absolutely no denim shorts. No, it's not okay, ever. Ever. I mean it. Got it? I mean ever. Just don't do it. Ever.

Some men are starting to go with crop chinos for the summer. Until that's more widely accepted, I'm not going to suggest it. What I will suggest is a pair of shorts that you should pick up in your size in every color I just mentioned (and maybe blue too, who doesn't love blue?):

J Crew 9" Stanton Short- $64.50

I understand the price on those shorts is a bit high, but they give you a great idea of what I'm talking about. Shop around for a price that you're comfortable with but follow my guidelines.

If you want to toss the color scheme on its head, you can go with brights on the shorts and more simple colors up top. Just remember that you can match plain with plain, plain with pattern but never pattern with pattern.

Next time, I'll discuss footwear. Until then, be sure to keep those flip-flops in the closet.