Summer in the city

I get it, you would rather be on holiday. So would I. But when annual leave limits how long we can be away from our desks for and summer decides to turn its head to the city, I’m sharing what I choose for a day of work.

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Products pictured above: CREW-NECK T-SHIRT [gifted] by ASKET, PLYMOUTH LINEN COTTON BLEND TROUSERS [gifted] by JOSEPH and PEMBREY LOAFERS by CHURCHS.

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Photography by BETHANY ELSTONE

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Even just the thought of outerwear and knitwear in August gets me feeling a little hot, but right about now is the time you will see autumn/winter pieces make their way into stores and fashion writers working up a frenzy about what to keep an eye on for the season ahead. It’s always seemed a little backwards to me and I can confirm that I am still very much in summer mode.

So while most have one foot in each season, I’ve still not done with this season quite yet. And on one of those warmer than most days that we’ve been treated to, it was the perfect chance to share an appropriate look for the city that will keep you cool. For me, and this is just my opinion, if I am in the city for work I will try and avoid shorts and flip-flops. Shorts have that ability to remove any kind of formality for men and instantly makes me think of being on holiday which is not quite what we want when working. As for flip-flops, the less said the better. 

With shorts out the question, one thing I turn to is linen. This pair from JOSEPH in-particular have taken me through the whole season and perfectly tow the line of smart enough for work, but sensible enough for the temperature. They might have creased a little by the time you get home, but I think you can excuse that in the summer. My base layer hero in the colder months comes to the fore during summer and with the exception of a printed shirt, my outfit always starts with a t-shirt.

ASKET is a great option for those who want to invest in a t-shirt which allows you to have more flexibility when it comes to fit and also great traceability in learning where each component is sourced from.

Then it is just a case of considering the finer details. For a smarter finish? High waisted tuck-in. For consistency? The use of a black belt to carry through the black from the t-shirt and down to the Church’s shoes. While I feel shorts are too casual, I think a sockless loafer is just the right amount of summer in the city. And while I write sockless it’s implied that you’ll know I mean the use of invisible socks (FALKE are my recommendation) as wearing leather shoes without socks will inevitably damage them.

In the hope that you have found this helpful, you will no longer feel the need to suffer in a suit or succumb to resortwear while your legs remain tucked under the desk and instead be perfectly equipped to tackle a working day in the heat without making a sweat.jbicon

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