Choosing a shirt for summer business attire 

When choosing appropriate business attire for summer, there are several things to keep in mind. As the temperature rises, you need to stay cool, both literally and figuratively, enabling you to sail through the working day with aplomb while retaining a professional visage.

Keep cool with crisp colours

When choosing your shirts for the warmer months, you will find that the fit, and also the colour, will impact on your comfort. While black clothing does absorb more heat from the sun, it also absorbs your body heat (as opposed to reflecting it back to you), so it’s not as bad a choice as many people think. However, psychologically, light colours tend to make us feel cooler, and when the sun is shining, dark or heavy colours can look and feel oppressive.

Instead of white or neutral shirts, embrace the summer sunshine with a light blue, sky blue, or coral pink shirt, or even try out a light stripe or Gingham shirt to help you feel fresh and light in the office. Remember that grey is the least forgiving when it comes to revealing sweat stains, so you may wish to remove grey shirts from your summer selection!

Are short-sleeved shirts appropriate office attire?

Short-sleeved shirts are not really suitable for formal office dress codes, but on days when smart-casual is appropriate for the working day, a short-sleeved shirt can be acceptable. You can wear a tie with a short-sleeved shirt as long as its width is in proportion to the shirt. If you are not able to wear a short-sleeved shirt for work, you can still optimise your comfort by choosing the fabric of your shirt carefully.

Choosing the right fabrics for the warmer months

Linen is light and loosely woven, which allows heat to escape from the body, and linen also absorbs moisture and dries quickly. Cotton-linen shirts are a great option since they combine the comfort of cotton with the coolness of linen. The result is a shirt that will look smarter for longer as you breeze through the working day. Poplin weave is another great choice for summer, as it gives room for movement without excess fabric and looks great when paired with a variety of suit colours.

It’s all in the fit

Loose clothing will help you to feel cooler as the air can circulate around your body more easily. ‘Regular Fit’ shirts are cut for men who prefer a comfortable, more accommodating shape. Consider keeping a couple of more generously proportioned shirts in your collection in anticipation of hotter weather.

Business shirts are typically available in three other fits; Slim, Fitted and Super Fitted. Slim Fit shirts are gently tapered at the waist for a smooth, neat effect when the shirt is tucked in, and are ideal for the average build. Fitted Shirts flatter slim, athletic builds, giving you a slim and tailored silhouette as they skim your torso at the waist and shoulders. Fitted shirts made from pure cotton tend to be soft, breathable and extremely versatile since they aren’t prone to creasing, even after machine washing.

Slimmer men will benefit from the expert tailoring that goes into our Super Fitted Shirts. These shirts fit closely through the sleeves, chest and body for an ultra-sleek look and look great with a skinny tie.

Although not everyone will be able to wear short-sleeved shirts to work this summer, being clever about picking out the best kind of shirt available to you will help you stay cool and comfortable all-day long. T.M.Lewin for example, boast a versatile range of business attire to suit different physiques, builds, tastes and working environments.