New Delhi, May 21: Picking the right fabric is very important when dressing smartly during summer. Men should opt for lighter fabrics like cotton, linen and seersucker as they are great options to keep you cool, suggest experts. Saikat Mitra, Creative Director of Van Heusen, Sandeep Gonsalves, Co-founder of SS HOMME, and James Doidge, Head of Menswear Design at Marks & Spencer, break down the style code for men in summer.

  1. White is right for summer. Explore different silhouettes and fabric types teamed with denim and you have a great business casual look. A cotton slub white shirt and an easy bi-stretch denim or a pique knit shirt with clean raw denim with hybrid leather brogues keep it work friendly.

  2. Light coloured linen shirts with rolled sleeves put together with cotton chinos is an easy and comfortable look. Go dark on the trousers for a formal look and khakis and light colours transform the same ensemble to casual.

  3. Used all year round, but a saviour in the summer, the short sleeve shirt comes in many avatars. A trendy printed floral short sleeve shirt with contrast buttons along with formal cotton trousers will add fashion to the formal. Small geometric prints are a great bet too. Large 2 / 3 coloured check short sleeve shirt with hem details go well with printed textured cotton chinos. Basic gingham checks in seasonal and trend colours are a versatile wardrobe addition too.

  4. T-Shirts: The ubiquitous T-Shirt has found a safe haven in the corporate wardrobe through well-tailored polo T-Shirts. Small geometric printed polo in double mercerised with premium soft sheen and quick dry formal trousers will keep you neat, cool and sharp this summer. A navy quick dry polyester T-shirt with zipped placket put together with formal tapered drawstring trousers is the ‘Work Active' look for summer. Add a lightweight summer knit blazer to complete the business look.

  5. Summer provides more choices in colour, for both suits and accessories. Lighter colours absorb less heat than darker colours, making them perfect choices for summer. Light and pastel colours are a strong focus through the season and can be seen on everything from linen suits to Oxford casual shirts, T-Shirts and shirts. These aren't just solid colours, but also in stripes and marl textures too.

  6. Linen is a definite winner when it comes to summer suits. However, if you would like, you could experiment with fabrics such as poplin and seersucker.

  7. Cotton suits and pure worsted wool suits are also great choices for a versatile summer look. With reference to the styles, the shades of blue and green are ideal.

  8. Apart from the quintessential summer styles, material and colour - what really makes you stand out apart from the rest is the fit of the garment. The technicals of each element of a suit are what can make you look refined and unique from the rest of the crowd. Create a fashion statement by accessorising it with a handcrafted accessory, a printed pocket square or a textured pastel tie.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 21, 2018 12:19 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).