Wtfoffers People who like clothes tend to prefer cold seasons. From autumn to winter, people increasingly wear layers made of thick fabrics that have a certain drape. And all of that becomes more difficult when it gets hot.
It’s difficult, but doable. Available in spring/summer drapey materials. beautifully. There are layers and accessories that can give your outfit the complexity of a winter layered look. And many of the key items are available at very affordable prices.
We’ll help you get through the season with both general advice and specific recommendations. I’ll break my advice into several sections.
Please remember. Never buy clothes you don’t like unless you think you can use them to explore new styles. The best way to save money is not to buy cheap things, but to buy nothing at all. Explore, learn and grow your personal style. If the recommendations here don’t resonate strongly with you, please ignore them.
This article contains affiliate links. I still support all my recommendations. Additionally, the purpose of this is not to tell you what to buy, but to help you start considering warm-weather options.
I’m generally a fan of relaxed fit pants. I think it’s even better in the summer. This is because the extra space allows air to circulate throughout your feet, keeping you cool. Therefore, most of these pants are not slim. While these tips can help you find a slimmer silhouette, you may want to consider trying something a little different for summer.
polo ralph lauren andrews and hammons
Your breadwinner here is Ralph Lauren. Vintage Polo Ralph Lauren pants in the legendary Andrew and Hammond cut (and dozens of others like it) are available for just $20. Available in a wide variety of sizes and colors. Mainly chinos, linen blends (usually linen and silk, sometimes linen and cotton and silk), and corduroy (for fall). It is easy to care for and has a beautiful straight leg silhouette. What I especially like is that the linen not only flows, but also bounces onto your shoes with every step.
The problem with finding them is that you won’t see the words “Andrew” and “Hammond” in most item names or descriptions (as well as the names of many other cuts). My personal approach is to search for just the material, enter different sizes into the filter, and narrow it down to Polo Ralph Lauren (“Ralph Lauren Blue Label” is also Polo, and sometimes Purple Label or Double RL). (may include). That’s understandable), just sift through. Andrew is more common and has double pleats in the front. Hammond has double reverse pleats. There are many other cuts that are basically equivalent, and some are equivalent, but if you want to get an idea of the shape, look at the photo and the size of the leg opening (9″-10″ is the best spot) , anything less than ~8 inches is probably too slim or tapered, at least for my taste). There are plenty of cuts worth noting, but in general, you’ll want to stay in the vintage space here. If you don’t want to filter by brand, many There are more options, many of them Lauren Ralph Lauren, but I never want to see them.
This is a search for linen pants on eBay. Feel free to modify it for your chinos, choose the size you want, add or remove brands (commonly “Ralph Lauren”, etc., but exclude them as they are mostly Lauren Ralph Lauren) You know how patient you are).
Levi’s
The current Levi’s are fine, but the size is unstable, so we recommend purchasing them directly (shipping fees apply). Of course, you can also actually check the feel of the fabric. This is useful if you are looking for something lighter.
However, certain vintage cuts from Levi’s are special. This numerology guide is helpful, but not all-inclusive. Vintage 501s are special, but they can be difficult to find because their silhouettes have changed throughout history. Similarly, the vintage 517 had a more dramatic flare, which was cool and unique. I have some older 514s (straight fit) that I like, but some of my current pairs look slimmer. You’ll need to train your eye to spot the differences, check measurements carefully (including leg openings), and generally experiment to find the cut you want.
Finally, Levi’s silver tabs are popular right now, in part due to their more relaxed cut, so check them out.
giant fit chinos
As of this writing, J.Crew Giant Fit Chinos are 40% off. Sales like this are relatively rare, but very good. Really great chinos and $60 is a really good price. In my experience, they are better than other J.Crew chinos and have great shape.
dickies loose fit
Before we get into it, I want to note that many of these pants are poly-blends. However, this is a budget guide. Dickies makes very good pants at low prices. enjoy.
Patagonia Baggies
This is a pair. Other brands are also vying for the title, but the 5-inch Patagonia Baggies will hold the title for another year. These are swim shorts, but if you cut out the lining, they can also be just a pair of all-purpose nylon shorts. Although they are best known for their gopcore style, they transcend aesthetics. Get the funky colors and wear them with everything.
Guayavelas by Havana Shirt Company.
I actually found one of these. I love the fit, the linen/rayon blend fabric (soft, drapey, and easy to wash), and the details. So I looked for it on eBay and it was really cheap. keep it up.
bronson aloha shirt
Bronson uses good quality rayon to make good Hawaiian style shirts in fun colors, good collars, good silhouettes, and nice prints at affordable prices. I like me. We are currently low on stock, but we plan to have it back in stock around summer.
Bronson also makes excellent pants, primarily in the Miltharp style with mid-heavy weight cotton, but the pant section was long enough as is.
abercrombie linen
Abercrombie linens are insanely good for the price, especially when they’re on sale. I actually like this better than J.Crew’s Baird McNutt linen.
We also specialize in linen and rayon blend materials and knit shirts.
hat
Hats are an important way to deal with the sun. Your head may also sweat. I guess it’s worth it, but my head burns extremely easily…
Generally, people buy baseball caps of their favorite team or alma mater. They contain a touch of personal meaning and semiotic essence, helping to take your outfit beyond pure aesthetics and into the realm of literal self-expression.
Derek Guy offers a different perspective. kitschy hat. He shares some useful inspiration, but for those smart enough to avoid Twitter: random branded baseball caps, boldly printed trucker caps, and other random stuff. Anything that strikes a chord.
I also like a good bucket hat because it covers more of the head, but I’m picky about a good bucket hat, so if you’re on a budget, good luck.
tote bag
It’s a dime a dozen, but like hats, you need to find something kitschy or something meaningful to you. Art museums, local cafes, and things I learned from my travels. Perfect for carrying hats, sunglasses, pool or beach gear…especially if you don’t have a jacket with extra pockets.
tie
While you may not care about a tie, there are two simple recommendations. Brooks Brothers Manufacturer and Armani. Please be selective. Life is too short to wear a tie you don’t like.
Layering your outfits will make your outfit look even better. That’s exactly right. But as it gets hotter, it gets harder. How do you do it?
Goodfellow ribbed tank
An easy way to layer up in the summer is to wear it backwards. Instead of wearing something over your shirt, wear something under your shirt. Ribbed tank tops have become a popular tool for these purposes. Wearing the shirt completely open over a ribbed tank looks great and is very easy to wear, even in hot weather. It’s almost the same as wearing a ribbed tank by itself.
Target’s Goodfellow line really checks all the boxes here.
Some people may be skeptical about buying from Target, but they’re 100% cotton, soft, and cut well (I don’t really care about the length, just pick a size that’s not too tight or tight). Please) loose). Sure, there are cooler options, but this is a budget guide and these all hit the right points.
You can open the shirt halfway, open it completely, or even add a third layer on top by doing the options below. Dressing in three layers is also good, and it would be great if you could do that in the summer.
Oh, I think a good necklace would help complete this style. Find what is meaningful to you.
samurai jacket
How light is the lightest jacket currently available? It will be lighter. Improves breathability.
tailoring
P.S.: This J.Crew jacket is $28 at the time of writing. Made from cotton linen with three patch pockets, it has the typical workwear feel of a lapeled chore coat.
The only tip for getting good tailoring for cheap is to save money. Luxeswap and this modified version of the Put This On search (with optional filtering) might be worth it. While you’re thrifting, don’t be too perfectionist about the fit and take your jacket to the tailor. A quality casual sports jacket can be worn open over a variety of casual outfits as if it were a different kind of jacket. I like that approach. If you open up a little more, everything will breathe better. However, if it fits well when closed, it usually looks better when open.
Further modified searches, for example:
- Most cheap results are from Suit Supply, so remove Suit Supply and sort by price.
- Filter size 40, 41, 50. A European size 50 is about the same as a US size 40, so if you’re a size 40, this might be a good fit for you. You can add a filter for jacket length, but not all short/long jackets will be marked correctly, and most regular jackets will not be marked at all.
- Filter the fabric by adding some words. The search bar is almost full for this search, so you can add the fabrics described below, but you’ll need to remove brand names, etc.
- Filter for unlined or butterfly lined jackets. Include a description. This will also search for brand name descriptions, but will exclude many options.
Fabric considerations for summer tailoring:
- Linen is great, but it needs to be lightweight. Heavy linen is perfect for spring or fall. Most eBay sellers won’t tell you the weight of the fabric, but you can generally ask if it’s very light or heavy. The same is true for wool, silk, and linen blend fabrics, which may have fewer wrinkles.
- Seersucker may be better than linen. It’s always well ventilated and it’s not that hard to be frugal with. That negative connotation is unique to blue with white stripes, but plain seersucker is also on the rise, so look for it.
- Many lightweight or high twist wools can be used. Simon Crompton features a bunch of high twists here, but good luck saving them.
- Madras jackets aren’t generally for me, but they are another form of lightweight cotton that I enjoy in the summer. I like madras shirts, but I think they generally look better layered.
espadrilles
You can buy espadrilles cheaply. You can buy it from anywhere. $30 is more than enough. Purchase at your local commissary during the holidays. Espadrilles may only last a few seasons, but that’s the point. They’re not supposed to be fancy English shoes that you can wear for a lifetime, they’re more like rope and canvas.
canvas sneakers
I think Chuck Taylor high-tops are one of the coolest things you can wear on your feet. Vans are good (roots in skater culture), Sperrys are good (more on the ivy side; Paul Newman would have worn this on a boat).
loafers
It’s difficult to recycle shoes online unless you know your specific last size. We recommend seeing it in person. Good loafers can be found cheaply, and honestly, they’re probably just as comfortable as they are (if you want to buy new on a budget, go to Meermin).
If you see a brand you’re not sure about, search /r/goodyearwelt. Skip it if you don’t want to talk about the brand. If they give a shit, the brand is pretty good. If they have good things to say, the shoes were great value at list price and have probably aged beautifully.
Brands that are terrible now made some really cool loafers in the past. Cole Haan, Florsheim, and Johnston & Murphy are all overpriced garbage in 2024, but if you go back far enough, they were selling really good shoes.
Birkenstock Boston and Arizona
Most models start at around $150, which is expensive for a sandal, but believe it or not, this is a long-term choice. The cork footbed conforms to your foot over time. It goes from hard and uncomfortable to incredibly comfortable. It’s still pretty popular these days, so you might actually be able to style it cool.
