Five ways British men can look more stylish this summer

'I placed myself in the hands of The Telegraph's fashion experts and set off to freshen up my summer wardrobe', says Nick Harding - Andrew Crowley

I met my wife in 2011. That summer we went to Spain. I bought a navy blue, short-sleeved smart/casual shirt for the trip at Debenhams. The retailer died in 2021 but the shirt survives, snugger now. It is my swallow. When it comes out, I know summer has started.

I have shorts and T-shirts that are also “legacy” items. My eight-year-old North Face flip-flops have travelled the world with me. They hold a special place in my heart. If the house were burning down and it was a choice between saving the flip-flops or the cat, it would be a tough decision.

In short, my summer look is like a pebble on a beach, it changes imperceptibly over long periods of time. Trips to refresh my summer wardrobe bring me out in hives.

I am not alone. British middle-aged men are seemingly unable to marry style with summer. We stand out a mile on the beaches of the Canaries, the French Riviera and the Amalfi Coast, advertising our nationality with ill-fitting board shorts, vests and garish Bermuda shirts. Our children don’t bury us in the sand because it’s fun; they bury us because they are ashamed.

My summer look barely changes, says Harding - Andrew Crowley

For many of my middle-aged male peers, this reluctance to adapt to new styles is doubly entrenched this year, because quite frankly today’s fashion baffles us. We struggle with the current aesthetic, which I like to call “internment camp chic”, with its baggy, formless, utilitarian garments made of hessian and sackcloth, in drab, washed-out colour palettes. To our eyes, which are still focused on the slim silhouettes of the Noughties, Zara looks like the Tenko wardrobe department.

Recently my children (22 and 17) coaxed me into Urban Outfitters. I had to ask them where the new clothes were. I genuinely thought it was a second-hand store, or vintage as the youngsters call it. Clearly, I am a man in need of help.

According to the personal stylist Nick Hems, one common mistake middle-aged men make in choosing a summer wardrobe is trying to follow the youngsters.

“Men can get it wrong because they try to be too fashion-led, rather than being style-led. The starting point should be finding classic items that make you feel good, rather than looking for the clothes that the teenagers and 20-somethings are wearing,” he says, much to my relief.

My problem is fear of the new. My trademark look is slim-fit jeans and a snug fitting Marks and Spencer Autograph T-shirt, with white Veja trainers. In the summer I get adventurous and swap these for chinos and a colourful polo shirt. These are my safety blankets.

Nick encourages a degree of open-mindedness and experimentation.

“It might feel like you are faced with less selection when new trends arrive – because if you don’t like them there is less choice for you, as they fill the shops. However, over time your eyes adjust to new styles and you get used to them and start wearing them,” he says.

With this advice ringing in my ears, I placed myself in the hands of The Telegraph’s fashion experts and set off to freshen up my summer wardrobe by embracing some of the key looks of the season.

Look 1

Cotton knit polo, £315, Sunspel

Cotton knit polo, £315, Sunspel; Linen trousers, £59.99, Mango; Leather sandals, £95, Birkenstock; Acetate sunglasses, £125, Ace & Tate

“What is that weird feeling around my legs?” I ask, puzzled.

“It’s air,” replies The Telegraph’s style director, Tona Stell.

While it’s not an unpleasant feeling, it takes a while to adjust. The trousers are so much bigger and wider than I would normally wear and if I’m honest, at first, I am not sure. Do they look like the paper suits CSI investigators wear, I asked.

Linen is easy to wear but hard to pull off. Particularly for men who favour a smarter look. There’s a simple fashion equation. Too much linen + too much movement = Gérard Depardieu (ie scruffy, unkept, slovenly). But it doesn’t have to be this way, as Hems explains.

“A lot of men discount linen because it creases. But a good linen blend will keep its shape while still offering comfort and breathability, so you can wear it all day without looking like you’ve been dragged through a bush.”

A closer-fitting polo shirt balances out the loose casual linen, however. And for a flip-flop fan, the Birkenstock sandals were a revelation. They look better on than they do off and are comfortable, with the bonus of providing enough cover behind to hide an unsightly bunion.

Look 2 

Heavyweight cotton T-shirt, £14.90, and extra-fine merino jumper, £34.90, Uniqlo

Heavyweight cotton T-shirt, £14.90, and extra-fine merino jumper, £34.90, Uniqlo; Seersucker shorts, £85, Wax London; Acetate sunglasses, £99, Bloobloom; Leather trainers, £195, Russell & Bromley

My short game comes in three vibes: practical cargo, regular fit chino and slim tailored. All cotton and all bases covered (I gave up on denim shorts several years ago, largely to maintain dignity). Shorts last me years because they never go out of fashion. Do they?

Apparently, they do, so when I slipped into these seersucker ones, it felt like stepping into the future. Not a material I’ve ever worn and after being reassured that it was cotton, not polyester so wouldn’t melt onto my thighs if I got too close to the barbecue, I found the material light and comfortable.

Shorts can be a minefield. For middle-aged men, Hems advises a just-above-the-knee length “that doesn’t cut your knee in half”.

“The key thing is the fit. If you have slimmer legs, shorts that flare out at the bottom will make your legs look skinny. Likewise, if you are shorter, longer shorts will accentuate this and if you are taller, shorter shorts will amplify your height.

The fine merino wool jumper worked well with the outfit.

“Materials such as bamboo, fine merino wool and linen work well for men in the summer because they’re breathable and absorb moisture,” adds Hems. “Fine merino wool also has the benefit of being anti-microbial. It regulates your body temperature and doesn’t pick up smells.”

With any short there is the problem of footwear, and specifically socks. Younger men can pull off the trainers and white sock look, but can middle-aged men?

“Let’s just ditch the socks,” laughs Hems, “or at least find the right ones, like short trainer socks. For older men, the white sock and trainer look can be a complete and utter fashion fail. A nice clean pair of white socks and white trainers can look good, but it’s a young look.”

Look 3 

Linen shirt, £119, Percival

Linen shirt, £119, Percival; Linen trousers, £40, Marks & Spencer; Suede loafers, £295, Grenson

Colour can elevate a look and can also flatter a tired, middle-aged complexion as effectively as Boots No.7 anti-ageing serum. In order to find out what colours best suit your skin tone, experiment.

“Be brave,” recommends Stell. “Don’t fall into the trap of wearing the same thing and the same colour you’ve worn for the last five years. Ask people what they think.”

As this look shows, you can pair a more formal trouser with a smart casual shirt and still look stylish, particularly when finished off with a pair of slip-on loafers.

And if you don’t like short-sleeved shirts, a well-rolled sleeve can work just as well. Practice the art of the “master” or “Italian” roll, rather than scrunching your sleeves up.

Look 4 

Linen overshirt, £170, and cotton trousers, £130, A Day's March

Linen overshirt, £170, and cotton trousers, £130, A Day’s March; Supima cotton T-shirt, £90, Sunspel; Suede trainers, £195, Russell & Bromley

It takes a brave older man to wear beige trousers to social functions, as evidenced by the amount of middle-aged male chino wearers found in the summer standing in front of the hand dryer in the gents, hips thrust under the airflow, explaining that the splashes happened when they washed their hands. Honestly, they did.

For this reason, a shirt-jacket, or shacket, that hangs below the waistline seems like a good addition to any wardrobe, especially for men who may sometimes need the safety net of a Tena pad.

This jacket, while slouchy over the shoulders, worked well with the striped M&S T-shirt.

Acetate sunglasses, £125, Ace & Tate - Andrew Crowley

For those who don’t feel confident putting outfits together, Telegraph junior fashion and beauty editor, Sophie Tobin, recommends online retailers such as A Day’s March, which pairs items together for you.

And to get sizing right, always check the measurements of the model used in the online photos to get an idea of how the garment will sit on your frame.

Look 5

Canvas overshirt, £115, Bound

Canvas overshirt, £115, Bound; Heavyweight cotton T-shirt, £14.90, Uniqlo; Linen trousers, £109, Percival; Suede shoes, £119, Massimo Dutti

“Don’t pop the collar,” Tobin warns when I slip on a military green jacket and start to button it up. She’s right, with the collar up and the metal buttons fastened, it gives off strong dictator vibes. Unbuttoned and relaxed it is more WW2 GI. Lindy Hop as opposed to Long March. A plain white T-shirt is all that’s needed underneath.

Nick Harding in one of his new looks

The drawstring trousers are another new experience. Over the past year, I’ve seen this relaxed style in several stores and resisted the urge to try them, in the same way I’ve resisted the urge to wear jogging bottoms. My reasoning is thus. I work from home, and I come from a generation which had a clear delineation between home and work environments, marked out by dress codes. Work was formal, home was comfies, therefore when you feel comfortable, you should not be working and vice versa. Adding a drawstring, and often an elasticated waistband, to more formal garments confuses the issue.

While perfect for summer, I fear the temptation to relax when wearing them while working may prove irresistible, and from there it’s a slippery slope to the sofa, This Morning and reduced productivity.

The men who get it right

Daniel Craig

The Bond actor sticks to a neutral palette in his tailoring, which translates for summer into ice-whites and light blue tones on crisp trousers and shirts. Nothing particularly ground-breaking, but sharp as a tack as the mercury rises.

Daniel Craig

Idris Elba

Evidence that a good, well-fitting white T-shirt will always work in your favour for summer, the 51-year old actor sticks to a youthful format of T-shirts and loose-fit shirts with baggy shorts and statement trainers.

Idris Elba

Stanley Tucci

Sgr Tucci has an Italianate flair to his wardrobe that parlays into summer by way of imm-aculate blazers in lighter hues, sticking to his familiar lean silhouette and smart shoes. Proof that summer doesn’t have to mean slouchy.

Stanley Tucci

David Beckham

Beckham’s style has refined in recent years to focus on pin-sharp tailoring over fashion theatrics, and summer calls for pristine shirting with soft-fit blazers and his perennial warm weather favourite, the Loro Piana Open Walk loafers.

David Beckham

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