Social media has a lot to answer for. As summer rolls on, an endless parade of perfectly curated vignettes tend to light up Instagram; artfully-arranged shots in Positano (Aperol spritz in hand, naturally), loungers over azure bays in Ibiza and white linens wafting in Patmos. All of which belies the reality of summer proper, especially with temperatures climbing as they have been: all too often the reality is sweat patches and uncomfortable conundrums about how to get your style right as the mercury creeps ever upwards.

British men in particular struggle in this regard: the fellow who spends most of his days in smart suiting around the environs of Sloane Street and Chelsea suddenly finds himself all at sea when a more relaxed mode of dress is required.

So how to address the summer style quandaries that most men face? We’ve got you covered here. And if you’re planning a summer escape, you could do worse than take the lead of Sloane Street stylist Angie DeSouza, who has curated a foolproof capsule wardrobe from the Street. Read it here.

Of course, summer coincides with a glut of formal events; Ascot, Glyndebourne and a host of weddings. They call for a degree of formality, which is the last thing most men want to grapple with in warmer climes. There are little ‘hacks’, however, that can lighten the load
considerably in regards to your suiting. ‘In summer it’s important to appreciate natural fibres; linen, cotton, etc. It’s about maintaining a certain dignity while being at ease,’ says Brunello Cucinelli, whose store on Sloane Street is a temple of cool calm and muted ecru.

Linen has a tendency to crumple, but when blended with other fibres it has a touch more structure. Likewise, there are certain tailoring touches that lend a lighter, more airy feel; ‘half canvas’ refers to a jacket without the internal back panel, making it lighter and breathable, and you can find the best ones at Hackett, which has long outfitted the British man for the summer season.

Linen is the obvious choice in warmer climes, but the other winner in the summer fabrics department is seersucker; its puckered surface means it is aerated and also has a certain stiffness that lends structure when required, and it is usually made of cooling cotton. It’s often associated with the bygone era of Deep South riverboats and 1950s barbershop quartets, so take a more contemporary approach and steer away from the traditional candy cane stripes in favour of solid colour.

If smartness is called for, then consider the varieties of shirts available: linen, yes, but collarless styles make a sound choice too; a grandad collar is a clean, unfettered interpretation. No one does them better than Giorgio Armani, who was one of the first to introduce a more sanguine form of suiting back in the 1980s and still sticks to that formula with soft structure and easy-to-wear pieces. His Japanese-inspired clothes, in particular, are coolly minimalist and entirely welcome in sweltering climes.

Where and when are shorts appropriate? It’s a debate that rears its ugly head every summer. Let’s start with the office: is it good practice to get the pins out in front of work colleagues? That all depends on context; if you work in a creative agency, perhaps so. If you’re the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, of course not. Other places that you might want to don shorts include barbeques with friends and family, picnics in Hyde Park, and daytime holiday adventures.

The great raconteur and excellent dresser Jeremy Hackett was once refused entry to a smart cigar bar in Knightsbridge in the sweltering heat because he was wearing shorts, so if you’re at all in two minds then it’s best to steer away from shorts in the City. Likewise, for dinner and the aperitivo hour abroad, it’s polite to show a modicum of uprightness and try linen trousers or pair of chinos, like Tom Ford’s ‘Military’ ones. Plus, you’re less likely to erupt in mosquito bites.

And if you’re in the market for some swim shorts, we’ve got a great line-up here.

Socks with sandals? Toes out or tucked away? Summer footwear for men is another thorny issue. A well-heeled friend (who religiously breakfasts at Colbert) insists that toes are to be seen at the pool or the beach and never outside those situations. It’s a wise tack to take if in doubt and does away with any uncertainty. Socks with sandals are definitely part of the fashion lexicon, as seen on the catwalks of Prada and Loewe, but it’s a tricky path to tread unless you’re a cool Gen Zedder.

Driving shoes or espadrilles offer a more harmonious sweet spot for summer footwear – they’re cool enough for your feet but smart enough to hold their own with a summer suit or chinos. The grandmaster of the driving shoe is Tod’s iconic Gomminos, handcrafted in Italy’s hub of shoemaking, Marche, and visible to those in the know from 50 paces. Meanwhile, Hermès has applied its assured luxury hand to espadrilles, taking sumptuous suedes and leathers to the humble Catalan shoe. And the secret weapon? Invisible socks. These little feet coverings are favoured by stylish Europeans because they are discreet and provide a welcome layer between your sweaty foot and the shoe. Find yours at Peter Jones.

Stephen Doig is the men’s style editor and assistant luxury editor for The Telegraph and is based in London. He has contributed to Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Mr Porter and the Financial Times.