The Men's Summer Holiday Essentials To Pack This Year

The definition of the ideal t-shirt has changed a lot over the decades, fluctuating wildly between the skin-tight fits favoured in the 70s and the uber-baggy era of the 90s. Right now, the answer lies somewhere in the middle, with boxy, skate-inspired silhouettes and slightly longer sleeves providing the kind of look that is comfortable to wear on the regular and pairs particularly well with shorts and sneakers. Brands like Carhartt, Nudie Jeans and Afends are hitting that Goldilocks formula of big, but not too big, just right fit.

Few things capture the spirit of the summer quite like button down shirts worn as open as humanly possible, whether it's simply for a little extra coverage after a long day in the sun or layered over a t-shirt or singlet as the temperature starts to fall. The goal here is to keep things light and unstructured. Leave the stiff work shirts at home, and opt for party shirts in light linen and cotton.

Certain types of boardshort have a tendency to lose their style appeal very quickly when dressed up, but there are plenty of resort-inspired swim shorts out there with just the right kind of sartorial flair to rock at just about any casual summer occasion. Generally, shorts on the shorter side tend to work best here, particularly when paired with a looser shirt, and starting with a more neutral colour is a pretty safe bet. For reference, check out brands like Jac + Jack and Polo Ralph Lauren.

While the girls have had the concept of boujee sandals and beach-to-bar footwear down for decades, Aussie men in particular are still far too attached to their rubber thongs and, more recently, pool slides. Sure, they're fine if you're just dashing down to the beach and back, but if you're hitting the bar after a day of leisure, you want something a little more fashion forward. Leather sandals like the Birkenstock Arizona are a great step into this world, as are AERE's leather slides and mules like the Birkenstock Boston. If the dogs aren’t quite ready for open toe season, white sneakers are a good summer shoe alternative. A fresh pair of Converse canvas lace-ups are our pick for every day, but if you want something a little more schmick for the holidays, look to smooth leather styles by Veja and Polo Ralph Lauren.