How to
Dress for a Summer Date

How to Dress
for a Summer Date

What to wear on a summer date for guys

Going on a date—especially a first date—can initiate some nervous sweating when it's not 90 degrees outside. But when the heat and humidity all but promise you'll be sweating mere minutes after walking out the door, you need to dress accordingly. That being said, you probably don't want to show up wearing shorts. You want to look sharp, but relaxed. Cool and confident. Whether you're meeting up after work for a quick drink, planning a lazy Saturday stroll around the city or meeting up for a romantic dinner, there's something inherently casual about dating during the summer. You don't have to take things so seriously. But you still want to show up looking like the best version of yourself. Here are three failsafe options for looking good (and feeling good) despite the summer temps.

Option 1

Post Work

Going out after hours? This is when you want to employ a sleek, dark palette. But you can still keep things lightweight and breezy with jeans and a camp collar shirt.

After work date men's outfit option

Woodblock print shirt, $175 by Saturdays NYC; Meridian watch, $420 by Larsson & Jennings; Chelsea boots, $180 / $129 by Astorflex; Double dye black jeans, $135 by Buck Mason

Option 2

Day Date

An easy outfit for a daytime outing (be it a ballgame, brunch or some other outdoor activity that involves day drinking). The key here is lightweight layers and comfortable shoes.

Daytime date men's outfit option

Breton tee, $55 by Armor-Lux; Trucker jacket, $98 by Levi's; Canvas sneakers, $89 by Novesta; Stretch cotton chinos, $160 by NN07

Option 3

Dinner and Drinks

Doing the dinner and drink thing? You'll likely be eating al fresco ... which means you want a nice shirt but keep it relaxed by rolling the sleeves. Pair it with some simple pants and some slip-on shoes.

Dinner and drinks date men's outfit option

Rugged belt, $175 by Rag & Bone; Washed Ventura shirt, $148 by Faherty; Suede ox moc, $300 by Yuketen; Garment-dyed stretch chinos, $68 by J.Crew

Want a boost of confidence?

Wear a pair of boots on your first date. They give you a little extra height and tend to help you stand up a little more straighter.