Summer Outfits For People Who Prefer Fall

Or, summer tailoring!

While I love the freedom and the lollygagging of summer, if I’m being honest, I don’t love getting dressed during this season. I’ve been burned…literally and figuratively… by overcomplicated looks growing up in Austin, trying to express my inner punk (knee-high combat boots, thrifted plaid men’s golfer pants, a pleather trench…) in 102 degree heat as an eighth grader. In a fashiony getup in New York, waiting for the subway to arrive in August, the tickle of a bead of sweat running from the crease where my butt meets my leg down the back of my knee…

No, it is not a great time for getting dressed, especially if you’re one who likes structure, tidyness, precision - like I more or less do. I like my looks crisp, thank you! So then, what do we do in the summer? It helps to have an arsenal of tailored looking pieces in summerweight fabrics - or a range of chinos that are comfortable for the heat, but are fitted and structured to support breezier tops. Generally speaking, I look to Polo Ralph…