THE JOURNAL
Al fresco dining. An all-day festival in the sunshine. A dip in the lido. Picnicking in the park. Summertime in the city can be a blast. But even with the best of intentions, summer here can be a test. Cities are places where heatwaves, microclimates and taking the subway can make you question your life choices. And contribute to some questionable style decisions, too.
To assist, you need on-the-ground experts. Authorities in style made for city living. And that’s where a brand like rag & bone comes into its own – a New York label which has made its business to be smart about dressing for city life, all year round.
“Modern style with a metropolitan state of mind”
Since its inception in 2001, rag & bone has found inspiration in the global metropolis, playing around with contrasts from British tailoring and American workwear, or pairing uptown with downtown style.
The results are smart, contemporary pieces – casual polo shirts, classic denim, a statement shirt and impeccably crafted linen – modern style with a metropolitan state of mind. So whether you’re up or downtown, or out of town completely, its new collection is the perfect fit for whatever occasion this summer throws at you.
01. Mix it up with colour
If the colder months sees you keep things muted, summer is the perfect time to introduce a celebratory touch of colour to proceedings.
This lilac Avery shirt is an ideal way to do it – a pop of colour without being too loud about it (relaxed, you might say). And if staying chilled is the name of the game, the boxy fit, relaxed camp collar and that all-important airy linen will help you stay cool, in every sense of the word. For a box fresh feel, we suggest pairing with a rag & bone classic, the tech jersey tee – whose loose profile provides that comfort fit – and baggy denim jeans in a light wash.
02. Play around with texture
Sadly, unless you live in France or have a sizeable trust fund to lean on, you may not be able to take the entire summer off work. That being the case, the delicate question about seasonally appropriate office wear raises its head.
Get yourself in a New York state of mind with rag & bone’s smart-casual options, which are sure to work double time in your rotation. These straight-leg linen shorts, for instance, blur the line between off and on duty nicely. You can stick to the dress code and still make things interesting – pairing them with a knitted polo or open-stitch shirt is a nice way to play with texture and making light work of dressing for the nine to five.
03. Do some tonal work
Whether you’re on call or off books, summer should be a time to dial things down in terms of effort. That’s why on a style front, it pays to think about staples that do the work for you, whatever the season.
Rag & bone’s signature Fit 2 jeans are a classic, a feature of every collection for good reason. This iconic denim is a year-round fit and an easy win in summer days, where strong winds with a chance of rain deters knee bearers.
The light wash means they pair well with just about anything, too. But for this summer, think about switching things up with a tonal shift. This embroidered navy shirt is just the ticket to lift your summer style, even when the forecast isn’t looking bright.