The best style off the runways during the men’s fashion shows.

Milan is one of the world’s great style capitals, and twice a year the combined forces of the fashion industry’s buyers, models, stylists, bloggers, photographers and journalists descend to watch the shows. However, it’s been unclear for some years whether the main attractions are the designers’ new collections, or the competitive displays of style exhibited on the street. Here at MR PORTER, our excitement about the collections will have to wait (only six months to go until they hit the site), so today our focus is on what the attendees were wearing. Bearing in the mind that it was 34ºC in Milan last week, you can also treat this as a guide to dressing for a city break – without a pair of shorts or a T-shirt in sight.

When in Rome… may be a popular aphorism, but in this photograph the gentleman seems to be doing as the Milanese do by opting for a two-piece double-breasted suit made from Solaro, a herringbone fabric that’s made from cotton or wool (but never cotton-wool) and is dubiously alleged to possess heat-reflecting qualities. Worn over an open-collar shirt, the look is cool rather than corporate, even if the wearer is probably rather hot inside that jacket. After years of ever-increasing levels of sartorial embellishment, the tailored stars of the street-style blogs are embracing a welcome simplicity.

This fellow seems to have a firm grip on what smart-casual might mean in searing summer heat. While the mood is definitely relaxed (the azure espadrilles make sure of that) the rest of the outfit is respectable enough for a day’s business. The slim white chinos are perfect under the high summer sun, and the striped shirt combines a certain formality with the fashionably relaxed look of the grandad collar. Perhaps the only missing ingredient here is a straw hat.

Sometimes the best answer to extremes of climate is to ignore them. We imagine that this chap might be suffering a bit of discomfort, but respect is undoubtedly due to any man who considers Milan’s summer heat and says to himself, “Yep, I’ll go with the heavy dark-blue outfit.” He hasn’t even undone his coat for pity’s sake. From this shot it’s annoyingly hard to tell if this is a two-piece suit or just a particularly well-coordinated combination of jacket and trousers, but either way it’s a striking utilitarian look, and it’s only the heavy metallic shoes that point to the wearer’s style credentials.

Hawaiian-style shirts are simultaneously the most comfortable and the most eye-catching kind of shirts a man can wear. By donning one this fellow has decided that he need make no concession to Italian norms of dressing, but can instead prioritise an expression of sartorial exuberance. The bold colours work best in strong sunlight and are here worn with a loose-fitting pair of stone-coloured chinos, which picks up the tone of the tree trunks on the shirt.

The safari suit has hardly been seen in public since 1974 when Sir Roger Moore’s James Bond wore one in The Man With The Golden Gun (which was in turn influenced by the designs of Mr Yves Saint Laurent). Unlike Bond’s, this one is cut close to the body (wouldn’t it wear cooler if the cut was a bit looser?) and features a belt. Both belted jackets and plain pale colours are much in evidence in the recent street-style shots, and this gentleman is exhibiting exactly the right kind of restraint by keeping the rest of his outfit simple.

The people featured in this story are not associated with and do not endorse MR PORTER or the products shown

Keep up to date with The Daily by signing up to our weekly email roundup. Click here to update your email preferences