Summer is well and truly here. And just like every summer before, it is all laid out in front of you like a sun-dappled carpet. The beers we’ll have, the laughs we’ll share… But as the days warm up, your calendar starts to fill. Suddenly, almost inexplicably, the schedule is looking a little busy. Wedding invites still come in thick and fast, but so too do birthdays, summer parties, grand openings, pub afternoons and sporting set pieces. Any of us hoping for a little downtime under the sun might find ourselves disappointed. However, a hectic summer schedule is no bad thing – you just need to get your wardrobe right. With that in mind, we’ve endeavoured to offer outfit assistance to five key summer parties. All you need to do is turn up on time (for which we recommend a great timepiece).

It’s one of those wedding-adjacent events that is hard to dress for. It’s your best mate’s 40th and he wants to go big in Ibiza. There will be dancing, there will be speeches, there will be a fancy dinner, but a suit is too much – and definitely too hot. You need flowing fabrics and lightweight layers that billow in the Balearic breeze. You need linen trousers, ideally with an elastic waistband. They should be wide enough to allow a little airflow to your legs and long enough to just kiss a pair of great leather slides. A neutral, oatmeal colour is good, too. Give the look some oomph with an equally breezy statement shirt, such as those by Portuguese Flannel. And elevate everything with a subtle but gloriously steezy necklace.

The British summer’s sporting calendar is one to be envied. Plus, beyond the drama, it offers us punters the chance to get dressed up. From the races to the tennis, you need to look the part. First, in true classic sporting style, a blazer – preferably navy blue, with brass buttons. CELINE HOMME has a double-breasted style that’s perfect, and Polo Ralph Lauren has a fantastic single-breasted option. Then you need to find contrasting trousers. Grey flannel would be the cold-weather go-to, but it’s too hot for that, so find a lightweight alternative in linen, ideally, or opt for a pair of chinos. Canali has a great pair in an off-white shade, and they’re not too slim-fitting on the legs. Then add a dress shirt that can handle the heat – try Sunspel or TOM FORD – and finish the look with a club tie, a woven belt and the perfect suede penny loafers. Panama hat optional.

You know the deal: trays of champagne at the door, canapés wafting through the crowd, the occasional off-duty celeb, and everyone on their coolest behaviour. You want a look that says you belong in the art crowd, but aren’t governed by it. What you need is a soft, easy-wearing drill-cotton suit. Mr P. has one in three colours and, curiously, black might be the best option for such a summer party. Black never goes out of fashion in the art crowd and it allows you to be very smart and very casual at the same time. Pair it with a vintage-looking tee, a printed neckerchief, espadrilles and dark sunglasses. Failing that, go full Hockney with an ensemble of bold colour and geometric print. The look you're going for is irreverent, not childish.

Famously tricky to dress for, the office summer party represents a sartorial tightrope, but one that can certainly be navigated with a little consideration. First off: no ties (unless requested) and stiff collared shirts should probably be avoided, too. A blazer you could do, but it would need to be very informal. Best off opting for a low-key open-neck, camp-collar shirt over a vest or tank top. Something by Orlebar Brown or NN07 would be ideal – interesting and easy-going, but not outlandish. Pair it with lightweight tailored trousers – something in a sandy neutral shade would be good – and easy wearing loafers or one of the many considered boat shoes on the market this summer. Finish the look with a sleek leather backpack (you’ll need to lug your laptop home, after all) and a great watch – when the boss is on the invite list, it’s best not to arrive fashionably late. Maybe a hardy diver by Bremont or the new Club Sport by NOMOS Glashütte.

A weekend in the country (estate) offers the rare opportunity to go full preppy, so take inspiration from the likes of Saltburn, Brideshead Revisited and all those 1990s Polo Ralph Lauren campaigns. First, reach for a rugby shirt or striped polo. Drake’s is a fantastic source of the former (as is Polo Ralph Lauren, of course) and Gucci has a fine line of the latter. And then hunt out a pair of roomy Bermuda shorts, preferably pleated, such as those by Boglioli or Mr P. For full collegiate elan, find the most battered, well-worn tennis shoes you can – or invest in a pair of Golden Goose’s pre-distressed sneakers – and wear them with white tube socks, preferably with a stripe or natty logo of some kind, bunched at the ankle. Gucci has a great selection, as does Mr P. You want to look like you’re just back from a very good university and ready for tennis, followed by dinner and drinks overlooking the hedge maze. Bring a bottle of good natural wine for when the bordeaux runs out.