THE JOURNAL
The warm, balmy weather we’ve been longing for is finally upon us. But there’s a very delicate balance between a pleasant, breezy summer day and merciless scorching heat. Depending on where in the world you find yourself, the latter may be a frequent occurrence, so being prepared in sartorial terms – read: have light, breathable staples you can turn to – goes a long way.
This is where the king of summer fabrics – linen, of course – comes in. It’s light, breathable, quick-drying and temperature-regulating, all qualities we’d recommend looking for when dressing in the heat. Mr P.’s new summer collection offers up plenty of choice in that department.
On the more formal end of the spectrum, there’s an expanded range of double- and single-breasted linen suits in a warm, neutral colour palette of beige, pink, green and navy; while more relaxed staples, such as shirts, overshirts, trousers and shorts are made using garment-dyed linen that has an instantly soft handle. We could go on and on about why linen is a no-brainer in summer, but we’ll let the below pieces do all the talking.
01. The linen suit
We get it. Wearing a suit in summer may just be one of the most daunting sartorial prospects. But if you consider a linen set, it can easily go from something that’d never see the light of day come summertime, to one of your most frequently worn wardrobe workhorses. Mr P.’s summer collection has something for every occasion, whether it’s a pink, double-breasted suit – perfect for weddings and garden parties – or something a little more laid-back, such as this single-breasted suit that comes in a variety of neutral shades.
02. The lightweight jacket
No matter how warm it is, you’ll be grateful to have a lightweight jacket to hand when the evening chill descends. Plus, hear us out – a lightweight jacket is one of those trans-seasonal staples that you’ll still get away with wearing well into autumn, so it’s always a good time to invest in one, particularly if it’s as well-made as Mr P.’s light-blue overshirt. Don’t hesitate to pick up something that’s made from a blend of linen and slightly more insulating fibres, such as cotton – you’ll thank us once that summer breeze hits.
03. The linen shirt
Mr P.’s pastel linen shirts are just the thing for summer. They’re part of MR PORTER’s Consciously Crafted edit, thanks to their organic linen construction. The dyed flax fibres are then woven with white filling yarn to create and lustrous, chambray finish. The result is a lightweight and breathable staple that you’ll turn to on formal and smart occasions alike. It’ll look just as good with tailored trousers as it does with shorts and espadrilles.
04. The linen shorts
We’ve been interrogating ourselves if a grown man can ever wear shorts for a while now – and provided some very stylish ways to do so here. But if the shorts in question are Mr P.’s summery linen Bermudas, the answer is a firm yes. The design team has purposely created them in a neutral Dove colourway and timeless, adjustable silhouette, to allow you to wear them with all the polo shirts from the same collection.