Despite their simplicity, jean shorts (or “jorts”, if you must) have the power to inspire sartorial fear in many men. Perhaps they are just too casual – and, in truth, they are. But they are still worth a look this summer, especially if they’re on the larger side.

“I am a big advocate for denim shorts,” says the Esquire UK style director Zak Maoui, who espouses their versatility. “I think denim Bermudas [a fuller cut that finishes at the knee, from brands such as OrSlow, AMI PARIS and Carhartt WIP] are great for the city.” Maoui says he usually wears his with long socks and sneakers or classic penny loafers.

Alternatively, you can go short on the jorts, but they might be best reserved for your holidays. “Ultra-short denim cut-offs belong in the piping-hot sun with a tank top,” Maoui says. And they should be taken at “face value”, he says, suggesting that the jorts’ informality is their strength. “Don’t pair them with a blazer, because they’re one of the more casual items out there and will just look daft.”

For the same reason white suits are hard to countenance, white denim can be a daunting proposition. Just one ill-handled glass of red wine and they’re ruined. But the risk is worth the reward, because white denim is able to evoke a sense of Riviera chic that blue denim can only dream of.

“White jeans come with a devil-may-care attitude, which I imagine puts some men off,” says the model, actor and white-denim advocate André Larnyoh. “Like you’re a wealthy European who’s meant to be sipping Aperol in the south of France. But… it’s summer, so why shouldn’t you dress for where you aspire to be?”

Larnyoh appreciates the adaptability of white denim, which can be dressed up or down. For easy style, he suggests “untucked poplin or Oxford shirts, slouchy cotton knits and a lightweight raincoat or blouson,” he says. “The beautiful thing about white denim is that it’s so neutral that it goes with absolutely any colour. I’d even be tempted to try a faded denim western-style shirt.”

If you want to smarten white denim up, go right ahead – but keep the tailoring soft and slouchy. “A slubby linen double-breasted jacket worn open over a tee or Henley would work a dream,” Lanyoh says.

A summer-style mainstay, the humble denim jacket is a workhorse in the face of iffy weather conditions and surprisingly chilly evenings. This year, the best are by the likes of KAPITAL and Monitaly, which stick to the short-body, neat-fitting shape established when the original truckers emerged a century or so ago. They are simple garments, but the shape can be hard to crack for some guys.

“The key to a good fit is making sure the denim jacket fits neatly across the shoulders in the same way a tailored jacket would,” says the stylist Gareth Scourfield. “And it should always sit just on the waistband. Not overly cropped or too long.” For inspiration on nailing the classic denim jacket, he points to the one worn by Brad Pitt in 2019’s Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood, which is, “proportionally perfect”.

Conversely, there is a trend for oversized shapes right now – and many guys are even pairing big DJs with matching, indigo denim jorts. However, Scourfield suggests caution. “Longer lengths on the sleeves and body might work for the current mood in tailoring,” he says, but “it doesn’t translate well in the heavier and often stiffer denim cotton fabrics”. For the ultimate classic, “look for a mid-wash blue denim for a more lived-in ‘vintage’ feel – or go with a super-dark plain indigo,” he adds.