THE JOURNAL
From left: Jamie Foxx at Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, 1 June 2019. Photograph by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images. Thiago Alcântar at the Alfred Dunhill Padel Classic at The Hurlingham Club, London, 15 May 2025. Photograph by Luke Walker/Getty Images for Laureus. Mark Wahlberg at Monterey Peninsula Country Club, California, 9 February 2017. Photograph by Jeff Gross/Getty Images
Summer really is sport’s golden season. Longer days mean earlier runs, later tee times and the wholly unrealistic belief that you might finally master crow pose. But to really get the most out of your seasonal sweat, your kit needs to work harder than ever – it should keep you cool, dry, supported and looking nothing like the kid at school who forgot his PE kit. This, our friend, is sportswear for the discerning man who knows his threshold pace and the power of a well-cut polo.
Sportswear today lives at the intersection of utility and aesthetics – one foot in the gym, the other in the mirror. The best summer gear works as hard as you do, keeps you looking razor-sharp and quietly suggests that yes, you do know what you’re doing out there.
Because whether you’re lunging for a volley, sprinting a personal best, or just committing to a daily downward dog, there’s a certain power in dressing the part – and doing it well, too.
Bryan Ferry at home in London, 16 July 1976. Photograph by Michael Putland/Getty
Thiago Alcântar at the Alfred Dunhill Padel Classic at The Hurlingham Club, London, 15 May 2025. Photograph by Luke Walker/Getty Images for Laureus
01. Padel and tennis
There’s a particular kind of theatre to racquet sports – the sharp stop-start movement, the full-body rotation, the self-congratulatory fist-pump after a perfect volley. Whether you’re smashing serves on a clay court in Marbella or battling your neighbour over padel bragging rights, your outfit should let you move like Federer and feel like you belong in the members’ lounge after.
This summer’s best tennis and padel gear is built around ultra-light fabrics that wick sweat and dry in record time, so you’re not carrying around a shirt’s worth of perspiration by the second set. Stretch is non-negotiable – your serve shouldn’t be limited by your seams.
And while classic whites will always have their place (check out this classic piqué T-shirt from Mr P.), there’s something quietly luxurious about a deep navy or forest green with piped detailing. It’s athleticism with a whisper of aristocracy – especially if it’s Brunello Cucinelli.
02. In the gym
Gymwear has transcended its environment. Yes, it should support your performance during weighted chin-ups and rower sprints. But today, it also needs to hold up when you’re stretching on a mat beside someone filming content. Or grabbing lunch without looking like you’re in a Rocky Balboa montage. Enter a new breed of kit that’s slick, sculpted and quietly engineered to make you look like you lift more than you talk about lifting.
This season’s best pieces come in cool monochromes and slate greys with subtle tonal branding – think stealth mode, but shredded. Ventilated panels are strategically placed to release heat and avoid ahem awkward dark patches, while the best shorts offer just the right amount of structure to look smart without restricting movement. Fabrics are light, dry fast, and – crucially – won’t leave you smelling like last week’s spin class after a single set.
Jamie Foxx at Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, 1 June 2019. Photograph by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images
03. Running
The runners emerge with the spring and multiply in the summer – a Lycra-clad migration of men chasing both endorphins and pace goals. And while running may be the most democratic of sports (lace up, step outside), it’s also the one where good gear pays dividends fast. Less sweat, less friction, fewer mid-run regrets.
Look for featherlight tops with micro-mesh ventilation, such as this MothTech tee from Parisian label Satisfy, that let air flow without flapping like a flag in the wind.
Shorts, meanwhile, should be trim, but not tight. If there’s one rule, it’s that nobody wants to see a liner straining under pressure. Compression elements are no longer just for the elite – they help with muscle recovery, alignment and, let’s be honest, showing off your quad progress, so why not try these Straight-Leg Layered Logo-Print Shorts by DISTRICT VISION? And, well, if your outfit happens to feature a highlighter-bright hue or a print that could outpace traffic, well, why not be a blur in both form and fashion?
04. Yoga
The first rule of yoga wear: it must never distract. That waistband you have to readjust between sun salutations? That seam that somehow always finds the wrong place to press? Out. The good stuff stays put, breathes easy and moves like a second skin allowing you to breeze through a vigorous Vinyasa class.
This season’s best yoga kit leans into quiet confidence. Take this Balancer LENZING tank top from lululemon. It’s made from a soft, naturally breathable modal-blend that’s treated with a plant seed-based finish to help wick sweat. Four-way stretch and anatomical panels support the kind of flexibility you tell yourself you’re working on (and maybe are).
And for the Bikram devotees, antimicrobial fabrics are your unspoken best friend, like these Balancer Everlux trousers, also from lululemon. You’ll thank them when you don’t have to apologise to your mat.
Mark Wahlberg at Monterey Peninsula Country Club, California, 9 February 2017. Photograph by Jeff Gross/Getty Images
05. Golf
Golf is one of the few sports where you could feasibly win a round and an impromptu style award in the same afternoon. It’s a game of control, yes, but also presentation — your swing, your stance, your shirt collar. And the modern fairway uniform reflects that balance beautifully. Take this sleek waffle-knit cotton golf polo shirt from Mr P., for instance. The latest technical polos manage a rare feat: they stretch, breathe, and wick moisture without looking like activewear. Pair them with tailored golf trousers (like these from Peter Millar), ideally in a performance cotton blend that moves with you on the backswing and still holds a crease worthy of a club lunch.
Colours remain muted and elegant – soft sand, navy, cool olive – but with enough pattern play in the details to keep things interesting. And let’s be clear: no matter how casual the clubhouse, socks should never feature cartoon flamingos. Let your game speak, not your ankles.
The people featured in this story are not associated with and do not endorse MR PORTER or the products shown