If there was a competition for the best beach-to-bar shirt, we’d happily award CELINE HOMME’s shirt the top prize. Sure, the airy fabric and palm tree print tick the right boxes – but it’s the convertible collar that’s really won us over. It can be worn open as a camp collar during the day and smartly buttoned up at night.

There’s a fairly straightforward reason we can’t stop singing linen’s praises: we’re not wrong. Linen has god-tier status when it comes to relaxed, summer dressing. Loro Piana’s shirt uses slub yarns – slightly imperfectly spun threads – which only adds to the effect, while the neat piping around the collar and placket smartens things up.

Remember when it used to be insulting when someone said your get-up resembled a pair of curtains? How nice that those days are behind us? At the very least, we’re having a lot more fun now. No stranger to fun – if, as only right and proper, your definition of fun is jazzy 1970s-inspired prints – Marni makes the case for painterly checks with this lightweight, silk shirt. Curtains shmurtains.

Crochet’s renaissance is one of the best things to happen to summer dressing since, well… since the short-sleeved shirt was welcomed back into the style fold with our open, now bare arms. Be wary of the fine line between granny (no offence, Nana) and greatness, though. Nili Lotan gets it right with this sophisticated monochrome stripe version that’s begging to be worn with pleated trousers and a pair of dark shades.

Western-inspired style is a tricky thing to pull off. In our experience, it can go three ways: there’s the good, the bad and, sometimes, the ugly. BODE’s effort pays off with this shirt, which strikes the right balance between kitschy and cowboy. It’s patterned with a watercolour-style print of a homestead vignette that the designer spotted on a vintage scarf.

KAPITAL makes clothes for men who like clothes. And we don’t mean the ones with a passing interest in dressing well. No, we’re talking about the guys who pore over the tiniest of details – the sort to get excited over a button choice or the placement of a pocket. There’s no shortage of style either, as this modern reinterpretation of the aloha shirt proves. It’s made from lightweight silk and cupro (which is usually used for suit linings) so it’ll be plenty breathable on warm days.

If, like us, you believe that craft needs to be preserved and fostered, then you’ll want to make a note of Karu Research. The label’s founder Mr Kartik Kumra is committed to keeping centuries-old traditions in India alive, while supporting local communities. It doesn’t hurt that everything in his collections, including this embroidered and embellished shirt, are extra easy on the eyes, too.

Even without the presence of a logo, you could pick out this shirt as part of SAINT LAURENT’s collection in a line-up – it typifies that elegant swagger the label has perfected over the years. The monochrome scheme was our first clue, the refined print our second – and the slick cut cinched it.

The second crochet entry on this list, this Mr P. shirt borrows more than a touch from the vintage pieces that inspired it – take note of the ribbed knit and cutaway collar as well as the versatile khaki colour that’ll work with most of your existing wardrobe. Is it simple? Sure, but it’s all the more effective for it.

If you missed the chance to get your hands on the first Wacko Maria collab with Mr Jean-Michel Basquiat’s estate, you’ve been granted a do-over with this second drop. It’s printed with one of the late artist’s neo-expressionist masterpieces – “LNAPRK” – which was painted after a visit to an Italian theme park. There are also matching shorts to pair with it, if co-ords are your kind of thing.

You know how they say you’re either a summer or a fall? Well, Mr Simon Porte Jacquemus is very much a summer – at least when it comes to his designs. Are we promising you’ll transform into one of the Adonis-like archetypes that strolls his runways when you slip on this floral linen shirt? Maybe not – but you’ll likely be the best-dressed gent strolling the beach.

Minimalism done well is often a rare thing, but LE 17 SEPTEMBRE aces the brief every time. From the dusky brown colour to the boxy cut, this ribbed shirt knitted with wool and cashmere drips sophistication. And since it’s a little chunkier than others on this list, we’d wager you’ll be able to get a bit more use out of it once summer comes to an end, too.

Hate ironing? You’re in luck. It seems Acne Studios shares your aversion. This satin shirt from its latest collection is designed to be worn intentionally crinkled, winning it even more throw-on-and-go points in our book. Top marks are also awarded for the relaxed fit and romantic floral print.

Gucci decided a while ago that reinventing the classics was one of the surest ways to guarantee its legacy. True to form, the Italian superbrand has offered up its own spin on the tried-and-tested crisp blue cotton shirt. It’s far from flashy, but the subtle tweaks – the sharp, slightly exaggerated cut and the double-GG monogram woven into the fabric – are enough to keep things interesting. Who said classics were dull?

Turns out you don’t have to go to the trouble of conning your way to the Italian Riviera and changing your name to Dickie Greenleaf to achieve the height of summer style. Handily, Bottega Veneta has done the hard work for you. Aside from the perfectly preppy stripes, this silk shirt has double pleats in the back, which make it even easier and breezier to wear.

AMIRI’s punchy blend of “I’m with the band” energy and West Coast cool have seen the brand become shorthand for LA luxury. But why take our word for it when this silk shirt is all the evidence you need? Everything from the wider-than-usual camp collar to the bold, blue floral print should convince you.

Mr Hiroki Nakamura’s visvim designs might not come cheap – but then things made with this much careful attention rarely do, do they? The designer is a stickler for the details, especially fabric choice. And it’s a good job he does, because then we wouldn’t have been treated to this beautiful silk-crepe shirt, which is about as soft and drapey as we could ever hope for.

Did we think we’d see the day that mesh was having a moment? While it’ll never be your new office go-to, Burberry’s interpretation of the sporting style isn’t going to scandalise any passersby. It’s much weightier (read: less sheer) than you’d first guess, making it smart enough for dinners as well as daytime. If you’re a fan, there’s also a T-shirt version.

High-meets-low style is nothing new, but Mr Josué Thomas’ Gallery Dept. has a particular knack for it. Crafted in his LA workshop (which doubles as a home office and the brand’s storefront), this shirt has all the hallmarks of a classic work shirt – buttoned low pockets, a relaxed fit and a logo tab – but the silken striped fabric and shorter length make it feel like something brand new.