Summertime is here and the sun, as they say, has got his hat on. But what about you? Whether you’re welcoming the blast of foreign heat as you step off a flight somewhere faraway, or simply schlepping to your local watering hole to make the most of the sun at home, knowing how to dress well in hot weather can be a tricky skill for a man to master. Indeed, it’s all too easy to plan out your dreams of sartorial summer grandeur before giving up and sinking into a swampy puddle on the floor.

In case you’ve forgotten (and frankly, we would not blame you if you have), allow us to kindly remind you how to de-puddle yourself. We’re a prepared lot here at MR PORTER, and have thus teamed up with a few trusted brands to create a considered (and exclusive) capsule of summer-appropriate clothing and accessories in order to make choosing what to wear that little bit more straightforward. You’ll find no baffling new summer trends to follow here, just a clever selection of well-made clothing that you will find nowhere else. Summer is the laziest month, after all, and should be enjoyed: so here’s how to do that in style.

If you think that summer dressing automatically equals a T-shirt, allow us to debunk that preconception. While there’s a place for a classic crewneck, a polo or camp-collar shirt can add a touch of refinement to a summer look. Orlebar Brown is the name to know if you’re in the market for a clean and collected summer outfit. The London-based brand may have built its name on the back of its tailored swim shorts, but with its equally impressive offering of shirts, weekend bags and minimal tennis sneakers, it’s a solid go-to for a warm weather wardrobe upgrade. If it’s not quite time for swim shorts, consider a pair of drawstring trousers such as these from Hartford, which you can team with a minimal shirt for a refined look to wear out to lunch or dinner.

It would also be remiss of us to mention summer style without giving due praise to Frescobol Carioca, whose very name is a clever nod to living (and playing) in the heat. The brand takes the first part of its name from frescobol, the Brazilian game of bat and ball played on the beach – see the handmade wooden beach bats the brand makes – and the latter half from carioca, the name used to describe the natives of the bustling metropolis of Rio de Janeiro. With its deep roots in Rio, Frescobol Carioca excels in crafting clothes that encompass the true spirit of the city; its soigné offering of breathable camp-collar shirts, espadrilles and printed swim shorts are nigh impossible to go wrong with.

The final looks from this capsule collection sit decidedly on the more relaxed end of the summer wardrobe spectrum. And are perhaps a little more adventurous, too – opting to clash a pair of floral swim shorts with a printed shirt is not something we would usually recommend, but Hartford’s practical summer clothing is tailored so excellent, and its floral prints so refined, that you don’t need washboard abs to pull off a look like this. On the left is a look by Onia – the New York-based brand has been around for a decade, and while it’s known for its refined swimwear that garners the most attention, we think their off-duty shirts and sweaters are equally worth a punt.

With the right summer brands now firmly installed in your head, and some visual references to riff from, we hope you’re now well on your way to making this one a summer to remember. We’ll see you at the beach… just don’t forget the SPF.