Summer Style Tips: How to Stay Cool, Fresh and Stylish

There comes a time in every man’s life where he has to stop what he’s doing, take a good hard look at his closet and ask himself, “Am I ready for summer?”.

Sure, there’s the obvious prep work – storing away your winter jackets, moving your boots to the storage closet, making sure your swim trunks still fit (no judgement here).

But what about that other stuff? The stuff you don’t think about until it’s too late. Some of it’s nice to have. Some of it’s crucial.

All of it is important if you want to be stylish and comfortable during summer.

Note: Thanks to MeUndies for sponsoring this article! MeUndies makes comfy, stylish underwear in four different styles and lots of awesome colors (I prefer the boxer briefs). Check out MeUndies right here.

Granted, you’re going to sweat. But there are some things you can do to keep your body temperature low and, more importantly, stay fresh throughout the day.

This post (and video) covers the techniques and products that will help you stay cool, fresh and stylish when it’s hot outside.

Staying Cool & Fresh When It’s Hot As B@LL$ Outside

Here are 10 tips you can use to stay cool and fresh without sacrificing your style:

I’m telling you, this stuff works, so give these techniques a try this summer!

10 Summer Essentials for Men

Here are 10 items that every man needs to look handsome and feel amazing during the warmer seasons:

1. Go-To sneakers – Your two priorities when buying new sneakers should be comfort and versatility.

There are tons of great options out there. For me, these classic Vans check all the right boxes.

2. Super Comfy Underwear – Ditching your baggy cotton boxers for premium quality, micro-modal undies like MeUndies not only looks great – it also feels amazing.

Micro-modal is a modern fabric derived from beech trees, and it’s far superior than cotton in several ways:

1. Softer and lighter than cotton
2. Shrink resistant
3. Breathable (doesn’t trap heat)
4. Wicking (doesn’t trap moisture)
5. More odor-resistant

These properties are great all year, but they’re especially awesome for hot weather. If you’ve never worn micro-modal underwear, I highly recommend grabbing a pair (or five).

3. Lightweight Jacket – If you’re like me, typical summer weekends probably require you to transition seamlessly from daytime yacht parties to VIP bottle service at swanky rooftop clubs.

No? Ok, me neither. At least not yet…

The point is, you need to be ready for a hot, possibly humid day, then a much cooler night. Your heavy jackets are not going to cut it here.

You need something super light and packable, like this awesome nylon windbreaker from J. Crew.

A photo posted by The Modest Man (@modestmanstyle) on May 13, 2015 at 4:30pm PDT

It’s a simple jacket, but the color is awesome. Makes any outfit feel a little cooler.

4. High Quality Sunglasses – Lots of people say they don’t want to buy expensive sunglasses because they always lose them. Interestingly, it seems much easier to lose $10 sunglasses than $100 sunglasses…

But you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to get a solid pair of shades. My favorites are from Warby Parker.

Their website is great because you can sort by size and get exact dimensions. You can also try up to five pairs at home for free.

If you have a narrow face like me, you’ll love the size and proportion of the Becketts.

If you’re on a budget, Sunglass Warehouse is an excellent affordable alternative.

5. Loafer Socks (a.k.a. “No Show Socks”) – The sockless look is so effortless and cool, but let’s be honest – it can be a little gross. Lots of guys never go sockless because they think it will be too uncomfortable.

The solution, my friends, is no show socks. But there are lots of crappy loafer socks that will slip off after a few minutes and fall apart after a few wears.

If you want high quality no show socks that actually work, check out my detailed guide about the best no show socks for men.

6. Oil Absorbing Sheets – Maybe you’re the kind of person with perfect skin that never gets oily or shiny. In that case, you don’t need these magical oil absorbing sheets. For the rest of us, these things are priceless.

7. Foot Powder – When you do go truly sockless (i.e., no loafer socks), your feet will sweat. The best way to combat this is with odor absorbing foot powder.

You can also use this to let your shoes recuperate after you take them off at the end of the day. (Pro Tip: Don’t wear them two days in a row.)

8. Man Powder – The worst place to feel discomfort and unwanted moisture is around your crotch. And the best way to prevent this is by using body powder “down there”.

Simply sprinkle a small amount of this magical fairy dust inside your underwear, around your valuables, and you’re off to the races!

Feel free to reapply throughout the day, as needed.

9. Deodorizing Wipes – Sometimes it’s so hot outside that you feel like taking multiple showers throughout the day. But this isn’t realistic. You’re a busy man! Sometimes you just need to “freshen up” a bit.

The best way to do that is with deodorizing wipes. I’ve got a box of these Niche for Men wipes, and they’re fantastic. They have a nice masculine scent, but it’s not overpowering.

If you want wipes that work for your face and body, try these Matte for Men cleansing cloths.

Either way, you’ll be feeling clean and dry in minutes (even if you sweat a lot).

10. Weekend Bag – It’s not a suitcase, briefcase, messenger bag or backpack. It’s in a class of its own.

It’s your throw-some-stuff-in-a-bag-and-hit-the-beach-for-a-night-or-two travel companion. It’s the bag you can pack in 10 minutes.

It’s the bag that likes a little abuse, so feel free to throw it around. Any weekend bag will do, like the J. Fold Montreal DuffleI’m using below.

A photo posted by The Modest Man (@modestmanstyle) on Apr 18, 2015 at 8:45am PDT

BONUS: Fresh Haircut – I’m not saying you have to chop all your hair off when it gets hot outside, but there’s nothing like a clean, fresh summer haircut.

Maybe it’s time to try something new. If you’ve had the same haircut for a few months (or years), I challenge you to break out of your comfort zone and go wild.

After all, it’s only hair, and one day you won’t have any left. Plus, if you hate your new haircut, you can just buzz it off and start over.

Got any hot weather tips? Leave them in the comments below!