Guide
The men's European summer wardrobe
Seven items, one suitcase, and no athletic footwear. The European summer wardrobe is smaller than people expect and more specific.
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The packing list
Two pairs of tailored swim shorts. Three shirts in linen or lightweight cotton, solid colours. One pair of lightweight trousers. One pair of tailored shorts. Driver loafers or leather sandals. Sunglasses. That is a full ten days, and it fits in a carry-on with room left over.
The item that does the most work is the swim shorts, because tailored ones remove the need to change between the beach and lunch. That single decision restructures the whole day, and it is why European men appear to be permanently dressed for something.
Orlebar Brown · Men's Swimwear
Bulldog Printed Swim Short
Tailored swim shorts. The reason European men look better at the pool.
$250–$500
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Ferragamo · Men's Shoes
Byte Gancini Driver Loafers
Fixes his shoe rotation in one move. No socks required, no sneakers allowed.
$500–$1,000
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The two mistakes
Technical fabric and athletic shoes. Both are more identifiably foreign than any accent. Performance polos, zip-off trousers and running trainers are the uniform of a certain kind of holiday, and the alternative costs no more and weighs less.
The second mistake is packing his normal clothes for a hotter climate. If everything in the case also exists in his wardrobe at home, every photograph will look like a Tuesday.
Colour
White, cream, navy, olive, faded terracotta. Nothing bright, nothing black. The reason is light: Mediterranean sun is hard and high, and saturated colour photographs badly under it while chalky colour photographs beautifully.
One patterned shirt is permitted and one only. It should be the loudest thing he owns for the trip.
What it travels in
A carry-on is enough for a week and most of two. If a wedding is involved, a wardrobe spinner with a garment section means the suit arrives without needing a steamer, which is a genuinely different category of luggage rather than a nicer version of the same one.
Sterling Pacific · Men's Luggage
40L Aluminium Cabin Case
Full aluminium carry-on. Dents become the point, not the problem.
$1,000+
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Persol · Men's Sunglasses
PO3330S Polarized Sunglasses
Straight off our JFK Jr. board. The fastest old-money upgrade there is.
$250–$500
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Frequently asked
What should a man wear in Italy in summer?
Linen or cotton shirts in solid, chalky colours, tailored shorts or lightweight trousers, driver loafers or leather sandals, and good sunglasses. Avoid technical fabric, athletic sneakers and cargo shorts.
How many pairs of shoes should he pack?
Two, three at most. Loafers for dinner and walking, sandals for the beach, and plain white sneakers only if he will genuinely be walking all day. Shoes are what fills a carry-on.
Can he wear shorts to dinner in Europe?
In a beach town, yes, if they are tailored and paired with a proper shirt and shoes. In a city, no. The line is roughly whether the restaurant has a sea view.