The Sexiest Summer Essentials For Grown Men

Hi everyone, welcome back to my channel. If you're new here, I'm Courtney Ryan, and this year we are ahead of the game for my annual summer essentials video. I'm going to cover some staple items for the summer that will help you stay cool without sacrificing style, which I know can be a bit of a challenge. So the first one here is a linen button-up. Linen shirts are one of my all-time faves, and I think they look incredible if you roll up those sleeves to show a little bit of your forearm. It is summer after all, so don't be afraid to show a little bit of skin. I think linen always looks really effortless and is a perfect choice for a hot summer day. It's absorbent and quick-drying, which is perfect for the warmer weather. And because linen is so breathable, I would go for a long sleeve and just roll up the sleeves if you need to. Something to keep in mind is for shirts in general during warmer weather, you want to choose natural fibers instead of synthetics. Synthetics tend to trap moisture and reduce the breathability, so something like a cotton or a linen is going to be far superior to some sort of synthetic blend. So another reason why I love the linen in the summertime, I always say just linen out everything in your closet. Have a linen shirt, linen pants, anything you can get in linen, get in linen for the summer. Next, we have a tried and true cotton t-shirt. T-shirts are a must-have for the summertime. These can be worn on their own with pretty much anything or underneath your favorite button-down for an easy breezy look. They're layerable, they're breathable, and they're really easy to wear. I would start with a white or an off-white and then branch out from there depending on what will look best with other items in your closet, what will work the best with your skin tone. You really want to consider your individual style, the other things in your wardrobe, what will look best on you personally, but I think you can't go wrong with starting with like a white, an ivory, or sort of an off-white. Just make sure that fabric is thick enough to where it's not see-through. The key word here on the cotton, this is a great material for the summertime. Next, we have breathable and flowy shirts. I wanted to keep this one a bit more broad because I'm thinking of a few different style shirts here that could easily fall under this category, things like camp collars, Cuban collars, button-through polos, something that features a more spread collar, a more relaxed fit. These are really wonderful for the summertime and can easily be paired with pretty much any sort of pant and shoe. The key here though is breathability. You'll want something that is a bit flowy so that it isn't clinging to your body and trapping in that heat and moisture. I'm not saying you need to go completely oversized where you look like you're drowning in the shirt. You can still choose a shirt that accentuates your features without it being so skin-tight or clinging to you, which will ultimately reduce the breathability and make you hotter. So something that's flowy, loose, something that just looks effortless. For a lot of these styles of shirts, you can wear them on their own buttoned up or you can wear them with a tee or tank underneath to get a totally different look and really maximize the versatility here. Next up, we have a pair of lightweight pants. My number one pick here would of course be linen or some sort of linen blend. Chinos can also be a good option if linen just is not your thing and you refuse to wear it. But linen, these are the ultimate summer pants. My husband actually just got a pair of these after me repeatedly suggesting them to him last year and he said, I really wish I got these sooner. They're easy to wear, very breezy and breathable, nothing more perfect for summer. Keep in mind, these will wrinkle. 100% will wrinkle with wear and that is totally normal. You can absolutely steam them before you go out in them, but they will wrinkle when you're sitting down. Don't be alarmed. This is the only time that wrinkles are acceptable if you're wearing linen. You can throw these on with a linen button up, a camp collar, a Cuban collar, a button through polo, a t-shirt. I mean, they really go with everything on my list today, which is just another reason why I love them so much. They're very effortless looking and they're going to keep you cool because of that linen. And again, if linen is not your thing, chinos are sort of the workhorse of your wardrobe, sort of the denim of the summertime. You can absolutely still wear denim in the summertime. My husband does this all summer, but I think there are better options out there that are just going to keep you cooler on those really hot days where denim maybe just is not the smartest option. So again, if linen is not your thing and you don't want to necessarily wear your denim every day, I think chinos can be a great option. They are just a little bit more breathable than, say, a pair of denim. Next, we have shorts and specifically shorts that are cut above your knee. Now again, what you choose is going to be very dependent on you and your personal style and what you're comfortable in, but my top two picks, same as the lightweight pants, would be a chino or a linen, perfect for the summer. And I say above the knee because if your shorts are covering your knees, I just think that they are too long. Free the kneecaps. Not all inseams are created equal. Some of you might have longer legs and you need to get a longer inseam. If you're a guy who has short legs, you might be able to get away with a shorter inseam. So always look on the little size chart and see what works for you. I would suggest actually measuring out with a tape measure where you want your shorts to hit above your knee and choose an inseam that's going to reflect that. Again, I could recommend an inseam to you, but if you're a guy with longer legs, it might not work. If you're a guy with shorter legs, it might not work. So what you choose should be based upon your specific body type and the inseam that you want your shorts to hit at. So choose something that works for you, your body type, where you want those shorts to hit, but I do think you should keep it above the knee. Next up, we have white sneakers and white sneakers are my favorite because they are the most versatile, but there are some negatives about them too, like the they are a bit difficult to keep clean. I think we can acknowledge that. So if white is not your thing, there are plenty of other options out there to choose from as well. But the idea here is something casual and comfortable that's still going to look nice. This isn't the sneaker that you're going to wear to the gym. I always recommend having a separate workout sneaker and then also a more casual everyday sneaker that can just be dressed up a little bit more than I would recommend doing with a gym sneaker. You could wear your white sneaker with a pair of denim, chinos, your linen pants. I mean really anything. They go with so many things. Now I personally would not recommend wearing your white sneakers with a suit or something like that. I know people do and they can look nice, but I would recommend having a separate pair of shoes for that. So I wouldn't necessarily say you can dress these up to the highest degree, but you just want something that's a bit of a smart sneaker that's going to look good with your casual outfits and not bring them down a notch, right? Next up, we have loafers. I love loafers. I think these are perfect in the summer. If you want to be a little fancy without dying in a pair of boots or dress shoes with dress socks. If you absolutely refuse to go sockless with your shoes, you can opt for a no-show sock here. Loafers are one of those shoes you can get away with not wearing socks with. I prefer the look of that, but I know some of you will just not even go there. So if that is you, just go for the no-show sock. This is totally up to you and your personal preference. And I will also say that suede does give more of a summery feel, but a pair of smooth leather loafers are really awesome too. The choice is, again, yours to make. Keep in mind that a smooth leather can just be dressed up a bit more than suede can, but if you're not a guy who really dresses up often or finds yourself in trousers or suits or something like that, then you can absolutely just get away with the suede. My husband has both. He has a pair of smooth leather shell cordovan loafers, and then he also has a pair of suede loafers. And in the summertime, I would say he wears the suede more just because they are more casual and tend to pair better with things like linen pants or a very, you know, casual, flowy, sort of effortless outfit. But I really love both, so you can't go wrong with either one. Next, we have sunglasses, of course. These are a necessity for protecting your eyes. They also make you look instantly cooler if you get the right pair for your features. Something that gives you style and function is always a win in my eyes, so you absolutely need a pair of sunglasses for the summertime. And I'm not going to get too specific here on sunglasses. Of course, I showed a few that I like for inspiration, but this should really come down to you, your style, your face shape, your features. Same deal as regular glasses here. You really want to choose a frame that's going to highlight and accentuate your features and work really well with your face shape and the features that you have versus getting something that's maybe going to do the opposite and take away from your features or sort of overpower your face. So very personal. I know it can be really tough to choose a pair of glasses. I myself have a very odd face shape I found, and it's very difficult for me to find frames that look good, but I promise it's possible. If I can do it, you can do it. Next up, we have none other than a watch. You're going to have your wrist on display during the summer months when you wear short sleeves or you roll up your long sleeves, so you need to have some wrist candy. I think something that's a little summery can be fun if you're someone who's really into watches or you have multiple in your collection, but if not, I would just recommend choosing something versatile that makes sense for you and your everyday lifestyle. And shameless plug here, if you need a watch, the best place to Again, shameless plug for my husband's store, because he is the greatest of all time. And lastly, we have a nice summer fragrance. Think something refreshing, light, citrusy, a cool splash of water, something that smells like a tropical vacation. A summer fragrance should work for the occasion. Something with lemon, bergamot, or an aquatic scent. Something like maybe Bergamot Odipo Citano, Under the Lemon Trees, Dior Homme Sport, Mont Blanc Legend Spirit. I mean, there's something out for truly every single price point. I mentioned this in one of my recent videos about a grooming routine, but I want to just reiterate it here because I feel the need to be transparent. I've been wearing fragrances a lot less the more that I pay attention to my hormones and things like that. There's just a lot of research coming out about how fragrances can be major hormone disruptors, especially given the places that people often spray them. So I have really just started spraying things on my clothing and not my actual skin. I know you have to be careful with the specific fragrance you do that with because some of them have a bit of a tint and they can stain your clothes. So be mindful of that, but that's just what I've been doing. Again, would not recommend that for every single fragrance. But as I'm getting older, these are just things that I've started paying attention to. I really only wear fragrances on special occasions now. I don't wear them every single day. If you're someone who feels the same way and you're not reaching for a fragrance every single day, just make sure that you smell clean and fresh. In the summer especially, you get sweaty more often, your pores get clogged, you're in the heat more, which can bring out those stanky smells that we don't want to be experiencing. So make sure that you're prioritizing your grooming habits here and your hygiene. I think that should take top priority over a fragrance. So I just want to be honest and say that the most important thing is to smell like a fresh, clean man who is ready to take on the day. So make sure you pay attention to that. Just some overall summer style tips to consider when you are thinking about your wardrobe is to go for those lighter weight fabrics like linen, chambray, seersucker, cotton, things that are going to be more breathable. Again, as I mentioned earlier in the video, paying attention to natural fibers versus synthetics. You want to consider breathability and these are the fabrics that are going to give that to you. And of course, opting for lighter colors that aren't going to absorb all that heat the way a black t-shirt does. If you go outside in the summertime in a black t-shirt versus a white t-shirt, you are going to feel hotter in the black t-shirt. This is just science and the way things work. So if you go for lighter colors, this will also help keep you cool as well. And again, lighter does not mean brighter. You can still go for neutrals and muted colors, pastels, tans, khakis, olive greens, creams, whites, things like that, that are just going to help keep you a little bit cooler than those very dark colors that you might wear in the winter like navy, charcoal, black, you know what I mean. So guys, that's all I have for this year's summer essential videos. I know they tend to be pretty similar year to year. I like to show different photos, give some different inspiration of some things that are on the market currently. But overall, I like to keep my fashion videos pretty consistent because I'm someone who believes in timeless staple pieces that are going to last you for years. I'm not someone who promotes getting a new wardrobe every single season. You know, fashion is fleeting, style is forever. And I think when you get those timeless pieces, those staple pieces that are going to last you for many more years to come, not only is that going to give you added versatility, but it's also going to save you a lot of money. And again, style is very individual and personal. So if you don't agree with everything on my list, that's totally okay. Take what you need and leave what you don't. This is why I often try to keep things pretty broad when I give you guys recommendations. So you can use my videos more as inspiration and not just copy them. I don't want you all to look like little cookie cutter versions of each other. You know, if you think that penny loafers are the ugliest shoe ever, and they remind you of your grandpa, you don't have to wear them. That is a beautiful thing about individualism and personal style and wearing what you like and what makes you happy and confident and comfortable. So the key though for a summer wardrobe is something that is going to allow you to express your personal style and look good while staying cool, right? So I hope this video helps. If you liked it or found it helpful, be sure to give it a thumbs up and subscribe to my channel to be in the loop for when I release new content. If you haven't already, be sure to follow me over on Instagram at CourtneyChristineRyan. I love connecting with all of you guys over on there as well. As always, thank you all so much for watching and I'll see you all next time.