Boys of summer

David Beckham

It’s almost too easy to lead with Beckham in any best-dressed list but, when it comes to summer suiting, no one’s game is stronger than his. At this year’s Wimbledon, Becks took his tailoring to another level, showcasing a range of sharp, single-breasted suits constructed from mercifully lightweight linen – perfect for staying smart and cool, despite temperatures topping 100°F on Centre Court. 

Zayn Malik

The historic occasion when Zayn Malik quit One Direction also marked the beginning of his ascent to sartorial greatness. Turns out not having to coordinate your outfit with four other tween-pleasing guys does wonders for your swag. At Louis Vuitton’s SS16 show in June, Malik championed this season’s floral trend by throwing on a heroic silk bomber jacket embroidered with vines and flowers over a pair of navy tailored trousers. Needless to say, he also makes the grade thanks to his new bleached buzz cut. 

Nick Young

The addition of New York Fashion Week: Men’s to the fashion industry’s growing roster of menswear-centric happenings isn’t just an opportunity for new and established design talent to showcase their latest collections. It also provides stylish guys like basketball player Nick Young the opportunity to pull on their freshest garb and show the world what dressing like a boss really looks like. Young wore an all-over monochrome outfit to Alexandre Plokhov’s SS16 show, featuring a hooded tunic that demonstrates his willingness to challenge people’s perceptions of a sportsman’s off-duty style in ice cold, directional looks.    

Kanye West

Kanye doesn’t really do summer dressing. His is a style that transcends seasons and, despite the sweltering heat, usually comprises heavy fabrics and a lot of floaty layers (kimono, anyone?). The pros of being cool to the core, we guess, involve never having to pull on a vest and shorts. Instead, Yeezy’s hot-weather feel is creamy, funnel-necked knitwear and solid suede boots. The only giveaway that he feels the heat are these shredded jeans, which are both on the nose in terms of trend and allow for some much-needed airflow.   

Jack Guinness

Bearded scenester, model and perpetual partygoer Jack Guinness has nailed his summer look, just as any good Gucci poster man should. Men wishing to eschew the thin film of sweat that pulling on a leather jacket in hot weather causes might want to steer clear of Guinness’ look. But we like it. And paired with a subtle Hawaiian shirt, chinos and chunky plimsolls, this is a powerful outfit that straddles the smart/casual divide in an agreeably interesting way.