The 9 Best Lightweight, Breezy Shirts to Wear This Summer

Every product was carefully curated by an Esquire editor. We may earn a commission from these links. Here’s how we test products and why you should trust us.buck mason / alex mill / bloomingdale1 min readThere comes a point in the depths of the seasons when it does not and cannot matter to me how my clothes look as much as it matters how they feel. In the freezing winter, I’m going as puffy as I can with little to no regard for how much room that puff is taking up on the sidewalk. And in the midst of a heat wave, I’m trying to wear clothes that stay as far away from my skin as they can while still shielding me from the sun.For that reason among many, we’re suckers for airy, open-weave shirts. We’re going for open-collar linens and cottons, maybe a loose crochet or a nice seersucker. Of course, lighter colors will double down on the airiness, while darker colors absorb more heat.Here, find your next work, weekend, or resort shirt that looks as good as it feels to wear outside in the heat, unencumbered by another sweat-stained T-shirt.Alex Mill’s camp shirts are really the perfect shirt for hot days. They are made with a soft, worn-in linen and they fit loose enough for airflow, but not so loose that they look sloppy.Banana Republic’s linen-cotton polo has a big open collar and a big open knit. It’s exactly the kind of skin-to-wind we want on hot days. This one makes for a very good vacation shirt, too.Buck Mason does seersucker in a way that doesn’t feel stuffy or overly preppy. We love how this shirt has a slightly cropped, boxy fit. It looks great buttoned and layered over a tank.Resort shirt lovers ride for a print and Todd Snyder’s white embroidered roses on a thin voile fabric is cool as hell. It’s super light but doesn’t feel too casual. Dress it up with more tailored pants and loafers.We love a basket weave for its airflow capabilities, which are especially good and dispersing and preventing sweat stains. This Faherty shirt was born for your next backyard BBQ.Kardo’s convertible collar, embroidered cotton patchwork shirt is just about the coolest shirt we’ve ever seen. It is boxy and lightweight and scratch whatever we said about not caring how your shirt looks when it’s hot as all hell out.Les Deux’s short sleeve cotton shirt is a solid choice to have on hand because it can feel casual worn open over a tee and with shorts, or you can make it feel more professional buttoned up with some trousers.Onia is best known for its very good swimwear and you can see that seaside expertise in all types of clothes. This airy linen is boxy and light and as close to wearing nothing as a shirt can get.That is, unless, you have a loose crochet shirt. Marine Layer—another beach-friendly brand—makes this short sleeve button-front shirt that is excellent for hot days. That open crochet is essentially sheer and perhaps NSFW but it’s also as airy as it gets.