ALPHA MALE: 5 Fast Items For Your Summer Wardrobe

ALPHA MALE: 5 Fast Items For Your Summer Wardrobe

I've been on the road a bit lately, and traveling always makes me rethink what really are "essentials" n my daily wardrobe. Typically, it ends up revolving around functional pieces, but as I pack I

realize I still tend to overpack. I hate bringing luggage for quick trips, so I still find a need to strip down the essentials even more to fit just the right mix into my 1 carry on.

Summer has this same effect on my wardrobe essentials. You find yourself stripping down and lightening up what you wear. Summer is meant to be light and fun, so let's look at 5 fast fixes to lighten up without losing out on great style.

1. Switch to summer weights.

Shirts, pants, and even sweaters or blazers can all take on lighter weights in Summer. Mix in looser fabrics like, Egyptian cottons, Seersucker and Linen that breathe better and can help keep you comfortable as temperatures rise. I offer customers options in all 3 in various items to help balance your Summer lineup.

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2. Canvas sneakers are your friend.

Clean, simple, unadulterated. Sure, Nike Flyknits and Frees may be all the rage among the trendsetters these days, but you will never go wrong in a pair of canvas plimsolls. There are tons of great options out there, from the inexpensive like PRO-Keds CVOs and Tretorn Nylites to pricier options such as Seavees or even Common Projects.

3. Board shorts are the "Everyman" of swim trunks.

So many brands today are producing a bathing suit that has a silhouette as clean as the trousers men wear on a daily basis. Cut just right above the knee, with a clean, flat waist band and closed with a snap, Velcro or even tie front, these board shorts are perfectly complimentary to the simple life to which Summer harkens. It is a style that has actually been around forever, but the surf influence seen in a lot of designers' works these days has made it prevalent again.

4. Don't forget the shadier look.

Sunglasses are great all year long, but there is just something so right about the perfect pair in Summer. And the best options- like the rest of your look- should stay simple. Wayfarers from RAEN, Ray Ban, and Mosley Tribes are great clean acetate versions. Metal-framed aviators are the other style that can accommodate any look. I sell Randolph Engineering's version; They are a family owned business in Randolph, MA who make sunglasses for our nation's military here in the U.S. and the price point is fantastic.

5. Protect your face.

Do not forget that, with Summer, the sun's effects take a greater toll on your skin. Just because you are not wearing anything on your face, does not mean you should not cover it up. Make sure to use a great facial moisturizer with even a light SPF rating to help dampen the potential harm Summer sun can do. And it provides the added benefit of keeping your skin conditioned and looking healthier long-term.

These 5 fast fixes are not going to be hard on the wallet or hard to pack, whether you are going away for business or vacation. But all these options can provide you alternatives to the heavy weights you have probably begun to store away by now until next Fall. Take advantage of that space in your closet before the weather gets too hot to handle.

Robert Babigian is owner of WHARF Clothing & Wares, a menswear retail boutique located at 212 Westminster Street in Providence, RI. A native Rhode Islander, Rob started WHARF after 2 decades in marketing and sales to fulfill his desire to combine his loves of consumer branding, small business and style that would fulfill a niche for desirable men's clothing in the Providence market. The apparel and accessories found at WHARF reflect Rob's own personal aesthetic—a combination of traditional New England staples mixed with modern fits, construction and fabrics blended together with a touch of European style. For more tips or to shop the store, stop in and see Rob and his staff or reach them online at shopwharf.com.