Staples, trends, essentials; there is a lot of common rules that come with building the perfect wardrobe, but sometimes none of that matters. Especially, when it comes to summer, when the need for comfort and breathability takes priority above all else. Which also explains why shorts have become such a popular, and more acceptable, piece of clothing to wear on a day-to-day – having contributed to the resurgence of sportswear in the process, too. In fact, we believe that a pair of shorts – particularly the ones that finish just above the knee – should be cornerstone of every summer wardrobe. And to illustrate our point we have compiled yet another Edit - #51 in the series – to show you how to stay comfortable in sportswear and shorts this summer.
On the face of it, sportswear – and sweat shorts in particular – can be a cruel mistress. By that we mean, the wrong cut, context or style choice can give the impression of laziness – the sort of ‘I’ve given up completely on life’ kind of look – which is never the sort of sartorial statement any man should make. There is a saviour, though. There is now no need to be house-bound in a pair of sweat shorts as there is room for wearing your favourite piece of clothing anytime. In fact, there is a variety of styles currently on offer from the comfortable, the characterful to the high-end. There are also many ways to work them into your wardrobe, whether it’s to the gym, to the day-to-day and even in some circumstances, the office.
The best place to start is with a relaxed-fit, technical sweat short – like the Colbolt Terry Drawstring Shorts from Hamilton and Hare. Not only is the Terry Short proof that comfort and luxury can co-exist with practicality, but they also represent the notion that ‘athleisure’ – streetwise meets sports-injected design – is among one of the key concepts in a modern wardrobe.
In fact, the entire Hamilton and Hare collection offers a sleek range of minimal sportswear staples, cut to flatter and packed with stylish details. For instance, the relaxed-fitting Terry Shorts gain strength when matches to the complementing Cobalt Terry T-Shirt. While, the classic white outline of the Vor 3A Vintageweiss Sneakers serves to both break up and draw-out different shades and textures in the sweat short to provide a contrasting touch to the entire aesthetic.
Although this outfit is set up predominantly for those relaxed working days – and it can even easily transition into the gym – it can also work with light summer layering. Match up with deliberate colour palettes, most noticeably washed-out colours like a classic oversized shirt or a denim jacket. To avoid looking too relaxed, opt for a clean luxury sneaker in a tonal hue or a crisp white colourway. Beyond our pick, the Vor Vintageweiss, you could opt for the staple White Original Achilles Low from Common Projects or the All-White Tarmac from CQP, as the pristine leather uppers will make for a smooth, durable and lightweight finish to the laid-back short and tee combination.
Shop the entire Hamilton and Hare collection at OPUMO.
