Go Classic, Keep Cool

The key to great summer style is keeping things relaxed. Breezy fabrics, lighter colors and a slightly roomier fit. And while you may think that a pair of flip-flops and a T-shirt are the only way to stay cool, you need only look to the timeless style of the Southern gentleman for guidance. Whether updated like Hickey's trim seersucker suit or such classics as Brooks Brother's gingham pocket squares, the pieces are as functional as they are in fashion. Ground the look with a pair of lightweight and breathable suede bucks by Red Brick Soul, Mark McNairy's new line of handmade English shoes. Wear 'em like sneakers all summer and you'll have no problem sporting the well-worn whites after Labor Day.

Hickey seersucker jacket, $477 and pants, $177; Baird McNutt linen bow tie, $50; J.Press ribbon watch strap, $22; Gingham pocket square, $9; Mark McNairy bucks, $265.