No Jacket Required

Suits and dressing up more have become more popular for the men, but often during the summer, it’s just too hot for a jacket and a tie.

Once upon a time, say in the ’50s or ’60s, and even in the ’70s, it was unheard of for a man to go to a formal or semiformal event and not wear a jacket; in fact, it was not uncommon for establishments like restaurants and country clubs to base admittance on whether a man was wearing one or not.

I firmly believe there are boundaries that should not be crossed for the sake of modesty, being appropriate, and the comfort level of others, but it’s nice that real and imaginary dress codes, rules, and etiquette have eased up over the years. These changes have made it acceptable for men to trade in their suits, jacket, and ties for a “high-end,” “high fashion” shirt.

Easing up on dress codes can still be a double-edged sword. I love to get dressed up every now and then and want my guy to do the same, but I do think it’s a bit unfair that dressed up often implies a jacket for men.

The shirts I'm talking about are not simply bright, solid shirts, either; they are definitely meant to be noticed. These shirts come in bright colors that are combined with prints, and often have contrasting cuffs and collars. Some of these shirts are so stunning I would not mind having one myself.

When you hit the stores, some of the labels at the top of the list for working one of these shirts are high-end like Prada, but also check out more affordable labels like Robert Graham and Dsquared. This idea reminds me of LA’s casual style, and since we are having such a color and print trend in fashion, these shirts are right on time.

Men are pairing these shirts with both casual and formal jeans, usually with the shirttails out. The more dressed up version of this would be tucking the shirt in and pairing them with trousers instead of jeans. I don’t think men should completely give up wearing jackets, but this trend is a nice alternative. If you have to convince your guy to give this trend a whirl, definitely push hard for the prints and bright colors, because this trend just doesn’t have the same effect with a plain, solid-colored shirt.