man in a denim jacket, white t-shirt, and striped pants, holding a navy bag

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Every few months, I see a lovely doctor here in New York for a consultation to confirm that, yes, please, I’d like more Lexapro. No, no big changes in mood. Yes, it still feels like the right dosage for me.

And I’m on my way.

She and I have been doing this dance so long that seeing one another feels more like catching up with a favorite former co-worker.

On our most recent visit, she was dressed in shades of white from head-to-toe, looking like a Greek goddess, or a character from a Nora Ephron movie. I had foolishly decided to walk the twenty blocks downtown, in a heat wave, so had arrived sweating like a dog who had been sent to the backyard to get out their zoomies. I remarked on how lovely—and cool—her outfit looked.

“Oh, I always dress in white in the summers. It makes laundry easy, and psychologically it has the effect of making me feel less hot.”

Genius. This is why she gets to dole out SSRI’s and I don’t.

So I thought I’d find some similarly summer-ready men’s white outfits for you.

Don’t worry. These aren’t ’90s boy band, billowy linen on a beach for a slow song’s music video looks. They’re not even head-to-toe white, either. Instead, you’ll find shades ranging from eggshell all the way to beige. The range!

Bottom line? These light-colored outfits are meant to inspire a “Stay cool” state of mind, not make you break out in a romantic bridge.

Get inspired with light colored outfits for men:

Wear to work

man in a denim jacket, white t-shirt, and striped pants, holding a navy bag
images: @takayuki_oka
man wearing glasses, a denim jacket, white t-shirt, and striped pants, holding a navy bagman wearing glasses, a denim jacket, white t-shirt, and striped pants, holding a navy bag

The denim jacket and navy bag adds a punch of color to an otherwise monochrome look, but this outfit will work just as well if you need to take the coat off when it gets too hot.

man standing in the street, wearing a light blue button-down shirt over a white t-shirt, light-colored pants, and brown loafersman standing in the street, wearing a light blue button-down shirt over a white t-shirt, light-colored pants, and brown loafers
image: @danielabbink

Easy breezy. You can swap the loafers for a chunky sneaker if that’s more your vibe.

man wearing a light colored short-sleeve shirt over a white undershirt, with light colored pants and suede shoes. he has his arms crossed and has a red baseball cap on his headman wearing a light colored short-sleeve shirt over a white undershirt, with light colored pants and suede shoes. he has his arms crossed and has a red baseball cap on his head
image: @paris.haven

The casual office equivalent of a summer suit.

On the weekends

man in front of a church wearing a t-shirt that says "Honor the gift" , cargo shorts, and white Nike sneakers with green accentsman in front of a church wearing a t-shirt that says "Honor the gift" , cargo shorts, and white Nike sneakers with green accents

Don’t overthink it! A white t-shirt and light-colored shorts will always do the trick.

man wearing an off-white t-shirt, blue cross body bag, tan pants, and white sneakersman wearing an off-white t-shirt, blue cross body bag, tan pants, and white sneakers
image: @out_of_indigo

Or, swap the shorts for a pair of tan-colored chinos.

man sitting on a console table wearing an oversized white cardigan with white, striped shorts. he is looking down at his phoneman sitting on a console table wearing an oversized white cardigan with white, striped shorts. he is looking down at his phone
image: @alexxwalther

Peel off the cardigan once you get outside.

man standing outside of a cafe wearing a tan short sleeve shirt with matching tan pants. he has his hands in his pockets and is looking directly at the camera. his legs are crossedman standing outside of a cafe wearing a tan short sleeve shirt with matching tan pants. he has his hands in his pockets and is looking directly at the camera. his legs are crossed

Don’t want to look too matchy-matchy? Swap the tan-colored top for something closer to white.

On vacation

man standing in a doorway outside, wearing a white bucket cap, knit sleeveless shirt, and tan linen pantsman standing in a doorway outside, wearing a white bucket cap, knit sleeveless shirt, and tan linen pants
images: @mr.bthompson
closeup of a man standing in a doorway outside, wearing a white bucket cap, knit sleeveless shirt, and tan linen pantscloseup of a man standing in a doorway outside, wearing a white bucket cap, knit sleeveless shirt, and tan linen pants

Planning a European summer vacation? This is when you get to lean all-l-l-l the way into linen.

man in a doorway wearing a short-sleeve white shirt and white drawstring shorts with white sneakers and tall socksman in a doorway wearing a short-sleeve white shirt and white drawstring shorts with white sneakers and tall socks
image: @alexxwalther

Add a ribbed tank (or are we still calling them wife pleasers?) underneath if a bare chest feels too scandalous.

man sitting at a cafe table outside, wearing a white crochet top, white pants, a light green bandana around his neck and sunglasses. a dog is at his feet | light colored outfits for menman sitting at a cafe table outside, wearing a white crochet top, white pants, a light green bandana around his neck and sunglasses. a dog is at his feet | light colored outfits for men
image: @chouchane.b

Dog optional. Bandana is mandatory.

a man standing outside in the sun in front of a white car, wearing a crochet sleeveless top, casual pants and sneakers, light colored outfits for mena man standing outside in the sun in front of a white car, wearing a crochet sleeveless top, casual pants and sneakers, light colored outfits for men
image: @masterwilliams

10/10. No notes!

Shop light colored clothes for guys

man from the waist up wearing a light-colored button-down shirt and sunglasses, included in a roundup of light colored outfits for menman from the waist up wearing a light-colored button-down shirt and sunglasses, included in a roundup of light colored outfits for men
RAILS
midweight lace shirt, $178
off-white short sleeve button up shirt against a blank background, included in a roundup of light colored outfits for menoff-white short sleeve button up shirt against a blank background, included in a roundup of light colored outfits for men
WILLS
wrinkle-free linen shirt, $98
NIKE
Killshot 2 sneaker, $90


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