How to wear the easy, breezy fabric, perfect for warmer weather .

Perhaps you are old enough to remember the Hypercolor craze that hit playgrounds across the Western world in the early 1990s. Propelled into the teenage conscience by fleeting appearances on MTV and Beverly Hills, 90210, these were garments – specifically T-shirts – that changed colour when the wearer got hot. This was the moment when our collective desire to actively advertise our ability to perspire to others peaked – we now live in a very different time. In fact, today, at MR PORTER, fabrics are valued for attributes far beyond the gimmickry of thermochromism. And in many ways, linen – the material we’re going to focus on here – is the anti-Hypercolor. Made from the fibres of the flax plant, it is notable for both its natural lustre and ability to keep the wearer’s temperature regulated. Not only does it wick more sweat than cotton (since we’ve already gone there), it is highly heat conductive, like metal, so feels cool to the touch. It’s a different kind of feeling cool to that we experienced donning our Hypercolor T-shirts back in the day; and also, more grown-up. Here are three ways to embrace this magical material this summer.

The grandad-collar shirt is thought to have its origins in the wardrobes of blue-collar workers of the 1920s and 1930s, who would avoid wearing ties, which could get tangled up in machinery. We’ve chosen to team this linen-cotton variation from Officine Generale with a pair of drawstring trousers, for a relaxed look that could be dressed up but doesn’t have to be – depending on how your weekend plans are looking. You might smirk at the irony of how the clothing of the labouring classes has supplied many of our leisure time go-tos, but, hey, isn’t it hard work looking good too?

Armed with this unstructured linen-blend blazer by Aspesi, you can expect to be the smartest guy in the room – without breaking into a sweat. Paired with a white linen shirt by J.Crew – a summer staple that looks great, even (or especially) when a bit rumpled – it will ensure you’re still looking fresh when you fall out of work. Plus, you won’t be stuck wearing a jacket for fear of what unsightly damp patches might lurk underneath.

Taking breeziness to its logical conclusion, this item by Sandro marries the nautical chic of the striped T-shirt with the summer-friendly skillset of linen, here blended with jersey for a bit of heft. The pleasingly low-key combination of midnight blue and white does allow you to be a bit more playful down below, hence we’ve opted for plum-coloured, short-length swim shorts by Incotex. No doubt shivering all kinds of timber on a ship’s deck when worn with a pair of boat shoes, this pair will more than hold its own poolside while you hold your own Long Island iced tea.

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