Yes, it can be done without becoming a sweaty mess.

CHARLES TYRWHIT Summer tweed dogstooth jacket, $260

ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA Linen/wool/silk Crossover jacket, $1178

J. CREW Pinstripe sportcoat in Ludlow fit, $275

If there’s one thing that seems superfluous this summer, it’s outerwear. One might ask, why even attempt it? Alas, when the heat strikes, one must remain calm. The weather may be tempting you to cast aside not only your jacket but your shirt the minute you step outside, but even a remote sense of style should assure you there are indeed many ways to keep cool this summer while keeping your jacket and/or blazer on.

Be sure to keep an eye out for breathable material that moves nice and easy. The last thing you want is something restrictive that won’t let you walk a mile without breaking a sweat, much less reach for your wine glass. Go for an unstructured jacket with softer lines. Linen and cotton are the traditional go to’s, and will keep you looking great for work but also for the evening. Don’t be afraid to let your jacket get a little rough and tumble, in other words, wrinkled with a crease here or there; worse comes to worst, you’ll look well-traveled. Couldn’t hurt.

Essentially you’re going for a calm, relaxed look, not a sloppy, just-got-out-of-the-door image. Go soft-shouldered, even a little stretch-wear can’t hurt. Sport a requisite polo or Henley underneath, to get as much ventilation going as possible. And if it’s strictly out of work we’re talking, don’t be afraid to go the cool cotton jacket route in a beige or olive, for example, J. Crew’s Trapper jacket. It’s absurdly versatile, and just structured enough.

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