Style Scenario: Vacation to the Desert South

What are you going to wear? Sometimes it’s good to look at a few suggestions then add your own tweaks and ideas. That’s what these are for. Over the next several weeks we’ll be tackling some vacation based Style Scenarios, whether that vacation takes you out to the beach, into the mountains, or cruising the desert. Travel season is upon us, so we’re making some suggestions on how to spend some down time feeling comfortable while looking good. This time, we’re heading south into the desert, where hot, dry heat is the name of the game.

The Shirt: BR Linen Stretch Polo in White – $50.99 ($59.95). We’re going with lighter colors and fabrics to deal with the inevitable heat that comes with desert climates in the summer. So a white, almost all linen polo (with a hint of stretch) is the perfect call. Spendy for now, but if you’re a card member, you can get it down to $30.59 with the code PERK.

The Shorts: Old Navy Broken-In Khaki Shorts for Men in Frozen Mist – $15 ($24.94). Inexpensive and very well reviewed. Plus, that icy blue shade is a nice but still cool way to break from the khaki rut so many guys fall into.

The Belt: J. Crew Cotton Belt in Navy Stripe – $30 w/ SUMMER ($45). A heavy leather belt would look out of place here… because it’s heavy. Go with something fabric and textured.

The Watch: Seiko SNK809 Automatic Stainless Steel Watch with Black Canvas Strap – $54. Speaking of skipping leather, when it’s brutally hot, stick with watch bands that’ll breathe and not soak up your sweat. More info on this watch can be found over here.

The Sunglasses: Ray-Ban 0RB4187 Square Sunglasses – $125. Rubberized, so they’ll stay put even if the bridge of your nose gets sweaty.

The Socks: Smartwool No-Show Socks – $13.95. Wool > Cotton. So much better than cotton, especially when it comes to managing sweat.

The Shoes: Sperry Wahoo LTT Sneaker – $54.95. Breathable, lightweight canvas kicks for the dead of summer.

The Shade: Glory Hats by Goorin ‘Killian’ Fedora – $35. We don’t typically push hats around these parts, but when lower latitude sun exposure can be high, having a hat on hand for protection isn’t a bad idea. And in conditions like these, you can get away with it.

The Sun Protection: COOLA Organic Suncare SPF 30 Cucumber Face Sunscreen Moisturizer – $32. The body sunscreen of choice on this site is Titanium Dioxide sunscreen, which is typically kid’s sunscreen. (It doesn’t contain Avobenzone, which if it gets on your clothing, can react to hard water and turn to rust in the washing machine, thus causing stains.) But if you want something lighter for your face that won’t leave that greasy sunscreen slick behind, Coola’s sunscreen moisturizer is a good bet. The scent is pleasant and light, and it won’t clog up pores like some heavier sunscreens can.