It’s important to roughly know your ideal measurements when ordering shirts. The alpha sizing (small, medium, large, etc.) leaves so much to be desired and it’s important to check the measurements the brand offers.

For example the European brands are usually going to be much smaller than American brands. I have a Brooks Brothers polo in XL that is bigger than a Lacoste polo I have in XXL. The chest/sleeve opening/sleeve length measurements are all just a tick smaller on the Lacoste, but the length is a full 5 inches shorter.

Find a shirt you really like and take all the standard measurements off of it so you have something to reference when shopping.

This short sleeve Ralph Lauren seersucker shirt is an innings eater for me in the summer and one of my favorite shirts. You need a few of these guys on your team if you’re in the south. They’re not anything you’re thrilled to put on in the morning but they’ll get you through the extreme heat in style.

These aren’t hard to find second hand online. I got this for cheap without a flaw.

Unfortunately today many outlet stores aren’t worth it. Outlets used to be where brands sold their defected items and you could get some great deals on quality clothing because of a minor defect no one would ever notice. Today outlet stores are usually a completely different line from that brand. Usually made with cheaper materials and lower overall quality

No one tells you this but you can just measure a shirt you like and base future purchases off those measurements

You need to thrift old Brooks Brothers and Ralph Lauren pique polos for cheap. They’re the perfect summer shirt if you live somewhere that gets really hot.

Trust me they’re not any warmer than the t-shirt you’d wear instead.
They’re really durable and because you thrifted them for a few bucks you can sweat in them and really beat them up without really caring.

The perfect summer shirt for just running around town with the wife and kids

Disappointed to report that the Spier and Mackay paper chinos didn’t pass the fit test. The rise is great but the leg is too tight. Still on the hunt for a pair of lightweight chinos

Both of these are 30% off on J.Crew’s site right now. I own both and they’re great. If you’re in the market for an alternative to your stone chino shorts or need a great fall/winter pant these fit the bill.

Scooped these up for $30 when Sperry had their big sale last month. These definitely aren’t a pair I’ll wear very often, but for $30 it felt like a must. They’re definitely not anywhere close to a formal shoe but they’ll be a nice pair to add some juice to a casual outfit on the water.

Just found a Brooks Brothers pique polo at the local thrift store for $5. The bottom of the sleeves has a tiny bit of wear you’d never notice unless you were inspecting the shirt but otherwise in great condition. Complete steal.

The perfect shirt to throw on to run some quick errands in the summer