The best short-sleeve shirts for your laid-back summer wardrobe
The short-sleeve shirt has fast emerged as summer’s go-to statement maker. From Percival to Prada, here’s our pick of the best to get ahead of the game
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As we wake up to clearer skies and begin to leave our offices while it's still light out, summer wardrobes are fast becoming a priority. And the key to any strong summer look? A strong short-sleeve shirt. Offering plenty of opportunity for layering, short-sleeve shirts have a shelf life far beyond the warmer season, while offering plenty more smart and statement appeal than a T-shirt of the plain or graphic kind can.
As with the collections of designers for several years now, short-sleeve shirts made a big impression on the SS24 runways, with micro-trends ranging from artistic, painterly motifs to all-over logos. But fashion weeks aside, going simple and chic with your short-sleeve shirts (think subtlety like vertical stripes or contrast trims to the sleeves and collar) is a style move that will see you through a summer of pub garden get-togethers, barbeques and even casual weddings.
Paired with shorts, shades and your favourite pair of loafers, it's a laidback look that's harder to get wrong than it is right. So, without further ado, here's our pick of the best short-sleeve shirts you can buy right now.
What are GQ's best short-sleeve shirts for men?
You'll find all the short-sleeve shirts worth your consideration in the gallery below, but first, here's what our editors are wearing this season:
- Best overall short-sleeve shirt: Percival, £139, percivalclo.com
- Best budget short-sleeve shirt: Arket, £47, arket.com
- Best designer short-sleeve shirt: Simone Rocha, £625, mrporter.com
- Best patterned short-sleeve shirt: Oliver Spencer, £160, mrporter.com
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1/17Best overall short-sleeve shirt: Percival
- Fabrication: Cotton
- Sizes: XS-XXL
- Colours: Black
In an increasingly classic display of Percival infiltrating Hollywood, Chris Evans wore this impressionist shirt to the premiere of Lightyear last summer. Naturally, the design sold out. But never fear, for the shirt that launched a thousand new leases of life on a thousand men’s wardrobes has returned to stock. To be applied with a pair of tailored trousers and some simple silver jewellery. £139. percivalclo.com
2/17Best patterned short-sleeve shirt: Oliver Spencer
- Fabrication: Linen
- Sizes: S-XXL
- Colours: Green
Pistachio green is one of several pastels gearing up for a stylish summer. If you're keen to embrace it, Oliver Spencer serves the shade perfectly through this latest offering. Fused with a classic checked print across its earthy-hued body, this short-sleeve shirt is made from a breathable linen material and features an airy camp collar above its beige button fastenings. Nature-cued style never looked so appealing. £160. At mrporter.com
3/17Best budget short-sleeve shirt: Arket
- Fabrication: Linen
- Sizes: 44-54
- Colours: White, blue, grey
You can't go wrong with a staple white shirt, especially one which promises longevity at a price which won't break the bank. Enter this latest design by Arket. Crafted from 100 per cent linen and shaped to a boxy silhouette, this short-sleeve style is perfect for those looking to communicate some louche sensibilities through their wardrobe this summer. Layer it over some wide leg trousers and base it with leather sandals for the most effortless stance. £47. At arket.com
4/17Best designer short-sleeve shirt: Simone Rocha
- Fabrication: Cotton
- Sizes: XS-XL
- Colours: Black
Is black a summer faux pas? Certainly not if served through a Broderie Anglaise shirt. Signature to British designer Simone Rocha, this short-sleeve style is cut from a cotton-poplin blend and enriched with the embroidered technique across its elegant frame. If you're a fan of this texture, be sure to check out the matching drawstring shorts to complete the look. £625. At mrporter.com
5/17Polo Ralph Lauren
- Fabrication: Linen
- Sizes: XS-XXL
- Colours: Navy, white, beige
It's not like Ralph Lauren to stray from its favoured button-down, but this short-sleeve shirt makes us very pleased that it did. Swapping out a preppy, traditional collar for a more chilled-out spread version, this piece is more relaxed than the label has ever been. This is Ralph Lauren in vacation mode. £159. ralphlauren.co.uk
6/17Reiss
- Fabrication: Cotton blend
- Sizes: XS-XXL
- Colours: Beige, khaki
Simple will see you far, particularly when it comes to building up your short sleeved shirt arsenal. At Reiss, you’ll always find something to last, with a special shoutout going to this current open-collar style. Available in two earthy shades – beige and khaki – its cotton-blended silhouette has a slight stretch for extra comfort and features a timeless ribbed texture across the body and sleeves. £98. At reiss.com
7/17Drake's
- Fabrication: Linen
- Sizes: XS-XXL
- Colours: Red
As one of the leading modern sources for an Ivy League-inspired wardrobe, Drake's is a top port of call for a smart short-sleeve shirt. Favouring the use of popping primary colours in its collections, this latest design is built from bright red linen texture, and is unique to the brand through its vertical front pleats and four-pocketed front. A grade style game pending (simply purchase to score). £195. At drakes.com
8/17Paul Smith
- Fabrication: Cotton
- Sizes: XS-XXL
- Colours: Chambray
Assembled from 100 per cent cotton, Paul Smith's chambray-shaded shirt is as simple and effective as it gets. Infused with the designer's acclaimed 'Broad Stripe Zebra' across its preppy-like silhouette, it's cut to sit with a regular fit, fastened with a button down collar and detailed with a patch pocket at the top of the chest. One to last for the long run. £135. At paulsmith.com
9/17Orlebar Brown
- Fabrication: Viscose blend
- Sizes: S-XXL
- Colours: White
To the ‘gents unafraid of turning heads this summer, allow us to introduce this latest short-sleeve shirt by Orlebar Brown. Crepe in its texture and cuban-collared in its shape, it’s printed with an abstract floral pattern: the outlines of which are accentuated with block-coloured trims. Style it with some white swim shorts and you'll be ready to hit the poolside. £345. At mrporter.com
10/17Mr P
- Fabrication: Merino wool
- Sizes: XS-XXL
- Colours: Navy
If you're a fan of Jude Law and Matt Damon's outfits in The Talented Mr Ripley, this short sleeve shirt by Mr P may just be the one for you. Oozing elegance from head to toe, it's crafted from a luxury merino wool and nods to 1950s Italian knitwear through its boxy silhouette, neat racking stitch and contrasting striped trims. Layer it over some beige tailored trousers for the most nonchalant summer move. £165. At mrporter.com
11/17Husbands
- Fabrication: Cotton
- Sizes: 36-43
- Colours: Dove grey
Founded on the idea to offer every core component of the classic wardrobe, Parisian brand Husbands is maxing waves in menswear through its sartorially-inclined essentials – a fine case in point being this short-sleeve shirt. Assembled from pure cotton and infused with a box pleat for a little more structure, it's detailed with an 8.8cm collar, French button placket and front patch pocket. Simple and understated, it's an epitome of French style. £205. At husbands-paris.com
12/17Fred Perry
- Fabrication: Cotton
- Sizes: XS-XXL
- Colours: Black
Looking to serve a subcultural stance via your short-sleeve shirt of choice? Few brands ensure it better than Fred Perry. A long-time favourite for generations of artists, the British brand's laurel wreath logo is one of the coolest touches to a casual outfit – perfectly proven in the case of this revere collar shirt. Shaped with a boxy fit and digitally printed with a brown-toned wave graphic, it's boldly artistic and stylish at once. £120. At fredperry.com
13/17Cos
- Fabrication: Lyocell blend
- Sizes: XS-XL
- Colours: Blue
Hats off to Cos for crafting a short-sleeve shirt which serves a stylish statement through sustainable production. Decorated with an inverted-floral motif, this blue cuban-collared design has been made from a Tencel Lyocell texture: using renewable wood materials in a process that recycles 99% of all chemicals and water. Cut in a laid-back shape, rest assured that you'll feel effortless and ethical with this across the top of your frame. £75. At cos.com
14/17Polo Ralph Lauren
- Fabrication: Cotton blend terry
- Sizes: XS-XXL
- Colours: Navy blue, bright blue, white, beige
Not all camp-collar shirts are created equal, and this Polo Ralph Lauren pick is a cut above the rest. Washed for added softness, this inky blue beauty is set apart by its super-soft loopback terry cloth construction. £159. ralphlauren.co.uk
15/17Charles Tyrwhitt
- Fabrication: Cotton
- Sizes: S-XXXL
- Colours: Navy, blue, pink
From Long Island mansions to tablecloths on The Great British Bake Off: gingham has a lot of implications. None of them need apply when you’re wearing the classic check: Charles Tyrwhitt’s casual shirting moment might seem conservative, but wear it with your best wide-leg trousers and sneakers and you’re on a different vibe entirely. £64.95. charlestyrwhitt.com
16/17Celine
- Fabrication: Viscose
- Sizes: 37-44
- Colours: Beige, black
The palm tree may be a perfectly ordinary motif to find on a summer shirt, but how many times have you seen the tropical flora cast in metal studs? Celine’s ode to warm weather dressing joins dadwear with rock’n’roll outfitting for a satin finishing product that is an absolute modern classic. £790. At mrporter.com
17/17Prada
- Fabrication: Nylon
- Sizes: XS-XXXL
- Colours: Black
Always simple but never dull, Prada’s distinctive, modern personality flows through every stitch of this short-sleeved shirt. Cut from the label’s innovative, eco-friendly Re-Nylon fabric, this shirt is punctuated with the infamous enamelled triangle logo plaque at the chest. £980. prada.com
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