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By The Editors of GQ
If you don't own a grip of go-to summer shirts already, now's the time to rectify your mistake. Temperatures are on the upswing across the country, and in GQ HQ, where shirtlessness is sadly still verboten, figuring out how to deal with it is priority numero uno. Like you, we're largely suffering through the heat with the AC on full blast—and like you, shuffling to and from the subway is enough to get our pits steaming.
So we rolled up our sleeves (metaphorically speaking, for the most part) and got down to business, in the form of a highly official survey of the summer shirts GQ staffers swear by this season. Looking for an airy linen button-up to wear with high-waisted khakis and loafers? We got you. In the market for a slinky knit polo that'll sync up equally well with white jeans and pleated shorts? Say less. Just after a swerve-y graphic tee that won't make you feel like a surly teen? We didn't forget about you, either. Better yet, every pick below clocks in at under 150 bucks, and plenty of 'em cost less than $100. Enjoy.
All products featured on GQ are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
You want to know how you make the classic polo feel a whole lot of sexy? You're looking at it. —Tyler Chin
The fastest way to make every day feel like vacation. —Avidan Grossman
The Swiss Army Knife of button-ups is, undoubtedly, the blue striped shirt. —Gerald Ortiz
Much like you, your favorite mall brand had a serious glow-up since your last visit. And much like you, it really loves linen. —Michella Oré
Friendly reminder: Banana Republic is good now. —Yang-Yi Goh
The secret about leopard is that it's actually the perfect neutral. —Brandon Tan
The Toronto-based swimwear experts at Bather also make top-notch camp shirts, including a pared-down riff on the guayabera we've extolled the virtues of before—and won't stop plugging until you buy one for yourself. —Avidan Grossman
Thanks to an airy cotton-modal blend, this shirt will keep sweaty pits far, far away. —Michella Oré
A relaxed, lightweight summer shirt worthy of a tropical vacation and a glass of Havana rum on the rocks. —Kyle Hodge
A great shirt for riding around with the top down while the wind buffets your hair—with some nifty patch pockets to hold your car keys. —Jake Woolf
It's easy to forget about the shirting specialists at Portuguese Flannel, the braintrust behind some of the sickest affordable button-ups on the planet. Easy, that is, until you stumble across a gem like this, and have to reckon with why the hell you were sleeping on them in the first place. —Avidan Grossman
Easy, breezy, beautiful, and ready to help you free the nipple. —Lori Keong
Pair this big, baggy khaki shorts and penny loafers and you'll look like you came straight out of the hallowed pages of Take Ivy. —Gerald Ortiz
This shirt offers the best of everything: the bicep-hugging fabric of a knit polo and the "wear everyday" form of Buck Mason's fan-favorite tees. —Jake Woolf
The striped shirt you need, now available in a half-dozen summer-ready colors. —Avidan Grossman
Your torso deserves a little seersucker, as a treat. —Michella Oré
No summer wardrobe is truly complete without a sick graphic tee in the mix. And Toronto's BBE ranks among the finest practitioners of the form. —Yang-Yi Goh
“Whippersnapper” is usually a pejorative, but this crisp western-inspired camp shirt does the term justice. —Avidan Grossman
For those who don't want to go the full tie-dye route, a more subtle acid wash will add a little flair to your summer fits. —Kyle Hodge
The knit polo wave hasn't crested yet, and when there are so many sick sub-$100 options out there (e.g. this subtle checkerboard number), it probably won't anytime soon. —Jake Woolf
A western shirt doesn't have to be dyed in indigo, ya know. In this case, this snappy number comes straight out of the dust bowl. —Gerald Ortiz
Between the boxy cut and perfect sage hue, this knit shirt is an easy winner. —Brandon Tan
Rarefied energy at a reasonable ~$100 price point. —Lori Keong
Blouse I own this shirt. I love this shirt. Once you do, you will, too. —Avidan Grossman