Shirt and Shorts Sets – The Matching Summer Look

Short answer: A shirt and shorts set for men is summer's easy shortcut to looking well dressed: a shirt and shorts in the same or matching tones give a coherent look without effort. With bamboo in the wardrobe it also becomes a set that breathes on a hot day.

Why a set works

Two pieces in the same colour read as one garment, so a set looks considered without anything having been matched. It is the same rule that applies to a tracksuit set, only in a thinner fabric and a neater cut.

The shirt in the set

The shirt should be loose and thin, so it can be worn open over a T-shirt or closed on its own. See the range of bamboo shirts for men and choose a model without a stiff collar if the set is mainly for a hot day.

The shorts in the set

The shorts should end just above the knee, because shorter reads as sporty and longer makes the legs look shorter. See bamboo shorts for men and choose a model with a flat waistband if the shirt is to be tucked in.

Same colour or matching

Exactly the same colour is the simplest and most coherent. Two tones of the same colour also work if the difference is clear enough to look like a choice. Two almost identical colours, by contrast, look as though you got it wrong in the morning.

The layer under the shirt

A bamboo T-shirt for men under an open shirt makes the set more relaxed and also absorbs perspiration before it reaches the shirt. Choose a white or dark T-shirt depending on whether the shirt is pale or dark, so it does not show.

The alternative with a polo

If the shirt is too much, a bamboo polo shirt for men in the same colour as the shorts can give the same coherent look with less trouble. The collar lifts the outfit, and there are no buttons to keep track of.

For which occasions

A set works for a lunch, a holiday and a summer party in the garden. It is too relaxed for a meeting and too neat for the beach. The rest of the summer wardrobe is under bamboo for men in the same colours.

The shoes with a set

Low trainers or espadrilles are what make the set look coherent. Strapped sandals pull the look towards the beach, and closed leather shoes pull it too far the other way. It is the shoes that place the set on the scale.

Washing and creases

Wash at 30 degrees without fabric softener and hang the pieces to dry while they are damp. Bamboo viscose smooths itself out on a hanger within half an hour, which is why a set rarely needs ironing if it is hung up immediately. See also bamboo and temperature regulation.