Men's Holiday Clothes: Terrace Style in the Sun
Packing for a holiday comes down to one thing: a few good pieces that work together, because the best getaway wardrobes are built on less, not more. A couple of breathable shirts, a few knitted polos for the evenings, chino shorts for the day, swim shorts, a tidy pair of trainers, and a cap will see you through a week with room to spare in the case. Keep everything to a few neutral colours and it all mixes, so you get more outfits from fewer items.
This is a wardrobe for the way we actually get away. Maybe it is a fortnight chasing the sun somewhere hot, maybe it is a long weekend on the British coast with a pint and a sea view. Either way, casual clothing was made for it: unbothered, quietly sharp, and happy in the heat. Every piece here is on the rails at RD1 Clothing, picked because it travels light and still turns heads when you land.
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What to pack for a men's holiday
Short on time? Here is the run-down. Sort these and your case is done, whether the forecast says 30 degrees or a fresh sea breeze:
- Two or three breathable shirts
- A plain tee or two, plus a knitted polo for evenings out
- Chino shorts for the daytime and a pair of swim shorts for the water
- One reliable pair of trainers
- A cap and your sunglasses
- A light layer for the flight home or a cooler night
Hold yourself to a tight palette of navy, cream and stone, and the mixing sorts itself out. From here we go through the getaway wardrobe piece by piece, with a couple of our favourites in each.
The getaway wardrobe, piece by piece
Shirts
Nothing works harder on holiday than a good shirt. Throw it over a tee for wandering round a harbour town, or wear it open with the sleeves pushed up once the sun drops. Reach for linen blends and lightweight cotton, the fabrics that let the heat pass straight through you.
Sergio Tacchini Ben Short Sleeve Shirt Mojave/Gardenia - was £65 now £52
The Ben Short Sleeve Shirt in Mojave and Gardenia is a relaxed spin on Sergio Tacchini's heritage look. Cut from breathable cotton with a clean silhouette, it is the kind of shirt you reach for at a beach bar and keep on for dinner. Easy, understated, and built for the heat.
Selected Linen Blend Short Sleeve Shirt Rose Dawn - £45
Warm days call for linen, and the Selected linen blend shirt in Rose Dawn delivers. The airy weave keeps you cool while the soft colour suits a suntan, and it looks the part with denim, chinos or your swim shorts on the walk back from the beach. A proper hot-weather staple.
Only & Sons Onstrev Life Stripe Shirt Navy - £30
When the sea breeze picks up of an evening, a long-sleeve shirt earns its keep. The Only & Sons Onstrev Life Stripe Shirt in Navy has a subtle stripe running through and a classic button-through cut, sitting comfortably between smart and casual. Roll the sleeves for the beach, button it up for a bar.
Tees and knitted polos
Under the shirts sit your tees and polos, the quiet backbone of any trip. A plain tee in a safe colour never lets you down, so bring a couple and let them work overtime. Come the evening, a knitted polo is the move, lifting a look far beyond what a tee can manage. They have crept right back into fashion lately, something we get into properly in our guide to men's knitted polo shirts.
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Parlez Myer T-Shirt White - £45
A clean white tee is a holiday non-negotiable, and the Parlez Myer keeps it dead simple. Soft cotton, an understated chest logo and a regular fit make it the easiest thing to throw on for a day of doing very little. It slides under every shirt on this list without a second thought.
Arthur & Russell Knitted Stripe Button Through Polo Navy - £65
The Arthur & Russell Knitted Stripe Button Through Polo in Navy is your evening upgrade. A lightweight knit with a subtle stripe, it reads smart enough for a nicer dinner yet stays relaxed on a warm night. This is the piece that takes you from sun lounger to a table without a change of gear.
Fila Giorgio Crochet Patchwork Knitted Polo Navy - was £65 now £52
If you want to turn heads on the last night, the Fila Giorgio Crochet Patchwork Polo in Navy is the one. Its textured crochet knit nods to Fila's sporting past while looking like nothing else on the terrace. A standout piece that carries a whole outfit on its own.
Shorts and swim shorts
You will practically live in shorts once you are away, so a couple of dependable pairs is money well spent. A slim chino short covers the daytime and cleans up nicely for a casual meal out, at home or abroad. Then a separate pair of swim shorts for the pool and the sea, ideally quick-drying so you are not sat around damp. Get these two right and your bottom half is handled for the week.
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Selected Homme Slim-Miles Flex Chino Shorts Cream - £45
The Selected Homme Slim-Miles Flex chino shorts in cream are a warm-weather workhorse, sitting happily with tees, polos or shirts. A slim cut with a touch of stretch keeps them comfortable through a long day of exploring, and the high organic cotton content means they feel soft against a sunburnt leg.
Fila Artoni Swim Short Navy - £35
Straight for the water, the Fila Artoni Swim Short in navy keeps things clean and fuss-free. Lightweight nylon with a mesh lining means it dries fast and stays comfortable in and out of the sea, while the sporty finish looks right whether you are diving in or drying off with a drink.
Trainers
Space in the case is precious, so one pair of trainers has to do the lot. Go for something versatile, a retro court shape in a steady colour is the safe bet, and it is a look the football casual scene has leaned on for decades. We carry a broad run of Diadora trainers, a brand with genuine 80s pedigree behind it.
Diadora Cross Rainy Ensign Blue - £80
The Diadora Cross in Rainy Ensign Blue is the sort of trainer you can wear all trip without a thought. A slim, low silhouette in textile and suede, with quiet contrast detailing that leans on Diadora's archive. It sits easily with everything else in the case and takes a battering on cobbled streets and beach walks alike.
Caps and sunglasses
Two things should never miss the case is a cap and your sunglasses. A cap saves your head on a long day in the sun and rounds off a laid-back look, while a decent pair of sunnies is simply survival gear once the glare kicks in. Both flatten down to nothing, so there is no excuse to leave them behind. A lightweight cap in navy will go with the whole wardrobe above.
Marshall Artist Siren Nylon Ripstop Cap Navy - £35
The Marshall Artist Siren Ripstop Cap in navy is a smart, hard-wearing pick for a trip. Built from lightweight ripstop with clean Siren branding, it shrugs off being stuffed in a bag and comes out ready to wear. A modern, casual finish that suits the whole getaway wardrobe.
Fila Tantam Classic 6-Panel Fasten Cap Mediterrane/Gardenia - £28
The Tantam 6 Panel Cap in Mediterrane and Gardenia brings a summery colour hit to a Fila classic. Traditional six-panel build, adjustable fastening and an embroidered logo make it a proper easy-wear option. Pop it on for the beach or the airport queue and it just works.
Packing light: the holiday capsule
The whole game is a capsule, a small set of pieces that all rub along together. Build round navy, cream, white and stone, then let one bolder piece do the talking, like that knitted polo. Suddenly six or seven items turn into a fortnight of outfits, and you are never rooting through a bag wondering what goes with what. It is the same thinking that runs under proper football casual clothing: buy well, keep it simple, wear it into the ground.
Picture it in motion. The Tacchini shirt over the Parlez tee gets you through a day on your feet, then the knitted polo takes over after a shower for dinner. Chino shorts by day, swim shorts by the water, the Diadora trainers and a cap holding the whole thing together. Everything pairs, nothing sits idle, and it all drops into a carry-on.
What are the best breathable fabrics for hot weather?
Linen and lightweight cotton are the best fabrics for hot weather, because they breathe and let air move against your skin. A linen blend gives you that cool, airy feel with a bit less creasing, while cotton stays soft and comfortable all day. For the water, quick-drying nylon is the one, keeping you at ease whether you are in or out of the sea. Steer clear of heavy synthetics that hold the heat in.
A quick look at the label pays off before you pack. The shirts in this guide lean on breathable cotton and linen blends for that very reason, and the swim shorts use fast-drying nylon. Choosing the right cloth changes a hot day more than almost anything else you could bring.
Sort your getaway wardrobe at RD1
RD1 Clothing is an independent menswear store in the heart of Hastings, a seaside town that knows a thing or two about coastal dressing. We are an authorised stockist of Sergio Tacchini, Fila, Diadora, Marshall Artist and Pretty Green, with sizes up to 4XL so the fit is sorted before you even leave. Shop online or drop into the store, and you get the same friendly, one-to-one service, with a team happy to help you pull a trip together.
We also go live on TikTok every day from 5PM with styling tips, fresh drops and the odd flash deal, well worth a look before you jet off. Delivery is Royal Mail Tracked, and orders over £75 land free on Tracked 48.
With the mid-season sale live right now, there is no better moment to kit out for a break. Reductions run across shirts, polos, shorts and more, so you can pack clever and spend less doing it.