Lifestyles

Go to any wedding or cocktail party this summer, and chances are you'll find yourself in the buffet line with a fellow male guest wearing a short-sleeved shirt and tie -- and no jacket.

Somehow, this sartorial default, favored by supermarket managers everywhere, became acceptable attire at social events. Blame casual Fridays. Blame it on the bossa nova if you want. But don't succumb, unless you want people asking you where the dairy aisle is.

A man is never truly dressed unless he's wearing a sport coat or blazer.

This season's crop of linen blends, seersucker and silk confer an instant cool, with breathable fabrics and a slimmer silhouette. Light colors, such as eggshell or ivory, uncomplainingly accommodate a bright cotton shirt with contrasting tie.

The linen jacket remains a summer perennial. Its slouchy chic strikes the perfect note between casual and dressy.

"It does wrinkle," says Carl Slesinger, chairman at Larrimor's, Downtown. "But a person who wears linen expects it to wrinkle. It if doesn't wrinkle, they're disappointed. What you're getting from it is a cool, comfortable fit."

Linen sport coats often are blended with cotton, silk, wool, even a touch of Lycra to help retain their shape. At Larrimor's, an unstructured brown canvas sport coat by Ermene Gildo Zegna is 58 percent cotton and 42 percent linen.

"On really hot days, it's a great fabric to wear to a summer wedding," says Daniel Billett, men's fashion and grooming editor at www.about.com.

Don't wear linen after sundown, however, unless you're in a tropical climate. And not every guy is comfortable wearing linen.

"It's a very particular thing," Billett says. "You've got to love that sort of casual, wrinkly easy look. If you're somebody who likes to look pressed, you're not going to like linen."

For those who prefer a more finished look, Land's End features a silk-cashmere three-button blazer in a subtle glen-plaid pattern, shot with a subtle blue. It's closer fitting for a more contemporary look.

Seersucker is another classic look that's receiving an update. If you associated it with Bible salesmen in the Deep South, you may be surprised at the urbane reinterpretations by Ralph Lauren and Brooks Brothers. The latter features seersucker in their new high-end Black Fleece line, which debuted last year.

"It's kind of old-fashioned," Billett says. "It's kind of one of those fabrics when you think of F. Scott Fitzgerald and the Great Gatsby. It's got a classic look to it. It's being used in a more modern way with more modern cuts."

Guys might take a cue from JoS. A. Bank, Downtown, which features a seersucker suit paired with a bold pink-and-blue regimental tie.

"We've been selling this to a lot of younger men lately," says sales associate Tom Imber.

It's OK to mix linen, cotton and silk garments. But don't match too closely. Don't wear a white jacket with eggshell pants.

Never wear more than two patterns at a time. If a sport coat and tie both feature patterns, wear a solid color shirt.

"Keep it simple," says Raymond Harney, sales associate at Larrimor's. "You don't want to be too tricky. A lot of guys, they've got too much going on."

A sport coat that is darker than the pants will be more versatile, Billet says.

"I'd rather see somebody do a darker-toned sport coat and a lighter pant than the other way around," he says. "You're going to get more use out of a darker-toned sport coat. You can wear it with jeans. If you bought a stone-colored sport coat, you're not going to be able to wear it with khaki very easily."

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