Men: what are you wearing this summer?

But while many of us may welcome the heat wave, it has left some people wondering what on earth to wear.

And men, in particular, can struggle to find an appropriate outfit for hot weather.

As Nick Michell, menswear fashion buyer at Bradbeers department store in Romsey explains, while women tend to buy for the coming season – and therefore are more prepared – men tend to wait until the hot weather has made it clear it’s here to stay before they are willing to splash out on new clothing.

What’s more, he says men are often uncomfortable with shopping and can make the mistake of not trying things on, or pulling something out of the back of their wardrobe that has been there for years, all leading to some terrible fashion faux pas.

Of course, there are plenty of men who may not care that socks with sandals raise sniggers if they’re comfortable, some men do want to get it right, but might not be quite sure what ‘right’ actually is.

“Having had a few bad summers men are digging shirts out from the back of their wardrobes that may have worn a bit thin round the collar,” says Nick.

“It can also be a problem that men hang onto clothes for a long time and their body may have changed so that they don’t fit anymore. It’s best to avoid tight-fitting clothes if you’re carrying a bit of weight.

Sometimes you see men with their stomach sticking out under their T-shirts and it doesn’t look good!”

Nick thinks that some of men’s summer fashion mistakes can be down to not enjoying shopping – they may order items online that turn out not to fit but feel they can’t be bothered to send them back or buy items in shops without trying them on.

“Some brands change their sizes from one year to the next so it’s important to try things on,” says Nick.

He adds that the best way to stay looking good is to stick to the 80/20 rule. The majority of your wardrobe should be made up of classic staple items and it’s here that it’s particularly worth investing in quality.

The other 20 per cent should be fashion or ‘accent’ items that may only last for one or two seasons.

And never, never, wear socks with sandals!

What not to wear: 

Socks with sandals are summer's biggest no-no!

Don't go topless in the street

Very short shorts look dated and can be unflattering

Dark colours absorb the heat and grey shows sweat marks

Make sure your clothes fit - avoid items which cling to your curves