This is a great choice for a smart casual summer outfit. It can be worn for the office but will also look good in social settings where you want to be professional but not overly formal. The basic components of the look are tailored cotton trousers, a white shirt and a lightweight jacket in a blend of wool / silk / linen.

The trousers are the elevated version of chinos that we have discussed here. They have a higher rise, a slightly larger waistband, side adjusters (rather than belt loops) and are worn with a sharp crease down the middle. The fabric is a mid-lightweight cotton. This gives them some drape but also means that they wear cool in hot temperatures. The colour is a classic beige. This is a fairly neutral colour with the advantage that it will pair with a wide range of shirt and jacket colours. They are slim fitting without being skinny. 

The shirt is a mid weight white Oxford cotton. Again this is an extremely versatile choice as it will work with formal outfits (it could be worn with a tie) to smart casual outfits such as this. A good quality, well-fitted white shirt is rarely a bad choice. See our article on shirts here. Given that it is so neutral, it allows you to play around with more colours and textures in other parts of the outfit. This shirt has a hidden button down collar. There is a button loop on the underside of the collar which keeps the collar in place and helps it stand up. 

The jacket is a light to mid weight (around 250g) blend of wool, linen and silk. We have looked at these jackets before here. They are one of the best choices to make for smart summer jackets as they are lightweight but have some structure and they don’t crease too much. This colour is a light to mid-brown which has some surface interest from the bits of white that are mixed in with the brown. The construction is a relaxed, Neapolitan style, with lightweight padding and relaxed shoulders. It’s a 3 roll 2 button stance which is typical of the Neapolitan style. 

These are very conservative colours individually and they harmonise together well in a subtle way. The look is elegant and casual but also appropriate for professional settings.