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Style & beauty

What is it with British men in hot weather?

(180 Posts)
Casdon Wed 18-Jun-25 18:47:14

I was driving through town this afternoon, and as the traffic was queueing, I noticed what everybody was wearing on this beautiful sunny day. Most women looked smart, and as if they had dressed for the weather, but oh dear, the men. Some with no tops and their belly over their trousers, some with too tight nylon sports tops, some with what looked like their football shorts on with a long sleeved shirt. Suit wearers had taken their jackets and ties off, and had their long sleeved shirts loose. I didn’t see even one who looked half decent, no chinos, short sleeved shirts, tailored shorts, polo shirts, or sandals without socks to be seen. I think I live in a male style desert.

SheepyIzzy Thu 19-Jun-25 14:26:05

windmill1

Oh yes, sadly. The first sign of sunshine - at any time of year - and British men's sense of style goes out the window, and it isn't brilliant to begin with.

So many favour those appalling Cargo Shorts, ultra-baggy three quarter length shorts, usually in a drab and washed out khaki, with pockets all over. Very much favoured by distinctly out-of-shape blokey's, the waistband either balanced on top of their beer gut or tucked underneath, with hairy little legs poking out and topped off by the scruffiest trainers.

And, it goes without saying, these guys obviously don't believe in ironing anything. I can only suppose they think that Real Men Don't Do Ironing.

Let's not forget, how could we, the ever-present Baseball cap.

British men, in warmer weather, display their "take-me-as-I-am" attitude via their sartorial laziness and boorish ignorance. They truly look as if they dressed in whatever happened to be lying on the bedroom floor when they rolled out of bed in the morning.......

You've given me a laugh!!

I was in the car with dad ages ago and he started his usual comments regarding women, their bulges and very tight clothes.

So I said, "what about men who have trousers with a tight shirt tucked in and their bellies overhanging?"

"That's different!" Was his reply!

Polly7 Thu 19-Jun-25 14:09:32

I suppose there is an ignorance about bareing in public streets etc or is it arrogance ego thing 🤔

Nanny27 Thu 19-Jun-25 14:06:13

I forgot to say he also had a bush hat to complete the look. Poor Mum.

Nanny27 Thu 19-Jun-25 14:05:06

My father had a pair of voluminous khaki shorts left over from fighting in thw Burma jungle in WW11. Every summer without fail they put in an appearance when he was gardening or doing other 'weekend jobs'. My poor mother tried so hard to wean him off them but he wouldn't part with them. If visitors called when he was at the end of the garden she used to say he was out!

Aveline Thu 19-Jun-25 14:03:41

People can wear whatever they like and other people can think what they like of the appalling apparitions currently around in this heatwave. I'm not judgemental - just human!

Kazzmarie12 Thu 19-Jun-25 13:56:40

Is it just white flabby bodies you object too? Or any colour?

Sarahr Thu 19-Jun-25 13:44:58

My DH is wearing dark denim jeans with a black t-shirt. He has his smart casual shoes on with socks as he doesn't have summer shoes, as such. He was positively over dressed compared with the men we saw while out this morning. No beer gut over hang, no builders bottom, just neatly tidy. He isn't one for glamour but always looks right when out.
I don't think the majority of men have any idea what they look like and if they do, they don't care. I am in my "at home" clothes just now, but when we go out I change into something more suitable. I got quite a few looks as I was wearing my straw hat with co-ordinated trim this morning. I like to look nice. I'm not a fashion follower, in fact probably quite old fashioned at times, but I know what looks ok on me.

Nanny27 Thu 19-Jun-25 13:44:35

Well Mr 27 tends to wear shorts from roughly April to October. Never the sports variety mostly knee length teamed with either a polo shirt or short sleeves shirt and a hoodie when it's chilly. However he's playing golf today so long trousers are a must.
I think he generally looks nice.

knspol Thu 19-Jun-25 13:22:47

Apologies don't know what happened there, the first post disappeared and then came back again later.

knspol Thu 19-Jun-25 13:19:57

I think we should all be less judgemental, maybe the 'badly dressed' people don't have any alternative hot weather gear after all heat waves aren't that common in the UK.
I don't like to see men with no tops on walking around the town either whether fit or flabby, pale skinned or tanned, tattooed or otherwise but maybe they don't like to see my milk bottle white legs peeking out from under my dress!
Neither do I think that I all Italian men are stylish or that Uk men aren't.

knspol Thu 19-Jun-25 13:10:20

I agree that I don't want to see men without tops walking around in the town whether they're fit or flabby, pale skinned or tanned, tattooed or not but I do think that what people wear on the relatively rare hot days might well be because that's all they have got. I think we should all be less judgemental.

TheWeirdoAgain1 Thu 19-Jun-25 13:02:35

Thanks a bunch to you all for hilarious responses, including

''anyone with an enormous arse!''

HA HA HA!

escaped Thu 19-Jun-25 13:00:26

And Lacoste TerriBull! 😆

escaped Thu 19-Jun-25 12:58:23

I never wear polo shirts or t-shirts; only bodybuilders look good in them.
What? Even ones by Fendi or Moncler?

TheWeirdoAgain1 Thu 19-Jun-25 12:57:32

And it's not just the men with their bare fat flabby bellies!

Some women can be as bad with barely anything on top flashing their huge saggy boobs and fat spotty flappy arms all looking like burned sausages! Overly sweaty too!

It's not for me to tell others what to wear so I just try to ignore them as much as possible!

When I was a bus driver during a heat wave I had a woman trying to get on with nothing but a VERY skimpy 2-piece bikini that barely cover her thingies, I put my hand up and said NO! She got off quick!

TerriBull Thu 19-Jun-25 12:57:23

Someone mentioned baseball caps up thread, come on give them a break, men need to cover their heads in this weather, my husband always has one in his golf bag. It was noticeable when I first went to the US back in the '90s how ubiquitous they were, it's the heat and the much revilled back to front, the peak covers the back of the neck, maybe not so dumb.

My other half apart from being married to me is also wed to his lacoste polo shirts, he has them in practically every colour available, and umpeen chinos and deck shoes tend to be his choice, occasionally shorts, but forever lamenting on his too white legs don't match the rest very brown face and armsgrin I would agree bare torsos are really for the beach and around a pool, not Sainsbury's, there was such a man in my local one recently. No one wants to come face to face with anyone else 's nipples when buying Maris Pipers shock

GrannyGravy13 Thu 19-Jun-25 12:32:37

Oh dear, I am not far from several holiday beaches we are used to topless men promenading along the sea front, as well as women in shorts and bikini tops.

No idea what they wear in the town as I have only visited it twice in the last 12 years (in winter)

The men in my family (under 11’s excepted) do not wander around without either a t-shirt (teens) or polo shirt AS’s and DH.

Tailored shorts are firm favourite, even in casual dining restaurants here and abroad. Linen trousers worn in more upmarket eateries.

As for myself, DD and DiL’s we are likely to be found wearing long linen dresses out and about, and yes in my mid sixties I am happy going sleeveless, still wear knee length denim shorts in a multitude of colours.

Having just got back from holiday I was more comfortable in bikinis than swimsuits or tankinis round the pool and on the beach. Slipping on a dress to go to the bar, DH would slip on a nice t-shirt (no football or tacky pictures/slogans)

There are plenty of smart British men and women in the summer, I think they outnumber the not so smart

westendgirl Thu 19-Jun-25 12:13:35

I think some of you are very judgemental of your own sex. Why comment about varicose veins . ?If you haven't got them , you are very lucky. If they upset you don't look at people's legs.
I do have them , find them embarrassing but I will not wear thick tights in this weather.

Boz Thu 19-Jun-25 11:17:33

I don't think women in this country invest in summer clothes unless they have a lot of social engagements - the Season as it were - because of our climate. Yet again a slob is a slob whatever the sex or season. Some people interpret casual as slob-wear and think football shirts and swimming trunks are cool for the heat.
You can also tell a man that has been pulled-in-line by his partner "You are not coming out with me looking like that" and sent back to his room to change!
My DH is well dressed in my presense and I avert my eyes when he goes out rambling with his mates dressed by courtesy of Craighopper.

Magenta8 Thu 19-Jun-25 11:10:28

Esmay Thank you for giving me a good laugh. I now have a mental image of an obese man strutting around wearing nothing but knickers.grin

Netherbyg84 Thu 19-Jun-25 11:03:13

Some of you are so intolerant and judgemental of the opposite sex.
Women, of all ages, can be just as badly dressed as men. Where I am in Glasgow you see teenage girls with "skirts" resembling knickers, one young girl i saw recently going into a night club with only a thin piece of material separatng her buttocks and a tiny bit of material at the front.
And overweight women seem completely unconcerned that their fat stomachs and arms are being squeezed into too tight clothing, looking like characters in a 1960s seaside postcard.

Granmarderby10 Thu 19-Jun-25 10:55:35

Tongue-in-cheek …but I think people should wear whatever they want to as long as they don’t scare the horses or children.
….But it is wise to protect yourself from the effects of sunburn as we should all know by now.

Witzend Thu 19-Jun-25 10:50:31

Aveline

Forget the men. I've seen some appalling sights on women of an age to know better! Wrinkly cleavages and varicose veins on display are never attractive nor are baby doll style dresses on elderly, mahogany faced ladies.

Yes, people can wear whatever they like, and all that, but I do wince internally when seeing e.g. shoestring tops on fat, bingo-wings old arms.
Not to mention skin tight leggings with very short tops on anyone with an enormous arse!

Esmay Thu 19-Jun-25 10:43:57

Oops .
Sorry about typos.
I just can't be bothered these days .
Years ago I went out with Mr Very Scuffy and his house disgusting .
I felt like a domestic.

One person I'm not missing is my neighbour's grossly overweight son in law who parades around in his knickers .

grumppa Thu 19-Jun-25 10:41:03

Thank you for all the doubtless well-meant criticism and advice, ladies.

I only wear shorts and go topless on the beach, though I did take my shirt off in my back garden yesterday, when I was demolishing a dead vine in blazing heat. I never wear polo shirts or t-shirts; only bodybuilders look good in them, octogenarians generally don't. I would not be seen dead in a shirt with short sleeves - I wear long ones rolled up. I take pride in ironing my shirts, and today I am wearing a linen suit for my trip to Pall Mall, where the high ceilings of my club help coolness to be maintained. I am sure that the lady members (admitted on exactly equal terms with the men) will do their sex proud.