Okay, so these are not going to be for everyone - in fact when I posted a picture of something similar on my Instagram Stories and asked "Would you wear one?" with the answers being "Yes, very cool" or "No, trying too hard" - the reaction was a 50/50 split!

But I noticed loads of guys wearing them on a recent holiday in Sicily and they looked great. So for the sake of something different, that we don't see every year in menswear, I've decided to go with the "Yes, very cool" folk and choose some of my favourites.

And you never know, perhaps if you were in the "No, trying too hard" camp, and you see them styled here in very wearable ways, perhaps you'll change your mind?

So the first one is from Reiss - I bought a similar polo shirt version from here whilst shopping with a client. This olive green is very much within most guys comfort zones (and looks especially great if you have red hair) and the shape is not unusual, so it's just the fabric that's the standout part. It's also quite a dense weave, so it won't be too see-through.

You don't have to style it with light trousers like they have here either, you could try it over jeans if you want to tone it down even further. 

Olive green cotton crochet Cuban collar shirt - Reiss - £118

With it's neat shape, and subtle, floral pattern, this shirt is a little more elegant, and doesn't have quite such a boho 'granny's hand crochet' feel to it as some of the others. It also has a lightweight lining so you don't need to layer anything under it. 

I love the summery feel of it with these pale blue trousers and trainers, but if you want to keep it more casual, you could swap them out for a pair of faded jeans. Or see some alternative ways of styling it here. 

Cream floral crochet shirt - Percival at Harvey Nichols - £180

This one is a bit more transparent as it's loosely woven but as this brand started off just doing beach wear, I think that's allowed, don't you?! It'll also keep you cool with all those holes that a light breeze can whip through.

If you prefer, you can easily wear a t-shirt underneath it - you can see it styled like that here - and it's in a safe colour of navy, so it keeps it from being too 'out there' as the crocheted texture is enough to be getting on with.

It'd be great for a beach holiday to wear out in the evening, with shorts like it's styled here, or linen trousers.

Navy 'Raul' relaxed fit cotton crochet polo shirt - Frescobol Carioca at Selfridges - £325

Now I'm not completely sure about the socks and sandals combo in this pic but I love the nod to the seventies with the dark brown.

It almost feels more like a lightweight summer cardigan than a shirt, when worn over a t-shirt. I think it looks great with the off white trousers, but if you're not into that look then don't forget chocolate brown also looks excellent with light blue denim.

Instead of the footwear shown here you could wear dark brown Birkenstocks, trainers or loafers depending on the vibe you were going for, where you're wearing it and how smart you wanted to be.

Brown crochet knitted organic cotton shirt - Oliver Spencer - £84

This one's got a really interesting texture to it which looks like a pattern from afar. I like how they've styled it with black trousers and sandals here to give it a smarter look.

For an alternative and very wearable outfit, you could use it like a summer version of an over-shirt.....leave it open layered over a white t-shirt, black jeans and white trainers.

This way, your mates in the pub won't be wondering why you've 'got your wife's shirt on' but wondering how you always manage to look so modern and cool.

Net camp collar crochet knit shirt - Portuguese Flannel at Mr Porter - £105

 

Have I convinced you yet?! No worries if not, but if you would like to be a bit more experimental in how you dress and be challenged to try some new things, then book in below for a shopping trip with me. I'll pick out things that push the boat out, so you gently sail away from your comfort zone!

But I promise I'm not too pushy if you don't like some of the things I've picked,.....I only ask you to try them and you might be surprised as to what you discover, but if you don't like them no problem, I'll have alternatives ready for you! 

And don't worry, I'll also tell you what to wear everything with too and put outfits together for you after the shopping trip.

Sound good? Book in below or get in touch if you have any questions.

Did you like this post? Check these out too:

How to accessorise for Summer 2024

What casual shoes to wear in Summer 2024