10 Can’t-Miss Pieces You Need on Your Radar This Summer

When the temps are high and layers are rare, each item you wear matters more. Everything from your sunglasses to your shoes has to pull as much weight as possible, style-wise. This isn’t the time for ho-hum accessories. And on that rare occasion you’re wearing something like a jacket? That jacket better look fantastic. If this all sounds a little intimidating, don’t worry. We’ve picked out ten pieces that’ll ensure every warm-weather outfit is up to snuff this season. Check ’em out.

Bag ($8,400) by Bottega Veneta.

Done up in Bottega’s famed Intrecciato leather, the Andiamo is the luxury version of a woven beach tote. The feeling is easy, and the quality level is undeniably impressive—but that shouldn’t mean you treat it like an heirloom. This bag isn’t made to sit in an attic. It’s made to carry everything you need when you’re making the most of the season. The best approach? Just let it do its job.

Beach Rackets ($1,200) by Hermès.

Batting a ball back and forth on the sand is a time-honored beach ritual. You could do it with a couple cheap plastic rackets, but if you’ve got the scratch, Hermès offers an upgraded alternative. These Apres la Vague rackets are meant to evoke the feeling you’d get after a California surf session. Your mileage may vary, of course, but there’s no question that they’ll look phenomenal hanging up in your home, wherever that may be.

Shoes ($295) by Birkenstock 1774.

You can talk about flip-flops all you want, but if you ask us, sliding into a pair of Birks is one of the best things about summer. And it’s even better if those Birks are truly special, like this pair made in collaboration with Union Los Angeles. The shape is a blend of two classics—the Boston and the Zurich—and the fabrication is a mix of leather, canvas, and suede. It’s a mash-up that’s more than the sum of its parts.

Jacket ($2,750) by Giuliva Heritage.

You could wear your navy jacket to a summer wedding or garden party. No one’s going to fault you for it. But if you want folks to applaud your outfit choice, we’d like to steer you toward the Stefano blazer from Giuliva. The dusty-pink color is doubtless the first thing you’ll notice. But after that, you can dig into the details, like the linen-and-wool fabric and those beefy peak lapels. Wearing something like this means standing out in the right way.

Sunglasses ($960) by Akoni.

There’s a lot of bluffing and blustering in the eyewear world. You could spend hours on forums and comment sections trying to find out who’s legit, or you could just go to Akoni. The brand is based in Switzerland and produces in Japan, so you know the focus on quality and design is a foregone conclusion. And this pair, with a metal frame encased within acetate, is a shining example of what that kind of expertise can create.

Sneakers ($285) by Stone Island x New Balance.

Canvas kicks have their place. But sometimes you want something a little sturdier. And if it’s got built-in personality—and bragging rights—all the better. New Balance’s latest collaboration with Stone Island sees the iconic 998 silhouette done up in cotton canvas with a rubberized coating that pays homage to the latter brand’s Raso Gommato fabric. It’s a wear-anywhere sneaker and a sartorial flex, all in one.

Reversible Belts ($550 and $480) by Ferragamo.

Ferragamo is known for shoes. Really, really good shoes. And you know what sets the best shoes apart from the ones you find on the discount rack? Great leather. So here’s a pro tip. Take a look at this reversible belt from Ferragamo. Consider the fact that one side is smooth leather (perfect for formal situations) and the other is hammered (which means it’ll look fantastic with jeans). Then ask yourself one question: “Why don’t I own this belt yet?”

Bag ($12,400) by Louis Vuitton Men’s.

We’ve been a fan of Pharrell’s take on the Speedy bag since its debut, so it should come as no surprise that it’s showing up on this list. For the uninitiated, here are the bullet points: It’s made from supple, spongy leather that’ll just get better the more you use it. It looks damn cool. It’s iconic. Even better, you can throw anything you like in it and move about your day. Need we say more?

Sneakers ($975) by Prada.

Remember the days when the coolest guys you knew were wearing gigantic sneakers with enough cushion for an ultramarathoner? Those days are over. The low-profile sneaker is back with a vengeance, and few labels are doing it better than Prada with the Collapse. A crushable kick that owes no small debt of gratitude to the ballet flat, it’s exactly what you need if you want to feel the ground beneath your feet this summer.

Jacket ($3,650) by Loro Piana.

Loro Piana may have enjoyed a recent renaissance as an arbiter of “quiet luxury,” but the real heads know that the brand has been churning out ridiculously beautiful stuff—both quiet and loud—for decades. This raspberry-red anorak is on the bolder side of the spectrum, which makes it a shoo-in for any look with a throwback vibe. But the application of the Storm System treatment (Loro Piana’s proprietary wind- and water-beating membrane) on the linen ensures its well-deserved place in the 21st-century outdoor-gear pantheon.