Every May my sweatshirts went into the cupboard, and I didn’t see them again until October. Then last June my brother laughed at me, because I was shivering in a thin tee on a walk after dinner while he strolled beside me in his sweatshirt looking fine. That small moment changed how I think about an Aimé Leon Dore sweatshirt in summer, because I had always put mine away the minute the heat started. I’ve worn it through a few warm months now, so what follows comes from that. Summer is hot, sure, but it isn’t hot everywhere and all day long. Below I’ll go through when the sweatshirt helps and when it just gets in the way.

Getting to Know the Aimé Leon Dore Sweatshirt

I’m not a big follower of fashion brands, but I do like that Teddy Santis started this one in Queens, New York, and you https://aimeleon.us/  can see it in the clothes, which look more like a local sports club than a runway. Nothing is loud about them, and the logo is a small stitched mark that you only spot when you’re close. Most of the sweatshirts are cotton, but I’ve held two side by side in a shop and they felt nothing alike.Some feel thick and brushed on the inside, and others feel thinner and flatter. When summer is on the way, that thickness is the detail I’d check before anything else, even before the color.

How Summer Changes the Way We Dress

Once the weather heats up, I stop thinking about clothes and grab whatever weighs the least, and I’d guess most people do the same. The shorts come out, the thick things get pushed to the back of the closet, and a sweatshirt usually lands in that pile.Still, a summer day isn’t one long stretch of heat. Mornings where I live start out cool, the afternoon hits hard, and by night near the water you can feel the air turn. Cold cinemas and planes add to this since they run cold all year, so the sweatshirt belongs to the cooler hours of the day much more than the hot ones.

Wearing an Aimé Leon Dore Sweatshirt in Summer Weather

Yes, you can, and I’d say plenty of people already do. The only real rule is to match it to the hour. A thick sweatshirt at two in the afternoon in the sun will leave you sticky and annoyed, however good it looks. That same sweatshirt at nine at night, when the air finally cools, can feel just right.My own way of thinking about it changed once I stopped seeing it as a warm piece. It works more like a thin cover that you pull on when the day cools down, and in July that’s all you really want from it.

Which Aimé Leon Dore Sweatshirt to Pick for Hot Weather

A thin cotton knit lets air through, and a heavy fleece does the opposite by keeping warmth on your chest, so when I’m choosing for summer I go lighter and keep the heavy one for November.Color changes how a sweatshirt feels in the sun more than you’d expect. Pale shades like cream, grey, and soft blue send light back, while navy and black pull the heat in and make the whole thing feel heavier.The cut helps too. A loose crewneck gives your arms and chest some room, so air can move around and sweat doesn’t cling. A tight sweatshirt in summer is a mistake I’ve seen a lot, and it usually ends up tied around someone’s waist within an hour.

The Times of Day When It Works Best

I’d start with the morning, because even in warm cities the air before ten is usually mild enough that a sweatshirt feels nice on a walk to get coffee. Evenings are even better, since once the sun goes down the temperature falls fast near water, and a soft sweatshirt over a t-shirt feels great.Indoor places count as well. Last week I ended up at a dinner where the air conditioning was blowing straight down on our table, and I spent most of the meal with my hands pulled up inside my sleeves, quietly annoyed at myself for leaving a layer behind. Long train and plane rides get chilly as well, and once you’re tired a folded sweatshirt turns into a pillow.

Ways to Wear an Aimé Leon Dore Sweatshirt With Summer Clothes

On a normal day I put a light sweatshirt on with tailored shorts and low canvas sneakers, and it ends up looking more planned than it really was, probably because the soft top and the sharper shorts sit well against each other. When the sun gets strong I just take the sweatshirt off, and the tee I’m wearing underneath is still a proper outfit.In the evening I’ll swap the shorts for linen trousers or cotton chinos and wear them with a cream or grey sweatshirt, and with loafers or white sneakers that’s good enough for dinner or a slow walk around town.Some people throw the sweatshirt over their shoulders and tie the sleeves loosely at the front. It’s an old preppy habit, but it works. That way you carry it without wearing it, and you get a touch of color on a plain tee. If I do have it on in daylight, I shove the sleeves up past my elbows and my arms cool down almost at once.For the rest of the outfit I stay with a white tee and a thin cap, and sunglasses if the sun is out, since the sweatshirt is already the soft layer and I don’t want anything crowding it.

Staying Cool in an Aimé Leon Dore Sweatshirt This Summer

Cotton lets heat out of your skin better than the thick blends do, and a thin loose tee underneath keeps the sweatshirt from sticking to you and holding on to sweat. If you start feeling warm, take it off and put it in your bag, because that’s a lot better than walking down a hot street just to keep it on. Drinking water and walking on the shady side of the road helps more than you’d think.It also helps to look at the day before you step out, because if you’ll be outside from noon to four, the sweatshirt can stay home, and you can put it on again once the sun starts dropping.

Washing and Storing It After a Hot Day

After a hot day there’s usually sweat and sunscreen on the cotton, and sometimes sand if I’ve been near the sea, so I turn the sweatshirt inside out before it goes in the machine. That keeps the stitched logo safe. I wash it in cold water on the gentle setting, because I’ve watched hot water shrink a cotton top by almost a size and leave the color looking tired.My rule for stains on a pale sweatshirt is mild soap and cool water rubbed in gently, and nothing stronger, so no bleach. Drying is the part where I’m careful, since a hot dryer or an afternoon in strong sun wears the softness out of cotton quicker than you’d guess, and I lay mine flat on a towel in the shade instead. When it goes away for storage it gets folded, because a favorite sweatshirt of mine lost its shape at the shoulders after a month on a hanger.

Is It Worth Packing an Aimé Leon Dore Sweatshirt for Summer?

I think it is, as long as you pick the moment. No one needs a sweatshirt to replace their summer tees, and I’m not saying that. What I like is how it handles the awkward moments, such as a cool morning, a breezy night, or a room where the air conditioning has been turned way down. If you’re unsure, take a light, pale sweatshirt along for a week, wear it early or after sunset, and