18 breezy button-up shirts that are light enough for summer

Everlane keeps it cool and classic with its Linen Short-Sleeve Standard Fit Shirt. 

Everlane is a perennial favorite due to its transparency, sustainability goals, and classic styles that are the antithesis of fast fashion. The Linen Short-Sleeve Standard Fit Shirt ticks the boxes with its timeless, easy-wearing cut made from a lightweight linen. These look great untucked with chino shorts or tucked into pleated trousers paired with a summer-weight sport coat.

Think of the Mizzen + Main Leeward Short-Sleeve Shirt as your workout clothes for when you're doing the exact opposite of leg day at the gym: chilling with friends or out on a date. 

The Mizzen + Main Leeward shirt is made from a polyester-spandex blend similar to what you might find in your gym clothes, but has the look of a traditional button-up. It's secret weapons against the summer heat include its amazing ability to wick away sweat, how cool the fabric feels against your skin, and how light it is. It's also wrinkle resistant and very stretchy. While this shirt is made to be worn untucked as a casual shirt, it also works with dressier looks. 

Asket's Organic Linen Shirt is sustainably made, beautifully designed, and stands up well to the hottest summer days. 

Asket is serious about sustainability, traceability, and transparency. All you have to do is peruse the tags on their clothes to see just how serious—they list the origins of everything that goes into the garment, and you can find even more info on the website. Then there's the sturdy construction, attention to detail, beautiful design, and supple handfeel of their Organic Linen Shirt that exemplifies the company's rigorous attitude towards sustainable clothing manufacturing. The blue (closer to a blue-gray) striped version is especially good-looking and pairs well with either shorts or trousers and a vest. It's quickly become my go-to summer shirt.

Sustainable, durable, stylish, and designed to cool you down, the Patagonia AC Shirt does it all.

Patagonia gets high marks for its sustainability, durability, and an aesthetic that effortlessly combines style and performance. The AC Shirt is made from organic cotton with an open weave best described as "crinkly", similar to a seersucker in that the fabric lifts off the skin for great airflow that helps keep you cool. The shirt comes in a nice variety of colorways, from mild to wild. 

Bonobos Casual Shirt combines hemp and cotton for a summer shirt that beats the heat and comes in a ton of colorways and fits. 

Hemp is another superior material for summer since it's great at absorbing moisture; allows air to circulate to help cool you down; and naturally provides UV protection. Bonobos's Cotton-Hemp Casual Shirt blends hemp with cotton for the benefits of the former and the softness of the latter. Win-win. Typical of Bonobos, the shirt comes in a ton of colorways and sizing options. Another bonus is that since it has long sleeves, you'll get to wear it into the fall.

Jonathan Mezibov's Pearson Linen Shirt exudes elegant sophistication but is still laid back enough to pair with casual shorts or summer-weight jeans. 

Every detail of the Jonathan Mezibov Pearson Linen Shirt, from the smooth handfeel of the linen to the Australian mother-of-pearl buttons, exudes elegant sophistication that isn't pretentious or fussy. Rather, it's laid back enough for jeans or shorts. Made in small batches in Italy, this lux shirt is perfect for hot summer days and cool beach nights. It features a cutaway collar, signature tab cuffs, and beautiful tailoring. It's lightweight and very breathable and does an amazing job of keeping you cool on the hottest days. The crisp white colorway is a classic you can't go wrong with. Note: it's slightly transparent.

You may be familiar with Mott & Bow's denim and tees, but the brand also makes fantastic button-ups. The Preston is a lightweight 100 percent cotton shirt that's garment washed for extra-softness and a lived-in feel. 

We've already sung the praises of Mott & Bow's jeans and tees, but the DTC denim brand also makes fantastic button-ups. The Preston is a lightweight 100 percent cotton shirt that's garment washed for a broken-in softness. I've worn mine when it was in the high 80s and remained comfortable all day. The Navy colorway is a standout with its rich blue tone. The Preston looks as handsome worn casually with jeans as it does with a suit. 

Castaway Nantucket Island's Chase Shirt is a classic madras shirt that's airy, soft, and built to keep you cool. 

Castaway Nantucket Island, started in 2005 by fourth-generation Nantucket haberdashers Andrew and Matt Bridier, nails the best aspects of New England preppy style with clothes that are elegant but easy wearing, well crafted, and able to go from beach party to dinner party without missing a beat. The Chase Shirt, with its traditional patch construction, is made in India where madras originated. It's soft and light, stands up to the hottest summer days, and is ideal for a casual night out. The Chase Shirt, which has a classic fit and a button-down collar, comes 11 colorways, but the Village Patch Madras is a standout with its bold hints of aqua tempered by the fabric's other colors. Readers can use the code "madras20" to get 20 percent off. 

Faherty's Breeze Shirt has a lived-in beach vibe made from a sustainable hemp-based fabric that's ultra-soft and airy. 

Faherty's Breeze Shirt has the look of a classic short-sleeve button-up with a lived-in beach vibe but goes one better through the use of a custom sustainable fabric mostly made from hemp and lyocell, which is derived from wood pulp, and coconut shell buttons. The shirt is buttery soft, airy, and beach-vacation ready. The Faded Floral Batik colorway is especially attractive with its traditional floral print. 

Industry of All Nations's Recycled Camp Shirt takes sustainability to the next level and does it with impeccable style. 

While some brands merely pay lip service to sustainability, Industry of All Nations is the real deal. They are changing the game of apparel manufacturing, from only using natural dyes and recycled or organic fabrics to making sure that everything they produce is fully biodegradable. The Camp Collar Shirt is made in Guatemala from denim and cotton textile waste and then turned into new fabrics. Beyond its sustainable bonafides, it's a classic camp shirt made from a mid-weight gauze that will beat the summer heat and looks as handsome paired with an old pair of shorts as it does with linen trousers. 

The Dandy Del Mar Tropez Terry Cloth Shirt exudes vintage allure and can be paired with matching shorts for the leisure set look that's so hot right now. 

The Dandy Del Mar Tropez Shirt is made from terry cloth that's plush, quick drying, and nicely stretchy thanks to the poly-cotton blend. This shirt was made for poolside lounging and beachside bar-hopping with its vintage styling that harks back to '70s California cool. Complete your look with the matching shorts for a leisure set that's become so popular of late. 

New Orleans' brand Haspel has been keeping folks cool for more than a hundred years and their Seersucker Short-Sleeve Shirt continues the tradition. 

New Orleans' brand Haspel has been around for more than 110 years and knows a thing or two about clothes made to keep you cool when it's hot and muggy. I grew up there so believe me when I say August in New Orleans is no joke. Seersucker, as mentioned above, is an outstanding fabric for summer. Haspel's version is made in Italy from 100% Cotton and comes in a range of patterns, including traditional stripes. The solid colors—there are four choices—are a nice alternative if you're looking for the benefits of seersucker fabric without a pattern.  

The J. Crew Slim Baird McNutt Irish Linen Shirt combines a timeless design with top-notch Irish linen. 

The Irish are famous for their exceptionally fine linen, where it has been produced since the 12th century. For this shirt, J. Crew tapped Baird McNutt mill, the internationally renowned company that's been around since 1912. The shirt has a silky handfeel, has good airflow, and looks great tucked in and dressed up with a suit as it does thrown over a tee with jeans. 

The Rhone Commuter Shirt was made to keep you looking good and feeling comfortable when going from point A to point B, but is attractive enough for date night or a summer soiree. 

Rhone continuously hits the sweet spot between style and performance. The Commuter Shirt looks like a dress shirt but has a bag full of technical tricks like four-way stretch, wrinkle resistance, and moisture-wicking wizardry that means you'll look as good when you arrive at your destination as you did before leaving your house and heading out into the blazing sun. This shirt in combo with the brand's Commuter Pants are go-to travel clothes, but they work just as well for date night or a summer soiree. 

Descendant of Thieves Loudi Navy Shirt is a minimalist take on the traditional Hawaiian shirt that's beautifully crafted and full of thoughtful details. 

Descendant of Thieves, the NYC indie fashion brand, always has wild and imaginative prints. Beyond that, they beautifully craft their shirts and include surprising little details like hidden pockets or contrasting colors under the collar or at the cuffs. The Loudi Navy shirt is the brand's take on a traditional Hawaiian shirt, with a minimalist floral pattern, a collar designed to keep from rolling over, and a chest pocket with a second hidden pocket. Descendant of Thieves makes limited quantities of each design but there are nearly 50 other short-sleeve shirts to choose from on the site. Note: the brand's shirts tend towards being slim fitting so if you like a looser fit, size up. 

Marine Layer's Fortex Shirt is supple, stretchy, and light. Everything you want in a summer shirt.

Marine Layer is best known for its ultra-soft tees that feel lived-in straight from the box.The brand's Fortex shirt is supple, as you'd expect from Marine Layer, thanks to modal, a silky smooth material made from beech wood pulp. But then they added hemp to the mix for durability and breathability for a shirt that will keep you cool for many summers to come.

Onsloe Curated's Akers Shirt is a light cotton poplin shirt that's casual yet crisp with the bonus that it's customizable.  

Onsloe Curated is a NYC-based brand that makes customizable, limited-edition clothing. The Akers Shirt is a light cotton poplin shirt with a casual yet crisp feel with thoughtful details like natural Corozo buttons and contrast tape at the cuff and placket. You get to choose the collar style, whether you want a chest pocket, and embroidered initials. The shirts are made to order, which means it takes about two weeks for delivery.

Ledbury's Bonnell Shirt is made from Italian linen that's indigo dyed for a casual but elegant summer shirt. 

Ledbury's Indigo Bonnell Shirt starts with Italian linen, adds a cool indigo dyeing process, and finishes it off with an all-over design of small dots for a shirt that's casual but elegant. It has a button-down collar with a canvas interlining so it stays in place and a balanced hem that looks great untucked.