Summer etiquette: 47 essential rules – from sex to sunloungers to shopping in swimming trunks

Navigating the Season: A Guide to Summer Social Conduct

Summer etiquette - Summer brings a welcome relaxation of traditional expectations. Suddenly, eating with your hands becomes acceptable, revealing skin is commonplace, and enjoying a morning beverage at the airport feels perfectly normal. This warm, humid season creates a perfect storm for social missteps—and for those of us who cringe at exposed toenails, it might even signal the decline of civilized society. Fortunately, there are guidelines to help you navigate these warmer months with grace.

Shirtless and Unbothered

Men often wonder when removing their shirts becomes socially acceptable. The consensus suggests this practice is largely reserved for beachside or poolside settings. Zak Maoui, who serves as the style director for Esquire magazine, notes that while strolling through a coastal town without a shirt can look effortlessly cool, this style works best when you are traveling abroad during hot weather. He personally enjoys running shirtless in London and other international cities when temperatures soar, finding it hard to beat. Recent menswear trends also hint that going shirtless beneath a suit jacket might be making a comeback, though Maoui remains somewhat skeptical about this particular revival.

The Towel Dilemma

Wearing a towel outside of aquatic environments requires careful consideration. Jo Bryant, the training director at The English Manner, emphasizes that you should only wear a towel when you are near water. If you are not at the beach, pool, or swimming area, it is time to put on actual clothing. Walking a brief distance from your accommodation to a nearby pool is considered acceptable, but venturing into other public spaces in just a towel is not recommended. Bryant specifically warns against attempting to shop while wearing both a towel and a swimsuit.

Office Attire in the Heat

Shorts in the workplace have become a topic of debate. Myka Meier, author of Modern Etiquette Made Easy, suggests that shorts are only appropriate in offices with very casual cultures. Even then, they should be well-tailored and neatly pressed. If leadership sets the tone by wearing shorts, then employees can follow suit. However, Maoui points out that context matters greatly depending on your profession. He works in fashion and wears shorts regularly, but a colleague at a Canary Wharf bank was reportedly mocked for asking permission to do the same.

Bare shoulders present another consideration. Sara Jane Ho, host of the Netflix program Mind Your Manners, observes that while working at a publication like Vogue might allow for bare shoulders, those in finance or law should exercise caution, as this look can appear too revealing. Mariah Humbert, another etiquette specialist, recommends balancing exposed shoulders with more coverage elsewhere, such as wearing trousers or a longer skirt. She also cautions against thin straps or swimwear on video calls, noting that virtual meetings should maintain the same professional standards as face-to-face encounters.

Footwear and Headwear

Sandals in professional settings depend largely on the environment. Laura Akano, founder of Polished Manners, states that sandals are generally unsuitable for formal workplaces. When choosing sandals, she advises selecting polished styles, emphasizing that foot grooming matters regardless of gender. Maoui adds that men can certainly wear sandals if their toes look presentable, though he maintains a personal rule: if you expose your toes at work, your legs should remain covered since you are not at the beach.

Regarding hats indoors, Grant Harrold, a former butler to King Charles now serving as an etiquette trainer, insists that removing hats remains an important gesture of respect rooted in tradition. Maoui disagrees, calling the practice outdated. He wears a cap about half the week and sees no reason to remove it indoors, believing that a cap can actually make a suit appear less formal and more approachable.

Sunglasses and Flip-Flops

When greeting someone, you should lift your sunglasses, though Ho notes this is less necessary with close friends. For acquaintances, removing them entirely helps establish eye contact and makes a better impression. If you remain outdoors in sunny conditions for an extended period, you may put them back on later. Indoors, however, sunglasses should definitely come off unless you have vision-related needs. Ho finds indoor sunglasses particularly grating.

Finally, flip-flops should generally stay near the beach or pool. Ho explains that they lack the polish required for other settings and are simply not very presentable in most situations.