18 Breezy Short Sleeve Shirts to Wear All Summer Long

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."

When the mercury starts to rise and humidity makes the air feel thick, back and neck sweat is your worst nightmare. (If chronic sweating has got you down, take a look at some of these products). What’s worse, going to work in a long-sleeve button-down shirt in sweltering heat means all that perspiration gets trapped with no way to escape.

Short-sleeve button-down shirts help you stay cool around the midsection and in bounds of the office dress code. The 12 shirts we've selected below come in a variety of colors, patterns, and fits, and they’ll keep you comfortable when the next heat wave of summer hits.

WHETHER YOU’RE dressing for casual outings, office meetings, or weekend adventures, short sleeve shirts are a summer wardrobe staple that offers a perfect blend of versatility and comfort.

When it comes to the best short sleeve shirts, remember that short sleeve button-ups should not lack in style and performance. The best short sleeve shirts should be made from breathable, lightweight materials such as cotton, nylon, and linen to keep you cool in warmer climates. Short sleeve shirts should also provide unbeatable versatility for a wide range of dress code settings and activities. Lastly, short-sleeve shirts need to be well-fitted to achieve a sharp appearance. Overall, as an integral part of men’s summer clothes rotation, short sleeve shirts will bridge the gap between casual and formal to be worn all summer long.

Since the greatest asset of short sleeve shirts is their versatility, styling them comes with endless possibilities. For a laidback look, pair short sleeve shirts with linen shorts, swim trunks, jeans, and summer shoes like slip-ons or sandals, and you’re off to the park, bar, or the weekends. If you're aiming for a smart-casual ensemble, wear short sleeve shirts with chinos and loafers to dress you up before heading to the office.

Below, our editors at Men’s Health have tested and tried over 40 short sleeve button-ups to find the 18 best short sleeve shirts for men that’ll add comfort, style, and performance to your fits.

Best T-Shirts | Best Button-Down Shirts | Best Polo Shirts | Best Camp Collar Shirts | Best Hawaiian Shirts | Best Linen Shirts

Regular-Fit Short-Sleeve Pocket Oxford Shirt

Outdoor summer adventures can cause wear and tear on your fresh duds, making an affordable short-sleeve shirt option the most appealing. Amazon makes one that is lightweight, breathable, and soft.

Venture Short Sleeve Shirt

If there’s one short-sleeve shirt to score this summer, look no further than this sharp Lululemon option. The high-quality fabric uses both polyester and nylon to boast its moisture-wicking, quick-drying, and four-way stretch capabilities, making the shirt one you will wear from office hours to happy hours to weekend hours. Moreover, for commutes, this shirt even has an underarm gusset for mobility.

We also love the slim fit which has kept our guys looking sharp and feeling comfortable all day. It’s also low maintenance: after six wash cycles, we were impressed by the fabric’s wrinkle resistance and how well it has stayed looking fresh. With anti-odor technology built in as well, it’s also great for the sweatiest guys to feel—and look—fresh after an active day.

Stretch Riviera Short Sleeve Shirt

If comfort is key to your summer style, you’ll be happy to hear this short-sleeve shirt has some stretch to it for movement with ease. In addition, this button-up comes in four fits—slim, tailored, standard, athletic—as well as three lengths, so there’s got to be one that’ll become your perfect shirt. Style-wise, Bonobos has more than two dozens of prints and patterns to choose from. All in all, we love how in a plain color, it looks great enough for office days and dressing up, especially because of the Riviera cut. In more vibrant prints like floral, this shirt is foolproof for dressing down and looking nonchalant as part of your summer style.

Short Sleeve Dress Shirt

Van Heusen specializes in menswear staples for office dwellers and businessmen, and this short-sleeve top is no exception. It's made with a polyester-cotton blend to be low-key performance-minded: in our testing we found it to be able to wick away sweat and dry quickly while allowing airflow. The fit also felt nice, because it’s cut a bit roomy through the shoulders, chest, and waist for a classic fit, something which our athletic, buff testers appreciated. This dress shirt is also made with enhanced wrinkle resistance for low-maintenance care.

Short-Sleeve Baird McNutt Irish Linen Shirt

Made completely of linen, AKA the king of summer fabrics that is naturally breathable and lightweight, this short sleeve shirt has a relaxed feel and look that we love. In our testing, we found its slim fit not too restricting, and in fact very versatile to easily transition from a day at the beach to a night on the town. We were also impressed by how the linen fabric looked great over time with a few creases and wrinkles, making the shirt look more laidback.

Casablanca Camp Shirt

Old-school camp shirts were billowy button-ups made for post-retirement lounging. Fair Harbor's Casablanca top fixes all that. With its sun-drenched wash and contemporary features, this camp collar shirt effortlessly balances nods to the past with modern functionality and updates the style with a slimmer, more tailored cut while amping up the performance such as wrinkle-resistance, UPF 30 protection, and a stretch fabric that is lightweight and breathable. We’ve also tested this shirt as part of our summer wedding attire for beach weddings. All in all, with this shirt on, you’ll look and feel fresh from the airport to your cabana.

Mesh Shirt

Experience ultimate versatility and comfort with Todd Snyder’s lightweight mesh shirt. We found that the easy fit of this shirt ensures unrestricted movement, allowing you to fully enjoy your active lifestyle. Made with polyester mesh, the fabric also feels incredibly breathable and is sweat-wicking and quick-drying. Drawing inspiration from our camp collar shirts and infusing it with the sporty varsity styles this shirt offers a refreshing take on casual wear and is designed to elevate your impromptu pickup games, picnics in the park, or breezy beach days. But, we also tested it by wearing it to smart-casual occasions with chinos, and no problem there.

The Organic Short Sleeve Oxford Shirt

Everlane’s Oxford short sleeve shirt is now upgraded and ready for higher temperatures. In our testing, soon as we put this shirt on, we found that the fabric really provides the enhanced comfort and breathability we need in the dog days. With a button-front closure, front chest pocket, and classic shirt-tail hem, this shirt is also perfect for dressing up, and we found this to be the perfect choice to be part of a business casual summer fit.

Performance Button-Up Shirt

Made of activewear’s favorite fabric, nylon, which is naturally breathable, moisture-wicking, and quick-drying, this is the short sleeve button-up shirt that will keep up in performance with your everyday activities. Not only did the fabric feel extra smooth, and light on our skin during testing, but we also found it cool to the touch. We were also impressed by its wrinkle-release tech which has kept this shirt looking fresh since last summer. The nice addition of stretch also comes in clutch for our buff, athletic testers who found it a godsend for on-the-move comfort. Lastly, the curved hem can be worn tucked or untucked.

Draped Twill S/S One Pocket Shirt

We've put this lightweight short sleeve button-up to the test, wearing it with pride and experiencing its exceptional comfort firsthand. With a roomy fit at the top and a slim cut through the body, we found that this shirt offers a relaxed drape which, combines with the rayon-cotton bend that is extra soft and breathable, feels incredibly relaxing. The casual classic design is enhanced with shell buttons and a mid-length hem, allowing us to wear it tucked or untucked for versatile looks. When testing this on the go, we found that the fit also provides ample room to move in the arms and shoulders while maintaining a sleek silhouette.

The Wellfleet Madras Shirt

With its tonal plaids and breezy construction, this shirt not only keeps you cool but also ensures you're looking fresh all day long. Crafted from lightweight, yarn-dyed 100% cotton, it offers exceptional breathability. And the New England, Northeast vibe delivers a casual style like no other. On the other hand, it still looks sophisticated enough thanks to the back box pleat. In fact, I’ve been able to look smart-casual in it while donning it to the office, though because of its curved hem which is meant to be untucked, I prefer to wear it for casual weekend outings.

Signature Comfort Flex Shirt

Introducing your no-fuss everyday short-sleeve shirt Designed with no wrinkle technology, this button-up ensures you always look freshly pressed straight from the dryer. The classic fit provides extra room for your comfort, while still maintaining a structured and put-together look. We also love the added stretch for unmatched comfort and performance, making it a go-to choice for traveling. The woven stretch fabric, by the way, feels extra soft. All in all, we found that no matter if you're heading to the office or enjoying a casual outing, this classic shirt maintains its polished appearance with ease. At this price, it’s a no-brainer.

Signature Short-Sleeve Gingham Shirt

Ben Sherman’s iconic short-sleeve gingham shirt is a true classic that combines timeless style with outstanding performance. Made with 100% cotton, it offers breathability. Its two-finger button-down collar and regular fit provide a tailored yet relaxed look that suits any occasion, and I have worn this to the office while looking great effortlessly. Complete with a branded front chest pocket and a box pleat with a locker loop, this shirt also offers functionality but also adds a touch of sophistication to your fit.

The Sevilla Shirt

Simple but effective, vintage-looking but timeless, this short sleeve shirt is a favorite of our Gear Editor John Thompson. “Y.Chroma cut its Sevilla Shirt in a flattering silhouette that gives just the right amount of space without looking too baggy. The 100% organic cotton is soft to the touch, and the textured weave creates a perfect airy effect that helps avoid that sticky, sweaty situation us guys are all too familiar with when spending hours of a time outside in the summer. The best part is the colors offered are a touch toned down, so you can sleep well knowing the shirt won’t be too overly vibrant when trying to pair with your current wardrobe,” says Thompson.

Go To Shirt

Talk about a no-brainer Aloha shirt: Patagonia’s got everything in spades from price to comfort to breathability to a clean look. Available in several prints that are perfect for weekend hangs with the boys or a night out at the bar. It’s lightweight and cut with a roomy fit, giving it a retro-yet-fashion-forward vibe.

And the print is definitely what you'll want to see in a Hawaiian shirt—so casual that it means business. Our favorite part, however, is their breathability which has lasted all day long to keep us cool during our testing.

Short-Sleeve Authentic Madras Shirt

Faherty ready got the Madras shirt in spades with this lightweight button-up patterned in plaid, stripes, and checks. The fabric feels breathable on our skin and offers unmatched comfort for warm-weather outfits. Its relaxed fit, featuring straight sleeves and a straight fit from the chest to the hem, ensures a laid-back yet polished look that can be worn with anything from joggers to linen pants. Complete with a button-down collar and a double-pleated back, Faherty’s Madras shirt is designed for the utmost sophistication.

Seersucker Short Sleeve Shirt

A classic seersucker shirt is always a top choice for summer travels with natural wrinkles that won’t require ironing, and unbeatable breathability that’ll keep you cool all day long. Relwen’s take is great for all-day wearability. It is lightweight and soft, looks tailored and clean, and we love that it comes in a style that’s versatile enough to take you from office meetings to happy hours to Friday nightlife seamlessly.

OoohCotton Short Sleeve Shirt

We love how this shirt exudes an air of dressiness and elegance that is perfect for formal occasions and dressing up, courtesy of the point collar and French placket that add a touch of sophistication. But that’s not even our favorite part. Made from the brand’s signature performance fabric, this shirt also offers an eight-way stretch (!) for unparalleled on-the-go comfort, wrinkle resistance to stay fresh and last, quick-drying and high breathability to keep you dry, thermal regulation to keep you cool, and more.

What to Look for in Short Sleeve Shirts?

Fabric: The fabric quality of a short sleeve shirt plays a crucial role in its overall comfort, breathability, and durability. Opt for shirts made from lightweight, breathable materials like cotton, nylon, seersucker, and linen, as they offer excellent breathability, softness, and natural moisture-wicking properties. Additionally, consider blends that combine the best qualities of different fabrics. All in all, the fabric of short sleeve shirts should keep you cool and dry and sweat-free all day long, while lending some stretch to move with you and feel soft on your skin.

Style: From camp collar shirts to Hawaiian shirts to Oxford shirts, there are quite a few styles of short sleeve button-ups to choose from. Other than that, the fit also matters when it comes to how the shirt looks and feels on your body. Regular or relaxed fit in camp collar and Hawaiian shirts offers a room, comfortable silhouette, while slim fit in dressy short sleeve shirt provides a more streamlined and tailored look, offering a sharper and more sophisticated appearance. When trying on a short sleeve shirt, pay attention to the shoulder width, chest, and waist measurements to ensure a proper fit.

Versatility: Look for short sleeve shirts that can be easily dressed up or down, allowing you to wear them for various occasions. Versatile short sleeve button-ups can be paired with different styles of pants and shorts like jeans, chinos, or even tailored trousers, and can be effortlessly styled for casual outings, work settings, or social events. Consider short sleeve shirts with classic solid colors, subtle patterns, or timeless prints (like floral or gingham), as they tend to offer more versatility in matching with different outfits and accessories.

How to Style Short Sleeve Shirts for Men

Casual Summer Look: Pair these short sleeve shirts with chino shorts or jorts or even sweat shorts in a complementary color. Finish the look with canvas sneakers, slip-on shoes, or boat shoes. You can also roll up the sleeves for a more relaxed vibe.

Beach or Resort Look: Opt for a breezy short sleeve shirt in linen, camp collar, or Hawaiian style. Pair it with swim trunks or linen shorts. Complete the look with sandals or flip-flops for a relaxed vacation vibe. And definitely leave the shirt untucked as well as the top buttons opened for a truly laid-back, breezy feel.

Smart Casual Look: Look for dressy short sleeve shirts such as in gingham, Oxford, or monochromatic style. Pair it with chinos or dark dress pants. Round out the outfit with dress shoes or dress sneakers. Be sure to tuck it in for a more polished appearance.

Layered Look: Don't forget that short sleeve shirts are perfect for layering in transitional weather like in fall and spring as a base garment under a lightweight sweater, cardigan, or even coat and jacket. Pair with dark-toned jeans for a versatile look that's both dressed up and down.

How We Tested

To find the best short sleeve shirts for men, our editors and writers have personally tried on over 40 different short sleeve button-ups since 2021 and tested each of them for at least two weeks by wearing them to different occasions, such as wearing Line of Trade’s Madras shirt to vacation and weekend outings, Everlane's Oxford shirt and Ben Sherman’s Gingham shirt to the office, or Lululemon's Venture shirt to travel and commute. We've also considered men's short sleeve shirts that were tested and picked by our Fashion Director Ted Stafford for print, well fitted on athletic dudes.

To get a feel for how these short sleeve button-ups really felt and looked, we vetted our tested short-sleeve shirts for men by taking notes of their style, comfort, price point, versatility, and performance such as stretch, moisture-wicking, and breathability. We examined whether they fitted well and true to size, whether their fabric could withstand hours of movement in different temperatures, and whether they could be worn for more than one occasion.

In addition, our tested selection focuses not on trendy or trend-chasing short sleeve shirts; instead, our picks of the best short sleeve button-ups for men all fit great athletic or muscular guys, provide great value and performance at reasonable price points, and come in styles that will look great years from now. This article was updated in July 2023.

Why Trust Us

A product review story that doesn’t actually test anything hands-on or in person isn’t worth your precious time. Thankfully, we at Men’s Health don’t produce any of that nonsense. In fact, you can rest assured that our product recommendations derive from first-hand experience. Read more about our testing process here.

For instance, at Men’s Health, we have a fashion closet dedicated to calling in, trying out, and selecting the best as well as the newest products in menswear. We put them on stylish, fit guys to hear what their opinions are and see how the items look on them before making our final decision. And as style editors, we constantly go into the fashion closet to feel a product’s fabric or materials—even put it on ourselves for a spin—to test it.

Lastly, you can trust our opinions on shopping recommendations, whether it’s the products, styling tips, or trends. Not only do we have Fashion Director Ted Stafford and Deputy Editor, Commerce Christian Gollyan who actually know that polyester isn't actually breathable, but we also have a panel of style experts—including stylists, fashion influencers, and designers—that we regularly seek shopping guides from. Therefore, our product recommendations and buying tips are all driven by professional, expert opinions.

You Might Also Like

• The Best Hair Growth Shampoos for Men to Buy Now

• 25 Vegetables That Are Surprising Sources of Protein