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Cool and comfortable, with a smooth touch against the skin: summer knits

Summer fashion calls for clothing that looks cool and feels comfortable to the touch, and this summer, one item you'll want to add to your wardrobe is the "summer knit." When you think of knitwear, wool items for autumn and winter usually come to mind, but there are also summer knits made from materials suited to the season. Let us introduce the appeal of summer knits—a refinement different from T-shirts, and yet distinct from woven shirts as well.

Top: Fileuse d'Arvor / Short-Sleeve Border Cut-and-Sew LAMANEUR

Materials used in summer knits

Cotton and linen are the materials most commonly used for summer knits. Synthetic fibers exist too, of course, but there are good reasons why natural materials are preferable.

Those reasons are:

・A pleasant touch against the skin that doesn't cling

・Breathability

A material that feels sticky and clings to the skin when you sweat in summer is far from comfortable. Natural materials don't interfere with the breathability of loosely knitted summer knits, which is exactly why they're preferred.

What makes summer knits so good?

- Outfits that look cool and refreshing

Top: KELE CLOTHING / ABUTILON Knit Top

Bag: TOINO ABEL / Basket S/BE

Unlike crisp T-shirts or dress shirts, soft summer knits have a soft silhouette too. They follow the body's lines just enough to look neat and elegant, yet the distinctive thickness of knitwear keeps them from clinging too closely, maintaining an exquisite silhouette. Simply swapping a T-shirt for a summer knit instantly gives your look a more grown-up atmosphere.

Even a summer knit with sleeves down to the elbow won't look stifling if it's loosely knit—it can feel light and airy instead. Pair it with lighter-colored bottoms and add summer materials like a basket bag for an even stronger seasonal feel.

- Low-gauge knits, perfect for playing with layering underneath

One of the joys of a low-gauge summer knit is coordinating it with what you wear underneath. You can choose an underlayer in a similar tone to the knit to subtly hide any see-through areas, or deliberately pair a contrasting color to make the underlayer stand out—both look wonderful.

Top: KELE CLOTHING / APARINE Knit Top

Sandals: ITALO CARLI / Strap Sandals BLACK

Even if you hesitate to bare your shoulders in a camisole-style summer knit, wearing a T-shirt underneath lets you enjoy a layered look instead.

Top: KELE CLOTHING / APARINE Knit Top

Straw Hat: DAY STROWS / Straw 775 Bonnet

The APARINE Knit Top from KELE CLOTHING is notable for its American sleeve design. At first glance it appears to be a simple knit, but look closely and you'll see how finely it's knitted right down to the smallest detail. Try wearing a tube top underneath, or pairing it with a T-shirt as shown above, and enjoy how differently it can look.

- An atmosphere and silhouette that convey refinement

Pants: Fileuse d’Arvor / Half Pants RESSAC

For half pants, which tend to give a casual impression, a summer knit is far more elegant. This is especially true for women wearing half pants—if the pants' material and accessories all lean casual, you lose that grown-up atmosphere. But choose knit-material pants, pair them with heels, and finish with a properly polished bag, and you'll achieve a stylishly mature look.

Fileuse d'Arvor is a long-established knitwear maker founded in 1927 in Quimper, a port town in Brittany in northwestern France. Committed to maintaining "Made in France" production and to creating pieces meant to be cherished for years, many of their products feature anti-stretch reinforcement.

- High-gauge knits that stay in your rotation for a long time

The characteristics of a tightly knit, high-gauge summer knit are "polish" and "warmth." Take the knit T-shirt from JOHN SMEDLEY—its smoothness feels wonderful the moment you slip it on. Finely knitted pieces like this are called fine-gauge knits, prized for the beautifully knitted appearance of their soft, thin yarn. Because the knit is so fine, it has a distinctive sheen and creates a beautiful silhouette.

A tightly knit high-gauge knit retains more warmth than a low-gauge one, so it can be worn over a long stretch of time, right through into autumn. Because the stitches are so densely knit, there's also no need to worry about the knit becoming see-through, making it a material you can wear with peace of mind.

Points to keep in mind when caring for summer knits

・Guarding against sweat stains matters too

Even though it's knitwear, summer knits are mainly worn during summer. Since you'll be wearing them during a season when you sweat, it's important to guard against sweat stains around the neck and underarms. Wash them more frequently than you would in winter.

・Hand washing is recommended over machine washing

Some summer knits can be machine washed, but if you're concerned about stretching or losing their shape, hand washing is recommended.

Gently soak the knit in lukewarm water with laundry detergent and press-wash it lightly. Don't scrub it, as this will make the stitches uneven — just press it gently in the water.

If detergent residue is left behind, it can cause stains or discoloration, so be sure to rinse thoroughly. At this stage as well, change the water several times and gently press the fabric.

Squeeze out the water gently, then dry the garment flat rather than on a hanger, in a shady, well-ventilated spot.

・Try to store the knit in a way that prevents it from stretching under its own weight

When storing summer knits, fold them rather than hanging them on a hanger. Low-gauge knits in particular tend to stretch more and more under their own weight, so be careful about hanging them.

One thing to watch out for when folding a knit for storage is wrinkling. Folding it multiple times makes it more compact and easier to store, but each fold adds another place where wrinkles can form, so it's best to fold it just once or twice.