These Featherlight Summer Shirts Helped Me Survive a Stifling Vacation

On the first day of my trip, with the humidity pushing 90 percent and the sun also doing its thing, I opted for the linen button-up before hitting the streets of Old San Juan. The first thing I noticed? How soft it was. Anyone who’s dealt with cheaper linen knows the drill: it starts off a little scratchy, and only softens after some real wear, if you’re lucky. This material, on the other hand, was immediately comfortable. The other surprise—and signal of quality—was its weight. Simply put, this linen has some real substance to it, helping it drape nicely without compromising on breathability.

The next morning was even hotter, so I pulled the brand’s white cotton ‘Ripple’ button-up from my bag. And let me tell you, this fabric is special: Sourced from Japan, the texture of the seersucker is incredibly subtle—this is no Kentucky Derby-coded striped situation. The fabric is also of course lighter than linen, and has been sewn in slightly more relaxed cut that feels right for a fabric designed to handle higher temperatures.

Throughout the trip, both summer shirts handled balmy temperatures easily. And because I stuck to neutral colours, they also made packing simple. I wore each during the day with shorts, and again later to dinner with chinos.

Shoutout also to the long sleeves. They might sound counterintuitive, but they worked in my favour, protecting me from the sun during the day, and from aggressive restaurant air conditioning at night. When things got really warm I could roll them up, but their looseness meant it wasn’t really needed. The other detail I appreciated most was the one that wasn’t there. Specifically, neither shirt has a camp collar. Instead, Bather has opted for a standard, open collar instead—a choice I warmly welcome, since the camp collar trend has long run its course for me. No shade, but I’m not trying to look like a regular at Margaritaville.

Yes, both shirts come in just under $200, which is not inexpensive. But considering that they are made ethically in Canada, from premium fabrics sourced from Japan and beyond, I’ve seen a lot worse. (Especially considering how often we all spend more than that on forgettable vacation purchases, when these are also versatile enough to wear back home.) All told, Bather will probably remain best known as the place to get your swim trunks, but I’m happily handing them the keys to my entire vacation wardrobe.