I’ve discovered a fierce new passion of mine this summer: air conditioning.

I don’t just like AC, I absolutely love it. The second I step outside on a day that’s too hot, I can’t stop thinking about standing in front of a live AC unit. Similarly, when an AC unit is not functioning properly, I can’t stop thinking about what I’d feel like if and when it started functioning properly again. When I’m on the subway platform, I play on repeat the sense of relief that will wash over me when I step into the car — the doors closing behind me — and get trapped in a cocoon of cold air for 35-90 seconds.

There is no discrimination from me when it comes to AC: I love central air, split systems, ductless mini-splits, window units, portable air conditioners, box fans with an added coolant. Truly any way to get cold air onto my face in the heat, I’m sold.

I just can’t think of many better ways to expend energy at the consumer level other than air conditioning… Forget “AI compute,” just give the world AC and we’ll be happier. Sweating is a choice.

Anyway, let’s tap into today.

B/c no short is really luxury, but duty does call in this heat.

Herno Shorts in Seer-Crease — Brown

Herno built these shorts in a technical stretch seersucker that holds its texture and moves without fighting you. The drawcord elastic waist keeps the fit dialed in, scoop pockets sit flush on the front, and welt pockets close things out at the back. The brown reads warm and earthy rather than muddy, and the seersucker surface gives it enough visual interest to work with a simple linen shirt or a polo (you don’t need to rock that ascot if you don’t want to). Made in Italy.

Herno Shorts in Jersey Knit Effect — Brown, $277 (on sale)

With a double-layered cotton piqué with a stocking-stitch interior and a ribbed exterior, this is a more considered construction than the average cotton short. The slanted front pockets and a single buttoned welt at the back keep the silhouette clean, and the covered zip and button closure is a small detail that matters at this price. Made in Italy, at $277 from $395.

Pike Brothers 1927 Henley Shirt Long Sleeve — Iron Grey

This 170gsm cotton henley is built on a form that predates the modern t-shirt: the placket-front undershirt that workers layered beneath everything else in the 1920s. Pike Brothers makes it today the same way. 100% cotton, coconut shell buttons, a slightly curved hem, and nothing extra. The iron grey is a dark, neutral tone that reads as a shirt, not a base layer, and the weight is light enough to wear alone in warm weather. Made in Portugal. Priced in EUR (€69).

Needles Warm Up Pant in PE/W Gabardine — Greige

Needles runs their warm-up pant through a polyester-wool gabardine that holds a clean line and moves without fighting you. The greige reads closer to putty than beige in person, a neutral that works harder than it looks. Drawcord adjusters at the waist let you dial the fit, and the utility pocketing stays flush with the silhouette. Made in Japan, with Needles' signature embroidery at the hem as the only tell.

Needles Warm Up Pant in PE/W Gabardine — Blue

The same gabardine construction as above in a dusty mid-blue that sits well away from denim and navy. It's its own thing. The drawcord waist and clean utility pockets keep the silhouette tight, and the relaxed leg has enough room to move without going full balloon. Made in Japan with the brand's embroidered accent at the hem. At $245 from $350, it's the right time to get into Needles if you haven't.

Rowing Blazers Cotton Contrast Collar Rugby — Burgundy

This 285gsm organic cotton rugby is built on a clean burgundy body with a crisp white collar and three-button placket. Made in Portugal, it has the weight to hold its shape through a full day and the cotton wash that keeps it from going stiff. A small embroidered logo at the hip is the only branding in sight.

Rowing Blazers x Winnie-the-Pooh Cotton Rugby — Blue

This dusty slate blue rugby is part of Rowing Blazers' Winnie-the-Pooh collab, and it earns its place on the serious side of novelty. The chest has an embroidered Pooh and Piglet patch done in the brand's usual careful hand, set against a white spread collar and ribbed cuffs that keep the fit grounded. Who doesn’t like Winnie? (Actually… answer: Xi Jinping.)

Alex Mill Camp Shirt in Linen — $79 (on sale)

Six colors, one cut, all linen. Alex Mill's Camp Shirt has an open collar, shell buttons, and a clean placket with no fuss in the construction. At $79 on sale from $155, it's the kind of shirt we grab in more than one color without much debate. Machine wash cold, line dry. Linen this easy to keep doesn't come around often.

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