Picking the right gear to help you beat the heat can be tricky. The summer sun can be unforgiving — quite literally limiting options in our rotation. Thankfully the Highsnobiety Summer Style Guide is here to help you keep cool during the warmest months of the year. From the latest trends to season staples, you'll find lightweight pieces that still result in heavyweight looks.
The mesh top made its sheer grand entrance onto the high fashion stage via Jean-Paul Gaultier's lauded Tattoo collection of Spring 1994. This skin-tight signature of the French haute couture maestro was modeled on men at the runway show, but it's a category that never really stuck in this sphere, at least not in the mainstream.
Mesh tops have had a big moment over the past couple of years. That's thanks to the likes of Bella Hadid being obsessed with archive Gaultier and younger labels like Ottolinger offering new iterations. Though they're getting love in the womenswear world once again, this one-sided resurgence has further highlighted how the mesh tops' place in menswear is still in question.
There are examples of celebrities making the look work but its transition to the street has been slow. And I think that needs to change.
The material not only provides a breathable extra layer, but it also lets you show what's underneath through a new lens. The transparency of sheer shirts and mesh tops affords you the license to experiment with bold prints and color combinations underneath, helping you achieve originality in the face of going-to-be-everywhere collections.
It's a brave look, but it's one that pays off if you take the leap. Seriously, we'd get ahead now.
With mesh on the mind and summer just around the corner, we've rounded up the best of the mesh tops for men on the internet right now which will allow you to feel the full benefits of a summer breeze.
From the fledgling designers Chopova Lowena to the streetwear legends Stüssy, there's a design to suit each style. There's even a t-shirt from our recent summer drop thrown in the mix.
Browse the best mesh tops below for men.
Jean Paul Gaultier Long-Sleeve Banknote Top
Coming directly from the master of mesh, it's only right we start with a design from Jean Paul Gaultier. The designer's archive has a lot to answer for when it comes to our mesh obsession and the label's latest ready-to-wear collection brings back the banknote print from its iconic SS94 collection in three different variations. Check out some options more that are available below.
Aimé Leon Dore Mesh Knit Tank
Aimé Leon Dore’s take on the Summer staple has luxury written all over it. The bright orange is sure to make you stand out in a good way wherever you’re at.
Stüssy Mesh SS Crew
Mesh tees make great layering pieces any time of the year. Stüssy offers up a simple, yet timeless black tee made from 100% cotton.
South2 West8 Knit Mesh Shirt
If you’re truly going for that original mesh feel, then this long sleeve tee might be what you’re looking for. Wear it by itself or decorate it with your favorite tee or tank.
Mesh Double Layer T-Shirt
Dries Double Layer T-Shirt takes the guesswork out of wondering whether wearing only mesh is the best choice for your next outing.
Mookoo Mesh Tank Top
Mookoo’s Mesh Tank Top exudes the highest form of confidence one can obtain when investing in a mesh top. The distressed details and overall construction makes this top my favorite on this list.
AMI Paris oversized mesh T-shirt
Depending on your ‘fit on any given day of the week, at some point, you’ll encounter one of your oversized tees. Why not make it mesh?
Satisfy Mesh Running Cult Member Singlet
Lightweight and breathable are key qualities of Summer clothing. This Satisfy mesh top is great for jogging and running, but also works well as a go-to summer top.
Maison Margiela Mesh T-Shirt
Sheer shirts are prime for sunny days and make nice layering pieces once the sun goes down.
Highsnobiety Mesh T-Shirt
Proving our commitment to making mesh for men more embraced, we have featured the material in our recent Highsnobiety Summer drop. Utilized on both t-shirts and tank tops, the loose gauge knit means you can see some of what is underneath.
Rick Owens x Champion Tommy Mesh Shirt
Any Rick Owens collaboration is bound to have a few pieces with his signature pentagram logo. The Tommy Mesh Shirt made with Champion easily incorporates it with a sleek monochrome finish.
Advisory Board Crystals Mesh Tank
The LA-based brand keeps it simple with this mesh tank just in time for the warmer months.
Brain Dead Maze Football Mesh Shirt
Complementary colors are always a good choice and Brain Dead knows a thing or two about aesthetics. Sprinkle in some detailed embroidery and you’ve got a shirt that’ll fit into your clothing rotation for seasons to come.
Chopova Lowena Blue Crazy Cat T-Shirt
Reminiscent of the slim, sheer designs by Jean-Paul Gaultier in the 90s, Chopova Lowena put its own spin on the style with a long sleeve mesh shirt featuring its signature playful graphics.
Stüssy Abstract Mesh Shirt
A worthy reminder that it's not just the likes of Gaultier letting you mesh this summer, streetwear giants Stussy have also been getting in on the fun. Wear this one over a tee if less exposure is music to your ears.
Champion Mesh Football Tee
Being highly breathable, mesh fabrics are useful in sports to keep the wearers cool. This Champion shirt plays on that, taking the design of a classic American football shirt and re-imagining it with a boxy fit and loose mesh.
Highsnobiety Sports Reversible Mesh Tank Top
As part of our multimedia flagship Highsnobiety Sports, celebrating the overlap between style and physical activity, we created our own line of sportswear. The breathable mesh on this tank top means that you won't overheat during workouts while the reversible design gives you styling options. And there are matching reversible shorts.
Eckhaus Latta Brown Vapor T-Shirt
Mesh tops are perfect for layering, and some come with layering options built-in. An example? This stretch nylon beauty from Eckhaus Latta.
Stefan Cooke White Cotton Tank Top
Stefan Cooke's diamond cut-out sweaters have become a signature of the brand that exposes what the wearer has on underneath, so it is only natural that the British label will do the same with its diamond-paneled tank top.
Theophilio Long Sleeve T-Shirt
Jamaican-American designer Edvin Thompson is known to draw from Jamaica’s dancehall culture in his designs and this piece offers his take on the string vests which are closely associated with the culture. Using the green and yellow colors from the Caribbean country's flag, it is a bold design that's bound to make a statement this summer.
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