Our resident stylist Andrew Porter waxes casual on men’s and women’s must-haves.

Birdwell Beach Britches
Okay, so we’ve got about a month until Ibiza jumps off for summer 2011. Thank god! Finally, I can get out of this Goan beach bungalow, hang up my full-moon rave hat, and return to normal civilization. This season is going to be big. And if one thing is for certain, it’s that you don’t want to hit the beach looking like a total bum. When it comes to new swim trunks, there are a lot of options out—and a lot of bad choices to be made. You don’t want to be the guy in the below-the-knee boardshort. Leave those to the flat-brim-Volcom-and-Black-Flys-wearing Southern Californians. Alternately, you don’t want to be the guy in the too-high-on-the-thigh American Apparel trunks. Leave those to the 20-something Brooklynites. For you, I recommend the classic Birdwell trunk (pictured above). Founded in 1961, family-run Birdwell has been making trunks here in the states for over 50 years. They’re simple, basic, and built to last. Most importantly, they look great! See you on the beach…

LRG Tank Tops
Man, a good tank top is hard to come by. Every time I wear one, I feel like “tank top guy.” Anybody know what I’m talking about? Well, the fact of the matter is that it gets hot as hell here in New York and some days you just have to do it. I tend to go with old basketball jerseys (heck, I don’t want to see this Shawn Kemp jersey go to waste) but I understand that not everyone wants to look like the forgotten member of House of Pain. So I scoured the interweb of wonder in search of the perfect tank top. There’s some nice stuff at Barney’s and Oki-Ni, but who wants to spend a hundred bucks on a tank top? Finally, I stumbled across LRG tank tops. Real talk, I never thought I would recommend a product by the people best known for that god awful skeleton hoodie, but hey, these look fresh! Really spot-on color choices, super-small logo, and a totally affordable price. What’s not to love?

Polo Patchwork Madras Gear Cap
I’m a big Polo fan—been a collector since I was a kid. Unfortunately, the past few Polo lines have been sort of a bore. Too much heritage=inspired stuff. It’s 2011, and I’m not trying to dress like the Ivy League dad I never had. I came across this hat the other day while engaging in one of my favorite pastimes: hanging out in the Garden State Plaza. Seriously, check it out: The GSP offers unparalleled people-watching and a Cinnabon. Need I say more? I like patchwork Madras clothing a lot—from shirts to shorts. Five-panel hats always look pretty good as well. Introduce the two and you’ve got a marriage that’s built to last. If that doesn’t sell you, then might I add that this hat is perfect for the streets or weekending on the Cape. Finally, you don’t have to worry about how to pack that pesky Panama hat. FINALLY!