St. Barts Bound: The Men's Winter Escape Wardrobe

For St. Barts in winter, I pack linen shirts, quick-dry swim shorts, a cap or sunglasses and suede loafers or espadrilles, all in white, sand, stone, navy and brown. A quiet palette means every shirt works with every pair of shorts, and nothing competes with the water.

 

I start with the shirts. The Loro Piana André linen shirt in white and the Todd Snyder Sea Soft Irish Linen shirt are the two I would reach for at dinner, worn open at the collar with the sleeves pushed up. For daytime, the Vilebrequin garment-dyed linen camp shirt, the Orlebar Brown Giles linen shirt and the Todd Snyder Textured Linen Capri shirt in desert beige sit looser and cooler. The OAS Novo linen shirt in navy adds contrast, the Loro Piana André in beige keeps things warm, and the Brunello Cucinelli band collar shirt in stone is the one for when the evening gets dressy.

Swim shorts in solid neutrals work on the beach and at a beachside lunch, and a mid-length cut looks current. The Orlebar Brown Bulldog nylon shorts in navy and the Dane shorts in olive are my tailored pair, and they sit closer to a short than a trunk.

 

Vilebrequin's solid white shorts and its navy micro-perforated light pair are the classic choice for a clean look by the water. OAS adds a little character without any loud color, with the Vico in navy with white trim, the Calo in brown and the Dune Mitu print in sand. The Todd Snyder seersucker Montauk trunk in navy brings texture. I would pack one navy pair and one lighter pair and rotate them.

Sunglasses and a cap protect you from strong sun, and in neutral colors they go with everything in the bag. For frames, I like the Oliver Peoples Cary Grant in tortoiseshell, the Barton Perreira Winton with green lenses, the Tom Ford Vladimir aviator and the Todd Snyder x Moscot Wythe in brown.

 

For caps, the Loro Piana logo cap in ivory and its cashmere cap in gray look polished with a linen shirt. The Vilebrequin terry cap in white and the OAS Èze cap in ecru are the relaxed pair for the beach. Keep the cap plain and pick one frame shape you trust.

Soft suede loafers and espadrilles are the right shoes for St. Barts, because they pack flat and look dressed for dinner. The Loro Piana Venice Walk loafers in beige, the Sea-Sail Walk suede boat shoes, the Vilebrequin suede loafers and the Todd Snyder Italian suede penny loafer in tan are my dressier choices.

 

For daytime, the Todd Snyder Nomad espadrille in natural and the OAS beige linen espadrilles are the easy pair. For the walk to the beach, the Orlebar Brown Muro leather sandals and The Row Hugh slides in brown suede are simple and quiet.

I would pack a handful of shirts, two pairs of swim shorts, one cap, one pair of sunglasses and two pairs of shoes, all in the same neutral family. Everything then mixes, the bag stays light, and you look put together from the first coffee to the last drink.

 

Rinse swimwear in fresh water and hang linen straight out of the bag, since a light crease looks right on the island. Start with one white linen shirt and one pair of suede loafers, and build the rest around them.