Gingham for men

The mere sound of the word “gingham” may have given you visuals of red and white picnic blankets or Mary Anne Summer's infamous dress on “Gilligan's Island.” However, the face of gingham has evolved considerably and now reigns as the fashion statement for men of all ages this summer.

Summer is typically the most difficult season for men and their clothes. Figuring out how to merge dressing for the heat, finding appropriate looks for the office and providing variety in one's daily wardrobe can be overwhelming and, for most men, simply not worth the fuss.

The secret: Men's clothing trends are more about how you wear them as opposed to what you wear. Since a shirt is the foundation of a man's wardrobe, choose it wisely and build the outfit around it.

For the youthful, more fashion-forward guy, a fitted or tailored gingham button-down paired with a skinny tie and jeans rolled at the hem will hit this season's trend.

For the preppy or ageless, conservative guy, let your gingham button-down be looser. Even a washed cotton with a more rumpled vibe can still be work appropriate and fashionable. A dress pant, dark khaki/mocha chino or dark wash jean would all be good to complete this look.

The gingham look doesn't need to stop with the shirt, however. Hit the fashion mark for every occasion this season with the styles featured in the accompanying photo gallery.