Pack these 4 items for your spring getaway

After enduring another frigid winter, the time is right to take a break and defrost frozen fingers and toes. Whether you can sneak away to a musical festival or have something a bit grander in the works, packing can always be a bit baffling. It’s tough to say how much you need in a certain place, especially when you’ve never been to that place before, so it’s better to think of each trip in time increments—layer up or down depending on the local weather.

But here are four items we suggest you pack for your upcoming trip:

Knitted Polo
It’s sort of a sweater but it also resembles a polo shirt, which means a knitted polo (in cotton or linen, that is) will work rather well for temperatures ranging from warm to scorching hot. Wear it with a light-colored blazer for stepping out in spring, then pop a couple of buttons and take it to a beach bar later in the year, alongside some lightweight cotton trousers and leather pool slides.

Linen Shirt
This basic is like any other shirt in the sense that it can be worn over or under things, buttoned or unbuttoned and with sleeves fully unfurled or rolled jauntily up to the elbows. Where linen has the advantage, though, is its ability to keep the body cool. This stiffer yarn weaves less tightly than cotton, which means linen fabrics allow more airflow and tend to sit away from the skin, making them more breathable. Can’t bear the wrinkles that come with such fun? Then opt for a linen-cotton-blend shirt.

White Jeans
While white jeans season is certainly limited, it is now officially open—there’s no need to wait until Memorial Day. Look for a slim fit that you can pair with a navy blazer and white shirt when temperatures heat up in the office, but wear them with sneakers and a boldly colored T-shirt for a more streetwise look.

Unstructured Blazer
We would recommend that, whatever his travel destination, every man include an unstructured blazer—that is, a tailored jacket that forgoes much of the padding and lining. The reason being that you never know when you’ll be called upon to smarten up, even when you’re ostensibly taking a break. A relaxed navy blazer will come in handy for many a smart-casual situation this spring. Wear it on the weekend with a sweatshirt and some stone-colored chinos. Swap in a shirt and you’re ready for that nice restaurant you’ve been wanting to try.