Hemingway Summer Style
- Brian Robinson
- Apr 18
- 2 min read
Summer is just around the corner, and it’s time to start thinking about warm-weather style. As the temperatures rise, my wardrobe typically shifts away from heavy wool fabrics, and I begin my seasonal transition toward lightweight cotton pieces.
Over the past decade, my summer style has been heavily inspired by the iconic author Ernest Hemingway. To the uninitiated, choosing a writer who died over 60 years ago as a style icon might seem like an odd choice. However, Hemingway’s personal style offers a compelling guide on how to dress for warm weather with timeless appeal.
During the mid-20th century, this Pulitzer and Nobel Prize–winning author dominated the field of American literature and cultivated a public image as the embodiment of rugged masculinity. Whether fishing, hunting, fighting, or pursuing romance under the Havana sun, Hemingway was viewed as an oracle of manly pursuits. Numerous interviews in mid-century “lad mags” cemented his status as an authority on the adventurous life.
Hemingway was also an early style influencer. Hundreds of photos show him in the field—hunting, fishing, and traveling. These images appeared in major publications of the day, including Life and Look. As a result, the image of Hemingway as “the adventurer” became embedded in the cultural bedrock of mid-century America. The clothing he wore while breaking bones and hearts alike helped establish him as an icon of American masculine style.
The Collection
When you study photographs of Hemingway living the adventurous life, several recurring pieces emerge as essential to his look. The long-billed fishing hat, the guayabera shirt, the Breton fishing shirt, and the safari jacket are all cornerstone elements of the “Hemingway brand.” Of all these, my personal favorite is the safari jacket.
There isn’t a piece of clothing more closely associated with Hemingway’s public image than the safari jacket. It’s also the cornerstone of my travel style. A four-pocket safari jacket is incredibly functional, great looking, hard-wearing, versatile, and a true three-season performer. The generous pockets provide ample storage, and the look is simply timeless—a perfect combo.
I own at least half a dozen safari jackets from various makers, spanning styles from 1952 to the present. One famous Hemingway legend from the 1990s comes from the Willis & Geiger archives, where a story emerged that Hemingway helped the company design a safari jacket.
Whether or not he designed a specific piece, the safari jacket was a staple of Hemingway’s wardrobe for nearly three decades. There are dozens of photos showing him in variations of the style, both on land and at sea.
Last year, I designed both long- and short-sleeve safari jackets for my own collection, inspired by the pieces Hemingway wore in Africa and Cuba. I’m still refining these designs and hope to share them with you in the near future—so stay tuned!
Over 35 years, working in industry and government, I’ve curated my experience in a way that brings a singular perspective to my pursuits.
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