11 homemade summer-ready looks

Summer warmth and sunshine, the sweetness of dawn and the beauty of dusk. It's a succession of radiant days that never end. In theory at least.

Summer is also light. The colours. The smell of sunscreen. The joy of having a Cornetto for breakfast.

Summer is above all a challenge. The great, immense challenge of looking decent without boiling.

Sure, you could spend three months wearing Arsenal shorts and a white T-shirt. But if you’re not auditioning for a role as a cartoon character, our stylist has thrown together a dozen or so looks to give you some inspiration for the summer. Thanks, Alban.

And as we’re very nice people, we've taken the opportunity to share 4 key principles that make successful summer outfits. Here goes.

It's no secret: the hotter it gets, the more restrictive your clothes become.

Don’t let the bystander effect trick your weak human mind, bust out the shorts at the first hint of warm weather. Others will thank you for it. So much the better if they’re pretty beaten up, any additional in-built draughts welcome.

Hats are good. Apart from the obvious, you can channel your inner Steve Zissou if it’s not too hot or the man from Del Monte if you’re into citrus.

Don’t go too long with your tops, unless you can pull off a kaftan. The Ultimate T-shirt is simple and effective. If you've got the camper van to go with it, it's even better.

Without getting too GCSE physics on you, the darker your outfit the more it absorbs the sun's heat.

No need for a foiled aluminium all-in-one, but off-white trousers, a pale blue shirt and a pair of clogs will increase your odds of staying dry. And if you do break out in sweat, it shows up less on a lighter palette.

And a light colour doesn’t just mean a different shade of white. Just look at this Oxford shirt in cool butter tones. A strong piece with a light touch.

If there's ever a good time to experiment with style, it's during the summer.

While the sun’s out and everyone’s distracted, Alban says it’s the perfect time to step into the wonderful world of looser-fitting clothing.

As well as keeping you cool thanks to added airflow, it might just be the start of a new beginning.

A perfect summer jumper with wide chinos: It doesn't take much to create the perfect summer outfit. Chuck in a pair of trainers and suitable headgear and you're all set.

Comfort, airflow and range of movement: straight or loose cuts are just what you need.

Unlike synthetic fibres, natural materials breathe. And when it's 96°F in the shade, that makes all the difference.

We can't stress this enough. Opt as often as possible for cotton, wool - yes wool - linen and blends of these little gifts from nature. Cooler, lighter and fewer odours.

As well as natural materials, accessories really come into their own between May and September. Take Sunglasses for example. Useful for actually seeing where you’re going in the midday sun... but can also really pull an outfit together.

This 100% organic cotton outfit perfectly illustrates the point.

Shades, cap, sailor-cardigan combo: it’s the full hog.

Add a little volume to the trouser leg to offset the clean chest lines and you're cruising.

It’s not rocket science, but we hope they'll give you a bit of food for thought.

Natural materials, fullness, light colours, ventilation and accessories: You've got all the ingredients you need to cook up some great outfits over the coming months.

Send us your getups to @asphalte_international and we'll select and share our favourites.

Thanks in advance and don’t forget the sun cream.

The ASPHALTE team