Get ready for a hot priest summer

The television remake of Nancy Mitford’s wickedly snobbish The Pursuit of Love inspired British women to explore tea dresses, slips and florals in that country’s recent attempt at summer, but there’s much more in it for Australian men looking to expand their warm weather wardrobe.

Andrew Scott who gained immoral attention as the “hot priest” in the comedy series Fleabag plays the eccentric Lord Merlin in the highly stylised BBC production and offers stylish clothing options that go beyond crumpled linen shorts, shirts and thongs.

Andrew Scott, who plays the bohemian lord of the next-door manor Merlin, and Lily James as Linda in The Pursuit of Love.Credit:Robert Viglasky/Amazon Prime Video

Merlin is based on the equally eccentric novelist and composer Lord Berners who lived at the Palladian marvel Faringdon House with his lover, his lover’s wife and a flock of dyed pink pigeons.

Adding more style to the spirit of Lord Berners, costume designer Sinead Kidao injected a touch of Cecil Beaton, after seeing an image of the photographer in the ’30s wearing tiny cotton shorts.

“I suggested copying Beaton’s look for Andrew Scott as Lord Merlin, and I’m fairly sure that’s what got me the job,” Kidao told BritishVogue.

Andrew Scott as Lord Merlin in The Pursuit of Love takes the short shorts to new heights.Credit:BBC

The Knit Polo

There is so much to absorb of Scott in his perfect, tonal ensembles that it is no wonder Lily James as Linda Radlett spends so much screen time looking at him adoringly. It’s the knitted polo shirt that perfectly combines an aristocratic appreciation for quality with a cut that permits bourgeois activities.

The weave of the shirt and its relaxed fit sets it apart from bland corporate polos with popped colours. Knitted polos have enough formality to see you through a catered picnic lunch, while offering the comfort of a regular T-shirt.

Melbourne menswear designer Christian Kimber has nailed the heritage look with a forgiving, slightly oversized fit.

Riviera knit polo, $385, Christian Kimber; lounge shorts, $90, Venroy; Chinos, $350, P Johnson.

“Our knitted polos have a very open weave, so they’re more breathable than normal fabrications, and as the temperature increases this is ideal for airflow,” said Kimber. “It gives you a more elegant, elevated look than a standard polo, which you want if you need to go out somewhere special in the summer, stay cool and look the part.”

High-waisted, baggy trousers

By now you would have noticed that trousers have been expanding beyond calf-hugging styles towards a more relaxed silhouette.

There are two great advantages to these higher waisted styles: your shirt will not become untucked when you rakishly lift a gently tanned arm to sweep your fingers through your hair; there’s much greater air circulation on humid days.

“Generous cuts in trousers give their wearer a carefree look,” said P Johnson head tailor Tom Riley. “It’s a refreshing attitude after a few decades of very slim trousers which frankly only flatter a small few of us.”

Look for light linen and cottons and pay attention to underwear, if that’s your preference. Nude and cream tones work best beneath white, rather than anything with a South Park print.

Pjyama party: Andrew Scott dresses for all nighttime activities as Lord Merlin.

Short Shorts

The knee just might be the men’s fashion’s new erogenous zone, with short styles climbing to dangerous heights. The runway at London Fashion Week earlier this month was overrun with thigh-baring styles by Stefan Cook, that raised hems to the same length as Merlin’s in The Pursuit of Love.

With Cook’s style months away from landing in stores, take comfort in the extra length of Venroy’s lounge shorts in relaxed linen. In pastel shades they have preppy appeal and offer enough modesty to protect other erogenous zones from view.

(L-R) Commas polka-dot shirt, $356, Matchesfashion; Logo scarf, $300, Burberry; Polka-dot scarf, $150, Paul Smith; To The Gypsy shirt, $249, Camilla; Sunset slim lozenge, $750, Hermes.

“I think there is a definite trend of men moving back to a shorter short,” said Sean Venturi, founder of Venroy. ” We have always designed to this shape, adopting a more European fashion sense. I feel men used to dress to look masculine in order to fit a stereotype and short shorts didn’t fit that mould. Now, the stereotype no longer exists and there is a much more fluid, free-thinking approach to dressing.”

The scarf

A silk or cotton scarf is encouraged but optional. French luxury brand Hermes has divine silk lozenges in princely powder blue, but for those feeling less lord of the manor, turn to Paul Smith’s playful polka dots or Burberry’s retro logo for contemporary offerings.

Pyjama Shirts

Lord Merlin enters the television series in a bold white and black polka dot print pyjama set that can take you straight from the ballroom floor to bed.

You can do the same in on-trend pyjama-style shirts, in dots from rising Australian menswear brand Commas and vivid prints from Camilla. The added bonus with these short-sleeved cuts is that they can also tackle the beach, on top of board shorts, or those shorter styles you now want.

The Pursuit of Love is screening on Amazon Prime.

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