9 tried-and-tested performance dress shirts that will help you stay cool in the summer heat

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• If you work in an office with a business casual or stricter dress policy, there's a fine line between dressing appropriately for hot summer weather and wearing a suitable outfit for work.
• Many menswear brands are now designing dress shirts with dri-fit technology usually used in athletic gear to help control sweating and keep you cool throughout the day. 
• We tried nine of these performance shirts and found that they'll help wick away sweat without looking like you're dressing for casual Friday every day.  

For men in business casual office settings (or even stricter ones), summertime is not all about eating lunch outside, cold beers at Thursday happy hours, and fun in the sun. It means several months of yellow armpit stains, uncomfortably damp backs, and musty commutes.

In the past, the only solution to this problem was having back-up undershirts hidden under your desk and a few spare deodorants in your file cabinet.

But in a stroke of genius, many brands have utilized the fabrics and materials designed to wick away sweat in athletic gear and applied it to clothing more appropriate for a work setting. These may look like your typical dress shirt, but they're designed to resist moisture, keep your body cooler for longer, and made of a stretchy fabric that offers enhanced movement and flexibility. While the prices are usually higher than the standard dress shirt, ending your day without Pig Pen-levels of stink-lines emanating from your body is most definitely worth the added cost.

Two of us on the Insider Picks team tried nine of these performance shirts around New York City and we can attest that it is possible to dress appropriately for our office in warm weather without ending the day drenched in a layer of sweat.

Check out our favorite performance shirts that will help you stay cool throughout the day:

Southern Tide Brrr Intercoastal Performance Sport Shirt

Mainstay Plaid Brrr Intercoastal Performance Sport Shirt, $125, from Dillards

Beyond wicking away sweat and moisture, the fabric in this shirt works to actively cool your body. I tested this shirt on one of the first warm days of the year, and beyond reducing sweat, the fabric really helped keep me cool throughout the day. The shirt is exceptionally stretchy, and is perfect for the transition from the office to happy hour.

Southern Tide has a reputation for being a brand more well-suited for college parties than a day at the office, but the Brrr Intercoastal Performance Sport Shirt can be relied upon as a go-to option for anyone in a business casual setting.

— Danny Bakst, Insider Picks content producer

Twillory Performance Dress Shirts

Twillory Performance Dress Shirts, $99 each, two for $119, three for $175, or four+ for $54 each

Featuring a four-way stretch material made from cotton, Lycra, and the brand's Cool Max fabric, Twillory Performance Dress Shirts are designed for men on the move. The material wicks away moisture to keep your body cool, and is very easy to maintain as it's wrinkle-resistant.

What I like best about the shirt is the cotton lining in the sleeves and shoulders. It gives two areas that are usually very stiff and uncomfortable on dress shirts a T-shirt-like feeling. The brand offers three different fits — traditional, tailored, and extra trim.

While Twillory isn't the stretchiest performance dress shirt you can buy, I've found it to be the best in value — especially if you wear a dress shirt every day and need to stock up. Since every man should definitely have more than one dress shirt in their closet, it's well worth buying four or more for $54 each.

Read our full review here. 

— Amir Ismael, Insider Picks reporter

Mizzen+Main Kennedy Shirt

Mizzen+Main Kennedy Shirt, $125, from Mizzen+Main

Mizzen+Main is one of the leaders in performance dress shirts for good reason. It makes clothing that is equally effective in the boardroom and at the gym. While it's not as actively cooling as Southern Tide, Mizzen+Main's performance shirt still drapes the skin nicely and offers a comparable stretchiness.

However, unlike Southern Tide, Mizzen+Main has a wide variety of design options so you can choose whichever best fits your style, or stock your entire closet with different versions of this incredibly breathable and effective performance shirt.

The online shop also has a cool feature that helps you find the right size. I tend to hover between extra large and large for my dress shirts, so I used the tool to figure out the right size option for me. I just entered my measurements and the recommended large fit perfectly.