Lake Como operates at a register that few destinations in Europe match. The villas along the shoreline — some of the most beautiful private residences in the world — the boat trips between the lakeside towns, the gardens of Villa Carlotta and Villa del Balbianello, the restaurants in Bellagio and Varenna: everything at Como exists at a specific level of civilised beauty that asks something of the visitor's wardrobe.

The climate in summer is warm and occasionally humid — temperatures between 25 and 33 degrees in July and August, with the lake moderating the heat in a way that the open Mediterranean coast does not. The specific quality of Como's light — the way it falls on the water and the pale stone of the lakeside architecture — rewards natural fabric and considered colour in a way that is more pronounced than most Italian destinations.

For the lakeside towns — Bellagio, Varenna, Menaggio: the cobblestone streets, the terraced restaurants above the lake, the boat landings — these are occasions that reward a garment that has considered the setting. A PP linen shirt in white or a warm natural with linen trousers and leather shoes reads correctly here for the afternoon and the dinner. The standard at Como's better restaurants — the Grand Hotel Tremezzo terrace in Tremezzo, the tables above the lake in Varenna, the restaurants of Bellagio's waterfront — is clearly above the casual. The Grand Hotel Villa d'Este at Cernobbio, one of the most beautiful hotels in Europe, sets a standard for the whole lake.

For the boat trips and villa gardens: the Villa del Balbianello garden, the boat to Bellagio from Varenna, the afternoon on the water — a PP linen shirt in a lighter colourway, worn with ease, carries these occasions without requiring formality. The beauty of the setting sets the standard; the garment should acknowledge it without competing with it.

For the evening: Como in the evening is one of the most beautiful settings in Italy. The last light on the lake, dinner on a terrace above the water — navy PP linen with linen trousers and leather loafers is the correct combination.

What to Wear in Portofino  ·  What to Wear in Tuscany  ·  Men's Linen Collection