The Getup: “Spontaneous” Picnic at the Lake

Because, “Hey, why don’t we have a picnic at the lake this afternoon?” is a heckuva lot more exciting for your partner than, "Picnic next week?”

Spontaneity in a relationship is exciting. It's also… a lot of work both logistically and emotionally.

Impromptu nights out or, say, a picnic this coming weekend *ahem* are essential for keeping long term relationships vibrant. That's why we're big fans of “strategic spontaneity.” The idea being you put 10 minutes of thought into coming up with a few fun surprise gestures you can spread out on your calendar. That way, you're not forced to actually be spontaneous in the moment, but you still get the credit for it. This is what the world's finest legal experts would refer to as a loophole.

So when Saturday rolls around and you casually drop over your morning coffee, “Let's do the chores tomorrow: I'll pack a bottle of wine, that cheese you like, and some sandwiches, and we can sit at the lake this afternoon,” you'll look like James Bond but secretly be a well-planned Q.

The Getup: Summer Outfit Inspiration for Men buck mason shirt buck mason shirt amazon shirt dock shorts gap shorts converse field watch persol yeti packable lunch ny cap blanket swiss army knife amazon t-shirt the getup

Short sleeve chambray shirt: Buck Mason, $95 / save: Amazon, $30

V-neck pocket t-shirt: Goodthreads, $15

Dock shorts: J.Crew, $54.50 / chino shorts: Gap, $27

Converse All Star 70s: Amazon, $80

Todd Snyder x Timex Field Watch: Amazon, $62

Persol Sunglasses: Amazon, $109

What do you like about this look? Let's chat in the comments!

Andrew Snavely

Andrew is the founder and editor of Primer. He's a graduate of American University and currently lives in Los Angeles. Read more about Primer on our About page. On Instagram: @andrewsnavely and @primermagazine.