A busy summer social diary calls for a versatile wardrobe wherein the suit plays a vital role. While one may have a number of different business suits that don't require much thought to style, the summer suit is an altogether different animal, existing in that strange world we like to call 'smart casual'. Strange, because it is open to a far greater degree of creative interpretation than the typical merino wool navy or charcoal business suit. The summer lounge suit is more often than not, not constructed from a wool cloth but rather cotton, linen or a blend thereof, which completely changes its dynamic. Here's a quick rundown on how we're going to be styling our summer suits this season.
Navy can be relaxed
Before you mothball all of your navy suits for the next 5 months, be selective about what you put away, because a navy suit is still a fantastic option for certain summer events. Depending on the style, the jacket itself can be an excellent de facto blazer when paired with white chinos or even tailored shorts. The lighter the shade of navy, the more casual and versatile it will be. A double-breasted cut with broad Neapolitan lapels is a delicious summer option if it comes unstructured and ideally in linen, but a single-breasted one-button style can also be very modern when paired with a linen shirt.
Navy Ethan Linen |
Indigo Woodcroft Linen |
Navy Carlton Hopsack |
Off-white is a delight
We spoken here about the joy of ivory and off-white linen suits, so I won't bore you with the repetition, only to say that it is the more fantastic tone to juxtapose with a strong waistcoat, tie and pocket square. An excellent option for attending summer weddings, the ivory suit works particularly well with, say, a sky blue waistcoat and bolder navy polka dot tie (the pattern really jumps out against the ivory and pastel canvas.
Ivory Bray Herringbone |
Organic Bray Herringbone |
Pastels are powerful
Although we tend to think of them as soft, delicate tones, pastel hues are actually the very epitome of confidence. Whether it's pink, pistacchio, or baby blue, a pastel suit is a sure-fire head-turner. Otherwise, opt for a pastel waistcoat instead as a more subtle abbreviation of the colour. In our opinion, pastels work best when applied to linen cloths, or cotton and linen blends, as the slubby details of the linen prevent the colour from looking flat.
Sky Evering Linen |
Sage Cromer Linen |
Dusk Halton Silk Double- |
Tobacco is smoking
One of our favourite suit colours for summer is tobacco, especially when cut in a high quality linen cloth. The rich earthy tone is almost impossible to style badly. It goes with just about every colour on the spectrum and for whatever reason seems to really complement a more dressed-down look with a cream polo shirt or similar.
Khaki Kirkland Linen |
Khaki Kirkland Linen |
