It may be hard to get past the cold, wintry weather but late winter is always the best time to begin planning your suit ideas for the hot, sticky weather come summer time. There is nothing worse than sitting in hot meeting rooms or squashed in on public transport with temperatures well beyond the comfortable. There is, however, no need to suffer as there are plenty of men’s summer suits that are made of fabrics better suited to these stickier weather conditions. Let’s take a look at some ideas on how to both look and keep cool this summer.
General overview of the ideal men’s summer suit
The idea that you can have one suit in your wardrobe for all seasons is just plain untenable. When browsing suitable summer suits the first thing you need to pay attention to is just how the suit is put together. You are looking for pointers as to texture, breathability and weight. Half or un-lined suits, for instance, will be far more breathable than a fully lined suit, but may mean the suit is less well constructed. When looking at material you are looking for lighter weight and looser weave, maximising the potential for airflow. In addition, you could consider a suit with double vents at the back as this definitely boosts the airflow factor of your jacket. This summer tweed jacket is a great choice.
Tropical wool
What on earth is that?! You might well ask. And wool, in summer?! The answer to the first question is that it is a lightweight wool blend that is designed to withstand the humidity of the tropics and the answer to the second question is, yes! Opt for an unlined or partially lined tropical wool suit, or alternatively you can opt for a breathable liner. In addition, remember that the lighter the colour. The bottom line is that the right kind of wool can keep you very cool.
Linen blend
In an ideal world, linen wouldn’t wrinkle and the tube would be perfectly air-conditioned! However, in the absence of the ideal, we need to mix things up and a linen blend with wool or cotton remedies some of the wrinkling to make linen a viable option for the office. Linen lends itself to more summery colours, too, so those eggshell blues and light greys will work very well indeed.
Seersucker is back
Over in the States, seersucker as a fabric option for suits has become so popular that there’s even a National Seersucker Day (June 11th for those looking to help to make this a UK thing too). You can easily see why it was it was first adopted in the southern states as it is a very cool material that almost seems to repel heat. Seersucker is a very unique, almost quirky fabric made of cotton that could be acceptable in the workplace as long as dress codes are not too strict.
In terms of colours for summer, it is the annual excuse to be a bit bolder, so think light greys (suits more of us), baby blues (especially if you have a tan) and khaki if you are dark haired.