As the Dutch say: “The summer is standing in front of the door”. Summer is coming. But, how do you dress sharply for the office, a wedding or any other social event during the hot summer season? What should you look for in order to appear stylish, professional and appropriate during the summer?
What to look for in a summer suit
The most important features in a summer suit are the fabric and weave, the construction of the jacket and the color of the suit.
Summer suit fabrics
For summer suits there are a multiple of fabrics and weaves to choose from. The most popular fabrics for summer suits are linen, wool, mohair, cotton and silk. Ofcourse you can also opt for a blend of these fabrics.
Linen
Linen is a classic material for summer and it is a very popular fabric for summer suits because it’s strong, durable and light weight. Linen has a visible weave and great natural texture. Unfortunately, it also wrinkles very easy. So if you will be wearing the suit to the office, it is better to use a linen blend that also contains cotton or wool. That way you have less wrinkling, but you keep the nice summer look of linen.
Wool
There are a lot of light weight wools that are perfect for summer suits, like fresco or tropical worsted wool.
Fresco
The word fresco is derived from the word “affresco”, which translates to “fresh” and that’s exactly how a fresco suit will make you feel. This fabric consists of a multiple yarn, high-twisted wool with an open weave allowing the fabric to be very airy, yet quite durable. This fabric is designed specifically with summer in mind, and although the open weave allows for maximum air flow, the crisp feel and look of the fabric allows this suit to look extremely elegant and refined. Lightweight wools such as this work better than cotton or linen because they wick away – not absorb – sweat.
Tropical worsted wool
This is an open weave worsted wool fabric. It is generally softer than fresco, but also not as breathable. Overall it is a good choice, but if you want increased airflow you will be better off with fresco.
Read more