Here comes the sun

Here comes the sun

With summer on its way, the time is right to start thinking about lighter weight jacket or suit options to see you through the warmer months, at work and at play.

The traditional summer weight cloths are cotton, linen and lightweight wool., though seersucker has also made a resurgence in recent years.

In sunny weather, lighter colours – particularly blues and greys work well along with contrasting combinations – a cream jacket with navy trousers for example or the reverse.

And in terms of cloth, there’s a lots of exciting summer weight options, with interesting blends and textures coming out of Italian cloth makers in particular this  year. Caccioppoli, the venerable Naplese cloth maker have brought out three new summer swatches – including the aptly named Sun Dream III.

bespoke summer suit fabric image

Drapers of Bologna also have some fabulous summer-weight cloths this season:

So if you’re looking for something a little different to wear this summer, or indeed a classic summer look, book an appointment with Chris here.

Featured image by Shamim Nakhaei on Unsplash

Summer sports jackets

Summer sports jackets

It’s easy in winter to reach for a tweed jacket when you’re heading out for a weekend lunch with friends. However, if, when dressing for the same kind of occasion in summer, a man wants to wear something more interesting and less formal than a navy-blue blazer then the options can seem limited.

The obvious alternative is to go for a linen jacket, ideally in a heavy, open-weave cloth that will rumple rather than crease, and allow a good flow of air through it. It could be made from cream, tobacco brown, or blue linen, but these solid hues are ideally saved for Mediterranean holidays or country weddings. (more…)

What to wear for Henley

What to wear for Henley

Henley-on-Thames the regatta consists of over 200 boat races on the river that runs through the town, with Olympians among the competitors. However, the Regatta is as almost as much a social event as it is a sporting one, and as such the dress code is important (men in the Steward’s Enclosure are required to wear a jacket and tie) and it sets the tone. Blazers predominate.

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Why a bespoke Solaro suit?

Why a bespoke Solaro suit?

What do Lapo Elkann, Gianni Agnelli, Matteo Marzotto and Luca di Montezemolo have in common, aside from their incredible wealth and status as style icons? They all wore or wear suits made from Solaro. While a lot of different fabrics are referred to as Solaro only London cloth merchant Smith Woollens, now part of Harrisons, offers the real thing. It’s an olive coloured wool cloth, which comes in a variety of weaves including herringbones and twill. Its defining feature is that it’s woven with red yarns on the underside, which show through the fabric to a greater or lesser extent depending on the angle of the viewer. (more…)

Dressing for spring & summer

Dressing for spring & summer

With spring approaching any man who wishes to wear a new light-coloured suit this summer needs to get on and place an order. The character of such suits is heavily dependent on the fabric specified, from the dry hand of linen to the fuzz of flannel and the slight sheen of cotton. The first makes sense for something like a Mediterranean wedding, where comfort takes precedence. There are few places the second makes sense because it’s so warm, but it looks amazing in an old-fashioned way, and the third makes sense in town where even pale suits need to look snappy. When choosing a colour remember that the paler the fabric the more frequently the suit will need to be dry cleaned. (more…)

Visit Chris Kerr at our Soho shop.

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