A Guide To British Summer Event Dressing

May 23, 2014

The Summer Season Ultimate Guide

Seasons change, and so do trends. However, as we all know, some styles are simply timeless – as is the dress code for the highlights of the summer social calendar. Here at FashionBeans, we’ve rounded up the key looks for dressing for the quintessential British summer season. Think morning suits for Royal Ascot, loud chinos and even louder blazers at the Henley Royal Regatta, soft cotton lounge suits for Wimbledon and the perfectly fitted dinner jacket for Glyndebourne…

Royal Ascot

Whatever day of the meet you attend, gentlemen in the Royal Enclosure are obliged to wear morning suits (grey or black) with a waistcoat and tie (cravats are nowhere to be seen). Top hats should also be grey or black, while shoes are strictly limited to black. That being said, there is still plenty to play for in the style stakes – especially when it comes to making your mark. With the colour-blocking trend set to dominate SS14, now is the time to be more adventurous with your selection of tie and waistcoat. While opting for a three-piece from a Savile Row stalwart such as Gieves & Hawkes is undoubtedly a safe bet, the more seasoned racegoer would do well to mix and match. A silk trimmed, Edwardian-style morning suit jacket (try Favourbrook on London’s Jermyn Street) paired with tailored trousers from Ede & Ravenscroft makes for a perfect combination. Elsewhere, Hackett is an excellent choice for a Royal Ascot waistcoat, being both colourful and reasonably priced for the quality. The choice of cloth for a day in the Royal Enclosure is somewhat dictated by the prevailing weather on raceday, which is not always fair, even in June. Opt for pure wool or cashmere when the wind is blowing, switching for lightweight cotton if the sun is shining. If you’re a man in a hurry, or don’t want to commit, Lipman’s on Charing Cross Road, London is a reliable family tailor who also hire out high quality pieces.

Men's Morning Coats and Tails Outfit Inspiration Lookbook

Key Pieces

Favourbrook Grey Wool Morning Suit Coat
Favourbrook Grey Wool Morning Suit Trousers
Classic Fit Morning Suit Tail Coat
Royal Ascot Regular Fit Three Piece Morning Suit
Moss Bros Regular Fit Fine Herringbone Morningwear Coat Black
Favourbrook Black Bedford Cord Morning Suit Coat
John Lewis Tailored Morning Suit Tailcoat Black
John Lewis Tailored Morning Suit Trousers Black
Classic Fit Morning Suit Trousers

Henley Royal Regatta

Loud chinos and even louder blazers are the order of the day (or entire week) at Henley Royal Regatta. Seriously, no single item can be too loud or ostentatious at the annual boatie event. The main rule to remember is that no gentleman in the exclusive Steward’s Enclosure may remove his jacket or undo his top button unless the head Steward does so. Which leads on to the second, unwritten, rule: tweed and wool blazers are out, and soft cotton is your best friend. The same goes for legwear – with pure linen just slightly too informal, not to mention impractical if you are picnicking and don’t want wrinkles, it’s best to stick to pure cotton or sturdier cotton-linen blends. When it comes to colour, classic red, pink and salmon tones are always popular – and on trend this year – but any bright chino is more than acceptable. Although printed legwear is also trending for SS14, stick to block-colours – preppy brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, J.Crew and Banana Republic are all good sources – and pair with a striped blazer and tie. Many of the jackets being peacocked around the Fawley Bar will be bespoke (from Gieves & Hawkes or a university outfitter like A. E. Clothier) and come in a school rowing club or university society’s individual colours. But that’s not to say you can’t pick your own – if you don’t belong to a boat club, a navy and white seersucker blazer is a solid choice that will continue to get good wear each summer for many years to come. When looking to accessorise, Henley is an event where you can work a straw boater, so why not? We recently showed you how to pull off a wide brimmed hat in our style sins article and, if they suit your head/face shape, it would definitely mark you out as a confident gent. One final tip: wear sunscreen. Red trousers are welcome, red faces are not.

Lookbook Inspiration

Men's Henley Regatta Outfit Inspiration Lookbook

Key Pieces

Hardy Amies Slim-fit Striped Cotton Blazer
Asos Slim Fit Blazer In Ticking Stripe
Topman Selected Homme Stripe Blazer
Reiss Hertford B Textured Tuxedo Jacket Dark Navy
New & Lingwood Benson Black Evening Jacket With Satin Peak Lapel
Double Breasted Dinner Jacket
Lanvin Pleated Duchesse Satin Cummerband
Turnbull & Asser White Sea Island Cotton Tuxedo Shirt
Black Tie Evening Waistcoat
John Lewis Tailored Peak Lapel Dress Suit Trousers Black
T.m.lewin Black Petersham Self-tie Bow Tie
Austin Reed Black Self Tie Silk Bow Tie
Black Boned Cummerbund
New Look Tux Blazer
Thom Sweeney Navy Berkeley Three-piece Wool Tuxedo

Glorious Goodwood – 100

Yes, you risk looking like the man from Del Monte, but a linen suit is still the only way to go at Glorious Goodwood. Opt for light hues instead of dark at this racing festival. Shoes truly maketh the man when dealing with head-to-toe linen – our advice for pulling off any linen look is get the footwear right. A suede Derby in beige or tan is versatile, but aim for a leather sole. Brands such as Church’s, Ami, Mark McNairy, Loake and Tod’s are all great ports of call. As for the suit itself, try Burberry or Hackett for high-end and Suitsupply, Austin Reed, Ted Baker or HE by Mango for more affordable options. An on trend cream/off white suit will anchor almost any colour shirt (we recommend pastel shades) and tie – bear in mind our advice on how to combine the two and you won’t go wrong.