Warm-Weather Tailoring
Spring is, god-willing, just around the corner. This means that it’s nearly time to shed our thick wool suits and toasty tweed jackets in favour of warm-weather alternatives.
With this mind, we’re set to break down five menswear brands that do tailoring well, and showcase the light-as-you-like options they’ve created to help sharpen up our wardrobes for SS15:
1. The Jaeger Double-Breasted Blazer
Jaeger is renowned for their high quality tailoring, and the brand’s heritage jacket has been produced in a wealth of summer-appropriate materials for SS15.
This double-breasted style is crafted from 100 per cent linen (from renowned Irish mill Baird McNutt) and cuts a modern, powerful silhouette. A slightly smarter take on the timeless navy blazer, it is ideal for hot days in the office and more formal off-duty occasions, such as the Henley Regatta or a day at the races.
Team it with a suitably refined dress shirt – the label’s breathable poplin cotton versions come highly recommended.
FashionBeans Recommends
Linen Modern Blazer (£299), available at jaeger.co.uk.
2. The Whistles Deconstructed Suit
Like dogs aren’t just for Christmas, wool isn’t just for winter. Not when it’s temperature-regulating Cool Wool anyway.
Manufactured from lightweight Merino wool – a fabric prized for its softness and breathability – Cool Wool is extremely lightweight and able to maintain its shape over long periods, which will ensure you to stay comfortable and looking sharp, even when temperatures rise.
Whistles have produced a range of modern suits in Cool Wool blends for SS15, including this half-lined deconstructed version. Coming in a contemporary slim-fit, this suit is just as suitable for work, worn with a crisp shirt and Oxfords, as it is for a party, dressed down with a classic sweatshirt or simple tee.
FashionBeans Recommends
Deconstructed Blazer (£195) and Slim Fit Tailored Trousers (£110), available at whistles.com.
3. The Cos Slim Cotton Suit
We’re big fans of Cos’ signature minimal aesthetic, especially when it’s applied to tailoring.
Simple and slim-fitting, a Cos suit – or blazer/trouser separates by the Swedish brand – will put you on the fast track for an elegant spring. Their sharp, modern cut and clean lines also ensures a more contemporary feel, which works well when dressed-down with basic tees and polo shirts.
Continuing the fashion-forward approach, try combining with a slightly chunkier shoe, minimal leather trainer or, weather/nerve-depending, a sandal – as pictured in the brand’s SS15 lookbook (below).
FashionBeans Recommends
Slim Cotton Suit, available at cosstores.com from March 2.
4. The Acne Skinny Suit
Another Swedish brand who offer a superb selection of slim-fitting suits is Acne.
Coming in a range of colours, from classic shades of black, grey and navy to less conventional hues such as burgundy and khaki, there is something for every taste and occasion.
As their SS15 lookbook proves (below), these bolder colour options don’t have to be restricted to shirt and tie combinations. A pair of trainers, checked shirt or simple knit can work surprisingly well with them – just remember to keep the surrounding colours pared-back to let your suit do all the talking.
FashionBeans Recommends
Aron J Tech Burgundy Blazer, available from acnestudios.com, priced £440.
5. The J.Crew Cotton Suit
Acclaimed NYC brand J.Crew are offering a very continental answer to your spring tailoring dilemma: Italian cotton piqué.
Not only is this fabric genuinely Italian (it’s sourced from the Carpini mill in Tuscany), it’s also lightweight, breathable and extremely durable.
Available in a range of fits, it was the brand’s Crosby suit that caught our eye. Designed with athletic gents in mind, it features a slim, tailored cut with extra room in the chest, shoulders and sleeves – inverted triangle body types finally have a go-to for off-the-peg tailoring.
FashionBeans Recommends
Crosby Suit Jacket (£358) and Trousers (£188), available from jcrew.com.
