The Summer Suit

In a classic case of getting a taste of one’s own medicine, the Brown in Town Summer Suit has been incorporated into our Custom Collection because it proved so popular with our patrons and has continued to do so since it’s maiden voyage.

You see, the original concept of the Custom Collection was to create a capsule wardrobe for our professional patrons who are required less and less to wear a suit to do battle. Moreover, they are required to accommodate the dreaded ‘smart-casual’ – which leaves us all, myself included, floundering at the threshold of our wardrobes; but help is at hand.

Following a trip to Florence for the bi-annual rag trade faire, Pitti Uomo, earlier this year – before wedding season was in full flow and I was able to spend a day or two with one’s friends and peers – I was enamoured with the style and panache of the old Italian rear guard. Their laissez faire attitude and natty two-piece suit ensembles, accessorised with braces, scarves and full heads of salt and pepper hair, really made an impression on this sartorial traditionalist.

Given my recent love affair with the two-piece suit – see A Change is as Good as a Rest – and with the onset of summer, I thought it a good opportunity to trial a two-piece suit made from cotton twill to create a suit which was less formal than suits made of pure wool and more relaxed looking owing to the drape and natural crease of cotton – not quite as crumpled as linen, but exuding summer in it’s patina and appearance.

Having worn it but a handful of times and each time a patron showing such interest in the suit itself, as opposed the concept of wearing just something that was tailored, it was clear that we had found a go to suit for the suit dodging fraternity, moreover, an ally of the Custom Collection.

But which colour cloth to choose, there are so many! Moreover, there are colours which you will find in cotton that you will not find in pure wool suits. Linen suiting and jacketing cloth comes close, with it’s variety of brighter and also muted shades like khaki, brown, olive green through the colour spectrum to pink and red, as well as black and a plethora of blue hues.

The particular shade of blue I chose, I found at Holland & Sherry and was inspired by one of my favourite sweaters. The contrasting tobacco buttons and stitching were inspired by my favourite summer shoes – a pair of mahogany William monk straps from my shoesmaker of choice Joseph Cheaney & Sons. I also added braces buttons so that I could sport my new bright yellow box cloth bracesfrom Benson & Clegg – which are also selling like hot cakes at the Brown in Town Atelier!

So impressed have I been by this rank outsider in one’s armoury, I am having a tobacco one cut as I type. Both colours are available from the Custom Collection and also two different weights. So if you are looking for an easy suit to wear, that can be dressed-up, or down and which is as non-suit as a suit can be, look no further than our cotton twill Summer Suit.

Enjoy..