Aside from the stripes of seersucker and perhaps madras checks, I've never found patterned summer jackets that do not look to me like pallid imitations of cool weather coats. I think that the best warm weather odd jackets are solids in either cotton or linen, with as little lining and structure as possible.
And of the available colors, cream, white and tan best represent the season. All light colors look good in sunshine and these are the lightest of them all. Their neutrality lends itself to combination with the full spectrum of other summer colors as well.
Second to cream tones are blue jacketings, ranging from navy to light, and ideally worn with cream or white trousers. Oh, light gray works in urban areas and tan trousers are fine but it is cream that best suits the time of year. There is a cost of course since cream generally is a dirt magnet and shows every bit of it. But linen summer trousers in particular need pressing more frequently and a few extra pair give one something to wear beneath one's jackets while the rest of the wardrobe is in the laundry.
Now there are those whose summer wardrobes include lime green, lilac and other jacketing tones. Give me instead two blue and as many shades of white, cream and tan as my closet will accommodate.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Summer Jackets
Photos: Luciano Barbera USA
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7 comments:
Very informative article, thank you. I was wondering what summer jackets should be the first to buy, and you gave the answers. I have a beige linen one at the moment so if I get a navy one I can cover most colors of pants. Do linen jackets work with cotton chinos? I got some cheap ones and want to use them until weather permits so. I want to pair my beige jacket with navy coton chinos now in spring. Any idea if this could look well with a black belt and black oxford captoes at night?
Linen and cotton are fine together. I am not a fan of navy odd trousers and like even less the idea of black shoes with navy trousers and a beige jacket but it may look fine in practice.
I have always been a fan of cordovan (color, not necessarily leather) shoes with navy pants.
Great post. You've managed to express a number of thoughts that have been in the back of my mind, but never fully formed.
Will, do you prefer to wear linen or cotton shirts with a linen suit? I have tried both but always fret that a linen shirt may be too much of a good thing.
Great post Will, thanks!
I rather like summer jackets and there are many tailors who are making very nice ones. I often wonder about their relevance in the UK, given the weather & that even a sunny is highly likely to be frisky. I do wear seersucker, or summer suits, though, but I am not sure how appropriate this really is!
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