Photo by blavou.co
If your summer event calendar is looking anything like ours, you’ll have at least a couple of weddings to attend between now and September. Aside from the obvious benefit of seeing good friends happily coupled off, we think weddings are excellent opportunities to eat an extravagant meal, sample some quality wine and show off one’s best tailoring.
This last benefit does sometimes throw up something of a conundrum. Often the best made suit in a man’s wardrobe will be a heavy wool affair which, though undeniably dapper, is not particularly well suited to a summer event. Because of this, you may need to give your ideal wedding guest attire a bit of thought, especially if we get lucky with the good old British weather.
So just how does one make sure they look dashing at a summer wedding?
Invest in a summer weight suit
Think a suit is a suit? You’ll be surprised at how much difference the fabric choice can make to how seasonally appropriate a garment can be. Lighter linen or cotton and linen mix suits are ideal for even the hottest summer months as they are highly breathable and typically stay cool to the touch.
Talk to your tailor about summer-appropriate vents
If you’re planning to wear your bespoke tailoring to summer events such as a wedding, tell your tailor. They’ll be able to recommend features such as vents which will help keep the suit as cool as possible in warm weather.
Go for a lighter colour
Why not consider a colour other than black for your wedding-appropriate summer suit? Though black is the classic option, you may feel (and look!) cooler in a lighter tone. We’re not necessarily suggesting you go all the way and order a white linen suit (though we have to admit we are fans of that look), but navy or royal blue, grey or beige suits can all look brilliantly stylish.
Choose your shirt carefully
An overheating wedding guest is rarely a dashing one. Don’t make the mistake of pairing a well-chosen linen blend suit with whatever dress shirt you laid your hands on first. Just like suit fabrics, shirt fabrics come in different weights and types. Seek advice from your tailor about which type to wear to keep cool. Oh, and if in doubt: you can never go wrong with a crisp white shirt.
The thing about looking effortlessly dashing is that it tends to involve a fair bit of pre-planning. If there’s currently a wedding invitation or two sitting on your kitchen table, now is the time to consider your wardrobe options.
Shall we finish on a bonus tip? A truly stylish gentleman always smells great, even at the height of summer. We love the signature GFT scent for its summery hints of lemon, lavender, cedar and moss.