I
Is a cream linen suit the key to summer elegance?
Summer has never been my favorite season for classic men’s style. As someone who loves wearing suits, sport coats, and trousers, the nature of the season itself is kind of antithetical to that style of dress. Heat and humidity mix with tailoring about as well as oil does with water.
Sure, we can extoll the virtues of fabrics like cotton and linen, open weaves like hopsack and fresco, unlined jackets, and even legendary claims of SPF-like qualities of a certain fabric, but when push comes to shove, in certain sizzling summer situations I do find myself siding with some of my commenters who routinely complain whenever I post a tailored look during these months — “yeah, but, I guess it’s not as hot where you live as it is in [insert southern state here].”
I hear you. And for the record, if it’s like 100-degrees out, you’re most likely to find me in shorts and a t-shirt and not a suit. I know, clutch your pearls, people.
But there are certainly times when you really do need to wear a suit or sport coat and trousers during the summer, so when those occasions roll around, that’s when you want to reach for your cottons and linens and hopsacks and frescos.
And while tailoring and summer heat don’t necessarily go hand in hand, I’d also make the case that it’s very hard to dress elegantly in the summer as well. Hard, but not impossible.
In this post, I’ll share the story of this look, talk a bit about elegance, in general, and tell you why I think a cream linen suit is the easiest way to pull off that elusive summer elegance.
What Is Elegance?
What is elegance? Let’s start with a definition: elegance refers to the quality of being graceful and stylish in appearance or manner and often implies a sense of simplicity, refinement, and good taste with each element contributing to an overall sense of sophistication.
Elegance refers to the quality of being graceful and stylish in appearance or manner and often implies a sense of simplicity, refinement, and good taste.
But it’s important to remember that elegance is not solely about outward appearance. Elegance also extends to one’s behavior, attitude, and how one presents oneself to the world.
An elegant man exudes confidence without being ostentatious or boisterous. An elegant man maintains poise in various situations. And an elegant man often opts for a minimalist approach that highlights quality over quantity.
These are the things that help to create that understated but impactful presence and timeless appeal that elegance is known for.
The Story Behind The Look
So where was I and what was I doing that required me to dress elegantly in the summer?
These photos were taken last month in Florence, Italy during Pitti Uomo 106. In case you’re not up to speed about what Pitti Uomo is, let me explain briefly. Pitti Uomo — commonly referred to simply as “Pitti” — is a biannual menswear trade show. It’s an equal parts cocktail of trade show, networking event, and socialization overload. People come from all over the world to be there and whether they’re attending as buyers or simply to try and get their photo taken, it’s all part of the experience.
I attend the event twice a year because of my connection to menswear both as a brand and as an individual. My days are filled with meetings with brands — sometimes to explore accessories we might want to carry in the HSS Shop, sometimes to develop a special collaborative product — shooting content for the site and channel, hosting events, attending events, networking, and playing a little sax from time to time.
(I know it looks and sounds incredibly glamorous — and, for sure, it’s definitely pretty awesome — but when you’re there to work it’s also extremely exhausting.)
I put together this particular outfit for a pretty special event that Mike, Cory, Angel, and I were invited to, namely, Loro Piana’s presentation of new fabrics. It was a small and curated guest list and it was taking place in the early evening at a gorgeous villa in the Tuscan hills. So the combination of Loro Piana and insane hilltop Tuscan villa dictated that I needed to put together something elegant,
And there was absolutely no doubt in my mind that the outfit was going to be built around my cream linen suit.
For me, there is no more sophisticated and refined summer suit than a cream linen suit. Its light color offers a fresh and clean appearance and exudes that effortlessly chic quiet luxury vibe. Of course, the styling can make all the difference as well.
Because I wanted to feel like all those words I wrote in that last paragraph, I decided to keep it muted and monochromatic. A simple white button-up shirt, tan linen tie, white pocket square, sunglasses, and brown loafers.
I was debating whether to wear the tie or not because of the heat as well as a slight fear of being overdressed, which I know sounds a little funny when you’re talking about Pitti. But in the end, it came down to the same two things — Loro Piana and a hilltop Tuscan villa. The tie was more than appropriate.
The He Spoke Style Cream Linen Suit
Let’s talk a little bit about the suit itself, the fabric, and how I chose to style it.
The fabric is a wonderful cream linen from Kerry Knoll’s Summon collection. It’s soft, yet substantial, which means it keeps its shape quite well. I’ve had this suit for I believe going on four years at this point and it just keeps getting better.
The jacket. Extremely classic styling here. I went with notch lapel, flap pockets, double vent, and fully lined. The buttons are a light brown, which is just the right amount of contrast with the color of the fabric.
The trousers. If you know my style, the trouser styling will come as no surprise. Side adjusters instead of belt loops. A single reverse pleat. And a two-inch cuff. I love the cuff on these trousers as it provides the perfect amount of weight to help them drape extremely well.
Those are my styling details, however, you can customize anything to your liking. Personally, I think this suit would look really, really nice with a 6×2 peaked lapel double-breasted jacket.
The Bottom Line
For me, a cream linen suit represents the epitome of summer elegance. It effortlessly combines style and sophistication with a light and breathable fabric, making it an ideal choice for any summer event where looking refined is a must.
Thanks, as always, for reading.