Last weekend I received three phone calls from younger associates – essentially the same conversation repeated three times. “Arthur, I’ve been looking at the weather for this wedding in the Cotswolds all weekend and it’s fluctuating between every possibility. What should I wear?” Seriously folks, British socialising is masochistic. The minute we know the weather will be completely unpredictable we arrange events in the great outdoors that require us to look smart holding canapés and flutes of flat champagne whatever the elements decide to unleash upon us.
Needless to say I sympathise. After fifteen years of knowing what I’m wearing and twenty-five years wearing suits professionally I’ve realised that dressing for summer events in this country is more about contingency planning than having style. It’s a silk-cutting weather gamble.
Take me for example. I’ve made some truly baffling mistakes over the years that I could compile into a series of cautionary tales.
Fortunately I have learnt from most of them.
Earlier this year it was Emily’s wedding in Hampshire. Beautiful June day expected so I wore a lightweight fresco suit by my tailor on Savile Row. Excellent lightweight wool perfectly suited to a warm day.
What theMET Office forgot to include in their hourly updates was a deluge of rain while we were stood outside for the ceremony. It amounted to being drenched from head to toe and watching my suit dry itself in the rising humidity. And who could forget Simon and Margaret’s garden party last summer in Berkshire?
Checked the weather obsessively in the build up – 26 degrees in the sun was forecast. Positive notes all around, so I turned up wearing a linen suit feeling particularly smug about myself. Literally thirty seconds after I arrived horizontal rain ensued followed by a cloud of humidity that would rival tropical storms in the humidity department.
We all left steaming like we’d run a marathon in our suits. Margaret hasn’t let me live it down and will use it as an example any time I get too arrogant about predicting the weather. British summertime socialising lessons learned: It’s not about looking smart, it’s about still looking intentional when nature decides to take a shit on your outfit.
And believe me when I say that nature will do this. Fabric wise it all begins with LINEN. Every gentleman I know says linen for summer.
Sound advice. But 100% linen suits and jackets are a menace if you want to attend events that last longer than an hour. They will crease.
You will look angry. Unless crumpled scholarly academic is your look/goal for summer events then take my advice and steer clear of all- linen suits. Lovely for casual weekends but that’s about it.
Blends. Linen/wool/silk blends to be precise. Why?
Linen as aforementioned is great for keeping you cool but add wrinkles with ease. Wool eliminates most of the worries regarding creasing. And silk adds a subtle shine that elevates any suit.
I have a blue linen-wool-silk suit by Anderson & Sheppard that I bought years ago and it has taken me through summer events consistently since. Invested more in that than my first car but worth every penny and wears so infrequently these days it’s practically free. If linen/wool/silk sounds like overkill and your accountant is crying at the mention of that price point then look to cotton linen blends.
Much of the same applies but won’t bankrupt you. Colour wise there are some winners and many things to avoid. Firstly, I see droves of junior lawyers looking longingly at cream suits in the windows of menswear shops everywhere.
Admittedly they look great on ItalianInstagrammers wandering around cities in their pristine suit trousers and shirts. Until you realise they probably changed those every time they sat down to avoid getting grass stains or were sprinting away from tapas/waiters sloshing wine everywhere. It’s one thing if that’s your jam but be prepared for the commitment to keeping it clean should you go down that route.
Blues are your friend. From navy to French blue they will all serve you well. Same goes for mid grey through to lighter grey.
Both my sage green suit and mid brown suit have been great for summer too but perhaps slightly less versatile than your basics. Pattern wise again there’s plenty of scope for summer. Thin stripes, small cheques, even subtle florals can add some interest to a plain suit without becoming too busy.
I keep a number of shirts with patterns in rotation purely for summer events as gives me more variety than needing to own multiples of suits. Speaking of shirts darker colours will show sweat more readily so a consideration if you…well if you tend to glow like I do in the summer. Footwear for summer weddings and events is always going to be difficult.
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Unless you’re planning on only wearing white trainers like all the cool kids then grass and leather does not mix. I’ve seen enough guests at weddings slip and slide around while posing for photos that I could write a horror story about it. Yes my father did teach me how to polish a shoe to a high shine but he never warned me they’d become skateboards when they hit wet grass.
Non-leather soles are your friend. Dainite or commando soled shoes are ideal. I own multiple pairs of oxfords with Dainite soles that I rotate for summer events.
Suede is also more resilient than most people give it credit for. A rainfall shower won’t harm it like leather will. Water spots on leather are a crime scene.
Coats. Ugh why do we even bother with coats in the summer? If you’ve followed me for a while you’ll know I’m rarely without a lightweight mac on.
It rolls up small in a suitcase and takes up minimal room in a wardrobe. Or an unstructured blazer that travels nicely. But that’sBritish summers for you.
They’ll seemingly dry you off with one weather app update only for the heating to come on inside as if you needed more dehydration. My friend James lives and dies by his “emergency kit”. It lives in the boot of his car and consists of a compact umbrella, lightweight packable rain jacket and smart rubber overshoes.
We used to laugh at him for being over-prepared but that day at the garden party in Richmond will live with me forever. Rain started, and I mean came vertically from the heavens out of nowhere. We watched as every guest scarpered for shelter cursing their decision to not follow James’ example.
There he was sat indoors completely dry and ready to continue our afternoon tea. Moral of the story: don’t mock a man for bringing an emergency kit. Colour wise again stick to lighter colours.
Dark colours will show mud and worse if you end up jumping in any rainy puddles. Talking of muffling…NECKWEAR. If you can get away with not wearing a tie do it.
Nobody looks good sweaty around the neck and if you can avoid that scenario entirely. Silk knitted ties are great for summer if you must wear something around your neck. They won’t show water spots as obviously as a plain silk tie would and add some texture which is always welcome.
Just avoid anything too autumnal. That bright red tie with the deer all over it can go back on the rack until September. Whilst we’re on the subject of advice nobody tells you; undershirts are an absolute godsend if you plan on wearing a proper shirt for summer events.
Invest in the best you can afford and try to find them in breathable fabrics. Micro modal is excellent and ones I own feel almost like you’re not wearing one. They key is you won’t see any neckline when leaning back with your collar buttoned.
Sounds corny but trust me it’s been a lifesaver more than once. I am slowly learning that there’s no winning when it comes to dressing in Britain for events during the summer. You can prepare as much as you like but at some point the elements will have other ideas and you’ll either thank me for this blog post or wish I never existed.
My brother- in-law Robert impresses me more each year with his laid back approach to menswear. He works in corporate finance so you’d think he’d be * THE OPPOSITE * of laid back with his clothing choices. But he thrives in situations most of us would find stressful with clothing.
Weddings, races, garden parties he’s been to them all. And yet he always remains the same from when he leaves his house to the event’s conclusion.
How? “Dress for the worst you can imagine that day.
And British Summer weather isn’t worthy of your trust past the morning’s weather report.” Sound advice if ever I’ve heard it. The elegant solution to our summer clothes conundrum isn’t a magic suit or jacket that can look amazing whatever. It doesn’t exist.
It’s about finding something that can survive the elements and still look like you intended to wear it as opposed to be hunted by it. Wearing clothes vs your clothes wearing you. Best of luck this summer.
Whether it be weddings, garden parties, or heading to the races you’re going to want to look good and feel capable of moving around. So dress smart but don’t take it too seriously. Cheque the forecast, plan for every eventuality, cover all angles and when that storm of hell descends.. roll with it.
Like a normal British person would. Inappropriately dressed but dealing with it like a champ.
