Some would say that a light colored summer suit is pretty limiting. And they’re right, it is. The foundation of any suit collection should be medium gray, navy blue, and maybe a charcoal. Those are suits you can work in all 12 months on the calendar. A lightly colored summer suit, no matter how well tailored, just won’t look right in December.
But they look pretty damn good from April – Early September. And they feel even better when the mercury heads north of 80. Our search for the best summer suiting options is on, and send your suggestions in via styletip. We start the search at Macy’s and their current Spring Spectacular Sale
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I couldn’t believe the price when I saw it. $100 for a full suit? Unlike the summer suits from INC or Calvin Klein, this was found in the suit section near the Alfani Red line, and comes in standard suit jacket sizes. Here’s the problem though. It doesn’t move well. Despite having a decent off the rack shape (which would still need further tailoring) it just feels stiff. It says it’s 100% cotton, but it’s not a breezy, easy moving cotton. The jacket was structured enough that it won’t work with jeans. I’m a sucker for light grey and cotton suits. But it was a no for me right after I put it on.
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Thanks to Jed for the style tip. This is a strange one. Couldn’t find it in store, and the Macy’s House Brand “Club Room” usually runs more traditional in fit. But it specifically says “slim fit” on the site. These are true suit separates, with sizes coming in the standard 38R, 40S, 42L, etc… Got one on the way, full review upon its arrival. Also available in seersucker.
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Decent for the price, but it feels a little flimsy. If you want something super light at a reasonable price, then this is it. But the construction is so-so at best. It’s quite unstructured which is nice, but it’s not nearly as tailored at the sides as the photo online shows. 10-1 odds that the model has a chip clip grabbing the fabric in the back. So get it tailored, and avoid wearing v-neck tees underneath like the model. A collared shirt = getting taken seriously. Ships free.
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Best Dressed Up: Banana Republic Italian Cotton
Best Dressed Down: L.L. Bean Signature New Traditional Twill
Best Ultra Cheap Option: INC linen blend
For the growing archive of the 2011 Dappered Summer Suit Search, click here.
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