Introduction and summer suits

[ilnobiluomo]

Goodmorning LL,

first of all I would like to introduce myself. I just subscribed LL and have to admit that it is just lovely to leaf through all those interesting posts about tailoring and lifestyle. It is exactly what I have been looking for.
I work as junior consultant for an American company in Milan, where I was born quarter of a century ago. Some of you might think I'm quite young... It is maybe true, because I see myself as an exception when looking around, especially in a made-to-fashion town as Milan, where showing off and looking gorgeus and up to date is the only thought young and middle aged people have.

Looking out of the window right in this moment gives me the input for posting my first question.
Sun is shining, and snow is going to melt very fast (although it has never been snowing as much as this winter in the alps!). I do suffer a lot warm and hot weather and therefore am a bit perplex thinking of what to wear in the summer season.
I would like to know what, in your opinion, are the the best summer suits in terms of fabric and weight. Beside this, as I'm entering the office early in the morning and late in the afternoon, what are the most appropriate colors for those warmer days?
As of now, I had the choice to leave at home my jacket or suit since I did not work. However, beginning my new work-life this option is not available anymore.

I hope I did not bother you with my long introduction!
Whish you all a good (working) day!

Ps: is there any LL chapter in Italy/Milan?

Buona giornata

[Costi]

Esimio Signore,

Benvenuto nel London Lounge!
You don't sound and you certainly are not (too) young to appreciate fine things in life. I am sure you will enjoy the Lounge and we are always glad to have new like-minded fellow members join.
As for your question, the best choices are obvious ones: fresco, linen, mohair. Possibly unlined coats and trousers so you can benefit of the cloth's open weave. Shades of grey and beige are fine for daywear. Dar blue works day and night, but not very well under a scorching sun.

[ilnobiluomo]

Costi,

thank you for the fast answer! However I have got two points regarding mohair and linen.
With respect to linen, it is quite obvious that it is a cold and cozy fabric. Nevertheless, sitting the whole day in front of a desk would result in a very crinkled suit, right?
Secondly, mohair is a very thin and shiny fiber. Wouldn't the result be a too bright ensemble?
Maybe this issues were already covered in other posts, but I did not have time to read them all through yet...

[Costi]

For a business environment your best option remains, indeed, fresco or other similar porous weaves. Take a look at the Brisa cloth in the Clothclub section.
Linen wrinkles a lot, but that is inherent to its charm. For a business environment it is not the best option, but who says you will only wear trousers and coats for work?
Mohair is, indeed, shiny, so you have to be careful with the colour and how shiny the one you find is. It is not always "vistoso"... On the bright side, it wrinkles very little and returns to its shape easily. However, this wrinkle resistance comes with a certain degree of stiffness. I have a light gray mohair unlined suit that wears very well in summer and, although it has a measure of shine, I don't look like the Tin Man from The Wizzard of Oz in it.
At any rate, don't go for superlight cloths: those are tightly woven with thin yarns and don't breathe. Instead go for a cloth with a more open weave with slightly thicker yarns - even if it's heavier, that will keep you ventilated. In fact, the weight in this case is an added bonus, as the cloth will drape nicely, too.

[India Mail]

Dear Nobil Uomo, Dear Costi,

I am curious as to why cotton has not been suggested. Suffering from the heat myself, I did a little investigating into the cloths used by the English in India in the 19th-C., and cotton was the preferred material for suits, first white, and then khaakii (after Lord Roberts's troops dyed theirs with tea and turmeric, on campaign in Afghaanistaan).

Consequently, I chose a 10.5 oz. cotton, with a dark-brown silk half-lining for a two-piece suit last summer. It drapes very pleasingly, and does not crumple as readily as my previous linen suit. The colour is rather 'deeper' than thought on viewing samples in the winter day-light, but that is another story...

[ilnobiluomo]

Dear Nobil Uomo, Dear Costi,

I am curious as to why cotton has not been suggested.

You are correct, I completely left out cotton, but on purpose. I think that the cotton option should be set between fresco and linen. However cotton, if I am correct, is on one side a "light" material but on the other it can be heavier and warmer than a woolen suit.

So between a superlight and a fresco/linen, you would suggest the second option right? Isn't there a linen texture that has less wrinkle problems than others?

[Costi]

Cotton (including seersucker) is, of course, another alternative. I am not very fond of it because cotton is woven closely - it does a good job at wicking moisture away from the body, but impedes ventilation. Staying cool in summer is all about ventilation, in my view: when you can feel even the slightest breeze directly on your skin through the trousers or your coat's back, that's when you don't suffer in a suit.
Linen=wrinkles=linen. That's the beauty of it (of course, you have to have it pressed more often so it doesn't end up looking like a rag). Just don't wear it for business if you want a neat look.

[Cary Grant]

Costi-

ABout Mohair- what % mohair is your fabric? I'd not think of it s a summer suit. It is indeed light and durable but is also known for it's insulating properties. I'd think it would add warmth if anything. I've only seen a couple of fabrices that were mohair/linen blends.

[Costi]

CG, I am not sure about the percentage (think of it in terms of SOME wool and mostly kid mohair), but the weave is so porous you can see right through it if you hold it against a strong light. It does not add warmth, on the contrary, and it is summer only suiting.

[ottovbvs]

Cotton/Wool gaberdine produces a great look. A lightweight twill that looks wonderful and keeps it's appearance all day long. It looks great in stone, olive or dark tan. Very lightweight wools are also hard to beat. They look great and keep their shape better than anything. As to linen or cotton, OK for the odd jacket but after you've been wearing them for a couple of hours you look as if you have slept in them. This is a look some like of course which is fine, but I'm not one of the number.

[Will]

I beg to differ re any form of gaberdine. It's woven so tightly as to be suffocating in the heat. Great shoulder season cloth though IMO.

[jb]

Cary,

Mohair and wool is one of the most classic of summer cloths. Prior to the development of the high supers tissue paper cloth, mohair and wool was always at the low end of available weight cloth. The stiffness allows it to be woven in a lattice with small spaces for ventilation while still maintaining its shape.

Cheers,
Joel