The London Lounge

OK, Mr Shakespeare wasn't actually talking about a suit - but I need a steer on the matter of a suit.

In black.

I appear, however, to have stepped on something of a sartorial landmine.

Part driven by inclination and part by opportunity, I'm contemplating a 2 piece lounge suit for summer, in a cool plain weave 80% mohair / 20% wool mix. I have 5m of the fabric and it's a lovely fine and firm finish, with some mohair sheen, out of William Halstead's mills.

The only thing is it's black - very black. Some colleagues of mine do occasionally wear suits that appear black. Others have commented that black suits these days are only worn by undertakers or mafiosi or by people who don't realise that a black suit is a stylistic solecism.

In days of yore, black seems to have been common enough, indeed the default for formal suiting - but this faded to grey, I suppose, since the early 20th Century.

The suit I've an idea for is going to be formal - Im possibly thinking jetted coat pockets and no vent - although is this too akin to a dinner jacket? I shall probably wimp out and have my usual hacking style coat with slant pockets and a single vent (plus coral pink or cream lining).

I'd appreciate the guidance of the LL cognoscenti - all opinions gratefully received as ever.

Regards

David

(aka The Man In Black. Maybe)

Hmmm. Black with some mohair sheen? The sheen may subjectively "lighten" the color effect slightly, but IMHO it would be a hard suit to wear during the day without eliciting the effects your commenters have mentioned. The cloth would not have been my choice, but since you already have it, you'd probably be fine for nighttime wear according to contemporary mores. Your first instinct toward a clean look as regards detailing is good, I'd say, though I would not eschew vents unless you make it a true DJ.

Dear Melcombe,

very much agree with Couch. The only black cloth I would consider for a summer suit is linen.

Cheers, David

Well, it WILL make up into a nice suit for a dressy (but not black tie) evening when the weather is warm-ish or (under an overcoat) even when the weather is cool.. and the indoor destination is warm -- such as many parties.

Or..actually..why not have it made up with all the appropropriate details (piping, lape facing, single button) as a dinner suit?

Incidentally, this just happens to be one of my favourite sonnets:

Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea,
But sad mortality o'er-sways their power,
How with this rage shall beauty hold a plea,
Whose action is no stronger than a flower?
O, how shall summer's honey breath hold out
Against the wreckful siege of battering days,
When rocks impregnable are not so stout,
Nor gates of steel so strong, but Time decays?
O fearful meditation! where, alack,
Shall Time's best jewel from Time's chest lie hid?
Or what strong hand can hold his swift foot back?
Or who his spoil of beauty can forbid?
O, none, unless this miracle have might,
That in black ink my love may still shine bright.

For practical reasons, I have a good selection of black suits (I'm a musician). I often wear them also when I'm not playing a recital and along the years I've built up some familiarity and understood what works the best for me.

I rarely wear black in summer. It already looks bad enough during the occasional sunny day of winter, but in summer it can look even worse. Still an option for the evening all year round, in which case I would make sure I also have a waistcoat, if I want to use the suit as a more casual alternative to the 'real' dinner suit.

The choice of the cloth makes all the difference. All plain weaves make the suit look as a cheap Marks&Spencer item, to my eyes at least. I prefer subtle/fine herringbone patterns or self stripes of some sort. You already know that I keep in special consideration vintage clothing. The vast majority of the 1920s-1960s black suits I've seen have some sort of 'textural' detailing in the weave.

I often wear a wonderful 1960s dead-stock black suit with mottled-b/w horn buttons - they completely change the overall look of the suit. I always receive many compliments when I wear it. It's a two piece SB that I complete with a (vintage) DB waistcoat of unusual cut - high buttoning without lapel, 8x4 shell buttons. Somehow both conservative (the colour) and personal (the detailing). I think that's what makes for a good balance and some enjoyment. Still - not in summer.

Hope this helps. Have fun!

As ever, the LL 'wisdom of the crowd' has come to my rescue (I think!). Thank you indeed for all your helpful comments.

We are lucky to have good weather here in the UK at the moment and in the strong daylight my cloth certainly has a lustre to it that might be more appropriate, I suspect, in an evening suit - possibly a DJ (do I really need another ?).

I'm not sure if I should hang onto the cloth 'just in case', or pass it on to someone who might make good use of it. If anyone is considering a summer-weight DJ project and would like 5m of very fine, mainly mohair - just say!

So. Back to square 1 on the summer suit project plan. Feeling a bit deflated, my eyes did settle on some 9.5oz panama charcoal grey from Lesser's which I I think might make a much more practical lightweight (on my scale) suit. I don't know exactly how old this is, but Im guessing more than 10 years.



It's in 2 pieces (3.7m and 1.2m) which together Im hoping will squeeze 2 pairs of trousers to go with the usual hacking style 2bSB coat. Now, linings ... Mint green or sky blue?

Best wishes

David

Interesting comments and good advice, but on Tuesday I will be visiting Welsh and Jefferies to order a black suit and yes it will be in Mohair/Wool. Perhaps ive always secretly wanted to be an Undertaker!

Moved my choice from Mohair/wool to 100% wool - very nice material.