The London Lounge

I was wondering what sort of weights are used for topcoats in warmer climates. The Italians are famous for making lighter weighted topcoats simply because the Italians feel one isn't properly dressed unless one is wearing a topcoat.

How light do Italian tailors go?

Obviously, I am asking because in Sydney a 20 Oz overcoat would get so little wear as to be close to useless.

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i would that we are the same here in HK, because when it is could it is still humid and what with the excessive use of the A/C in HK offices you can never feel warm so what with layers an suit coat i would recomend around 16oz will be a bout right IMHO

and this is what i am gonna be planning for next winter is a topcoat in charcoal herringbone tweed in 16oz

hopefully this should do the job nicly!

I would use a sportcoat weight, say 11 to 13 oz. I made a 12 oz. cashmere into a wrap coat.

I've used worsteds as light as 10 oz. to make a lightweight topcoat for spring.

13 oz gabardines work well also. Its more about body than weight. Some cloths have it

even in light weights.

Making a 12 oz plaid worsted from a Dormeuil sportcoat book into a topcoat at present.

Thank you Chris. That was an extremely helpful reply. I am surprised that you can go down to as low as 10 Oz weight - though as you say it is as much a question of body.

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For temperatures above 30 degrees Centigrade (68 degrees Fahrenheit), I'd go for Garbadines in the equivalent range of 240 gm. to 270 gms. (8 to 9 oz.). But for such a hot weather, probably a Raglan design rather than a more formal design looks more appropriate.

Sator wrote:Thank you Chris. That was an extremely helpful reply. I am surprised that you can go down to as low as 10 Oz weight - though as you say it is as much a question of body.

Respectfully, HappyStroller...why would one want to wear a top coat at temperatures above 30 degrees. Wearing a suit would be a challenge at these temperatures, let alone a top coat, don't you think?

HappyStroller wrote:For temperatures above 30 degrees Centigrade (68 degrees Fahrenheit), I'd go for Garbadines in the equivalent range of 240 gm. to 270 gms. (8 to 9 oz.). But for such a hot weather, probably a Raglan design rather than a more formal design looks more appropriate.

Sator wrote:Thank you Chris. That was an extremely helpful reply. I am surprised that you can go down to as low as 10 Oz weight - though as you say it is as much a question of body.

Hi, P Chong, yes, I agree with you that it is indeed a challenge to wear suits at temperatures above 30 degrees Centigrade (86 degrees Fahrenheit; 68 degrees Fahrenheit as previously posted is actually the equivalent of 20 degrees Fahrenheit, sorry for this mistake).

However, in modern urban areas, such as those found in Hong Kong Central, the airconditioning of offices and hotels encourages the wearing of suits.

For walking in such close-up areas, particularly those rather short walks to the nearby cafe, restaurants, retail shops, malls, and neighbouring offices, etc., plus merely waiting and hopping into airconditioned taxis (cabs) and underground trains, putting on a very thin topcoat should not pose a problem. In fact, if one were in an airconditioned environment before wearing it, the topcoat may actually helps insulate the cooled suit from the outside ambient temperature.

Despos mentioned the use of Garbadine, which I take it to mean that there was a great likelihood of the topcoat being used when showers or rainfall had cooled down the atmospheric temperature. This should also make it more tolerable for the temporary wearing of topcoats.

Were the Sun to come out shining, the use of a Trilby to shade the pate/head/neck is suggested.

Of course, it's a challenging matter of trade-off between more comfort and sartorial elegance when people are living in hot areas or climatic conditions.

pchong wrote:Respectfully, HappyStroller...why would one want to wear a top coat at temperatures above 30 degrees. Wearing a suit would be a challenge at these temperatures, let alone a top coat, don't you think?

HappyStroller wrote:For temperatures above 30 degrees Centigrade (68 degrees Fahrenheit), I'd go for Garbadines in the equivalent range of 240 gm. to 270 gms. (8 to 9 oz.). But for such a hot weather, probably a Raglan design rather than a more formal design looks more appropriate.

Sator wrote:Thank you Chris. That was an extremely helpful reply. I am surprised that you can go down to as low as 10 Oz weight - though as you say it is as much a question of body.

Ah 68F being 20C...of course...even though I live in Singapore, where the temp rarely dips below 30C, and humidity never below the low 90s...I don't even wear suits on a daily basis when I am in Singapore...I do keep a blazer behind my office door for those occassions when it is needed.

The normal business wear for men here is a shirt and tie...suits are only used forrevening events like cocktails and society dinners.

Still, when I travel to temperate regions where the temperature average 15C to 20C, I don't wear a top coat. And as a traveller, even when temperatures dip close to 0C, I loathe to carry a topcoat, preferring to layer...I was recently in Geneva when the temp was -1C one evning, and I was quite comfortable in my LL Tweed suit.

But I do agree a nice top coat looks elegant, and wonderful. As a traveller, I find it impractical.

OK, let's say you move around in a Rolls-Royce in Hong Kong. And you're willing to wear a suit in Summer.

Then when you're in Singapore, moving around in a Rolls-Royce or Jaguar, you're not willing to wear a suit because you feel overdressed.

Then it's like a Singapore cabinet minister dressed in a light grey business suit shaking hands with the leader of the visiting Thai National Philharmonic Orchestra, who is a Thai military general fully dressed in a tailcoat, white bow tie and white gloves.

Then you wonder why the Thai generals treat that small little red dot on the World map with scant respect.

pchong wrote:Ah 68F being 20C...of course...even though I live in Singapore, where the temp rarely dips below 30C, and humidity never below the low 90s...I don't even wear suits on a daily basis when I am in Singapore...I do keep a blazer behind my office door for those occassions when it is needed.

The normal business wear for men here is a shirt and tie...suits are only used forrevening events like cocktails and society dinners.

Still, when I travel to temperate regions where the temperature average 15C to 20C, I don't wear a top coat. And as a traveller, even when temperatures dip close to 0C, I loathe to carry a topcoat, preferring to layer...I was recently in Geneva when the temp was -1C one evning, and I was quite comfortable in my LL Tweed suit.

But I do agree a nice top coat looks elegant, and wonderful. As a traveller, I find it impractical.

I can't begin to imagine how badly wrinkled a topcoat made from 8 ounce tropical might be after a car trip.

The trouble, HS, is that we have summer all year long...whilst in HKG, they do have a rather nice mild winter, and spring/autumn can be quite pleasant. Only about 2 months of the year, they have to face temperatures like we do on a daily basis.

But that said, it is what it is. Our cabinet ministers, despite being the best salaried (I hesitate to say best paid, realising that the salary in many countries only account a small part of a minister's official and unofficial compensation) in the world, if I have a private meeting with the Minister for Transportation, then I can appear in just shirt and tie...because he will likely be similarly attired, perhaps with a ubiquitious wind breaker as they do keep temperatures of the air conditioning uncomfortably cold in many offices. Of course, if this is a photo opportunity, then suits will be de rigeur.

I have yet to find occassion when anybody, other than a member of the orchestra is clothed in white tie and tails in Singapore. Even high society dinners, which specify black tie, will have 50% or so of the male guests appearing in lounge suits, and Nehru jackets (a pet peeve of mine is that I cannot understand why folks think a Nehru Jacket is a substitute for a dinner suit).

Cheers.

HappyStroller wrote:OK, let's say you move around in a Rolls-Royce in Hong Kong. And you're willing to wear a suit in Summer.

Then when you're in Singapore, moving around in a Rolls-Royce or Jaguar, you're not willing to wear a suit because you feel overdressed.

Then it's like a Singapore cabinet minister dressed in a light grey business suit shaking hands with the leader of the visiting Thai National Philharmonic Orchestra, who is a Thai military general fully dressed in a tailcoat, white bow tie and white gloves.

Then you wonder why the Thai generals treat that small little red dot on the World map with scant respect.

Looks like the cabinet ministers in Singapore are failing in their duty to support the local tailoring industry by setting a good example. What a wasted opportunity to develop the export and tourism-related potential of this part of the economy.

Well, for a start, they could start by wearing hats outdoors - straw boaters, Trilbies, etc. More ladies should use those made-in-Shanghai parasols especially designed for upper-class ladies.

If one were to visit Savile Row to make a bespoke suit, is it advisable to ask someone who is acquianted with the establishments there to accompany him? If so, perhaps, some local bankers could take the lead by getting someone who knows SR to guide them.

pchong wrote:The trouble, HS, is that we have summer all year long...whilst in HKG, they do have a rather nice mild winter, and spring/autumn can be quite pleasant. Only about 2 months of the year, they have to face temperatures like we do on a daily basis.

But that said, it is what it is. Our cabinet ministers, despite being the best salaried (I hesitate to say best paid, realising that the salary in many countries only account a small part of a minister's official and unofficial compensation) in the world, if I have a private meeting with the Minister for Transportation, then I can appear in just shirt and tie...because he will likely be similarly attired, perhaps with a ubiquitious wind breaker as they do keep temperatures of the air conditioning uncomfortably cold in many offices. Of course, if this is a photo opportunity, then suits will be de rigeur.

I have yet to find occassion when anybody, other than a member of the orchestra is clothed in white tie and tails in Singapore. Even high society dinners, which specify black tie, will have 50% or so of the male guests appearing in lounge suits, and Nehru jackets (a pet peeve of mine is that I cannot understand why folks think a Nehru Jacket is a substitute for a dinner suit).

Cheers.

HappyStroller wrote:OK, let's say you move around in a Rolls-Royce in Hong Kong. And you're willing to wear a suit in Summer.

Then when you're in Singapore, moving around in a Rolls-Royce or Jaguar, you're not willing to wear a suit because you feel overdressed.

Then it's like a Singapore cabinet minister dressed in a light grey business suit shaking hands with the leader of the visiting Thai National Philharmonic Orchestra, who is a Thai military general fully dressed in a tailcoat, white bow tie and white gloves.

Then you wonder why the Thai generals treat that small little red dot on the World map with scant respect.

At my age, one has to be careful. I wear a lightweight topcoat, if it's fifty degrees. Especially if a brisk walk down Michigan Avenue, is in order. My preference is for a very lightweight, gabardine. It manipulates well, is not too warm, but provides protection.

Will, it's quite likely a matter of trade-offs in regions where the daily temperature is above 30 degrees and snow is seldom or never seen in Winter.

A 5 oz. wool might the only acceptable wool, if available at all, in the 50 degree Centigrade daytime temperature of India during Summer! In fact, most Indians choose to wear pants made of exactly the same lightweight cotton material as their upper body clothing. A side benefit is that the entire set of clothes dries in less than six hours, i.e., if you have valuable water to spare for the washing.

When Seersucker material proved difficult to find at first, my first Seersucker-like suit was made entirely of candy blue stripes cotton suitable for making shirts. To my pleasant surprise, it was very cooling and made me realize all my drill cotton pants could be replaced by extremely pants made from shirt cotton, complete with buttons, pockets and zippers just like those found in normal slacks. Nowadays, medium and dark colour cotton fabrics are easily available for making shirts. So one can now have medium and dark colour pants made from the same material.

What I am thinking of when it comes to the use of topcoats, etc., in very hot/humid climates is the look of the designs. The actual material used would be another matter.

Will wrote:I can't begin to imagine how badly wrinkled a topcoat made from 8 ounce tropical might be after a car trip.