The London Lounge

I guess for a SB any colour would do...but what would members consider suitable for a DB in linen? Shades of sand/brown should work out well, as would off-white. What do members think of azure, navy, or olive?

Not sure about the olive, although I do love certain olive greens and browns. Navy and azure, would be lovely. Taupe, too.

i would think about a dove grey or off-white and these are the mose versitile and will work well as odd's too - but on second thorts i think off-white pant and olive coat will go down quite nice!

I'm thinking of a tan suit, which could be split apart for additional use. A tan DB jacket and white trousers is a very 30s-in-Hyannisport look, and charcoal trousers would also make a good complement.

P Chong, "I guess for a SB any colour would do...". Wow, that seems to be a pretty strong guess.

May I suggest that you could consider first the colour of the pants which you would be wearing first before deciding on a suitable colour for your DB jacket.

Other than dark blues, including Navy, I would stay away from the light blues, especially azure, which are more suitable and should IMHO be reserved for feminine wear (we need to act in a complementary role by way of contrast).

pchong wrote:for a SB any colour would do...but what would members consider suitable for a DB in linen? Shades of sand/brown should work out well, as would off-white. What do members think of azure, navy, or olive?

Dear Peter,

May I confirm whether or not the proposed DB jacket is intented to be part of a suit or a jacket only?

Actually, this project is the second linen suit I am planning. I am hoping to wear it as a suit, and also to mix-match. The first linen suit i have is a light beige - almost natural linen colour. SB suit, but I have worn the coat on its own, paired with dark trousers.

I think the suggestions for grey is interesting. Tan or a darker brown is interesting to consider. Azure was suggested by a few of my friends...and my wife (I can hear HS say, "I told you!"). Navy seems to me to be too business like for a linen suit, don't you think? For business, I would prefer a fresco in summer weather.

HS: "P Chong, "I guess for a SB any colour would do...". Wow, that seems to be a pretty strong guess. " yes...on hindsight, a little liberal in choice of words...what I meant was for SB, I think more colours would work than for a DB...makes sense?

Creamy shades of light beige are very pleasing, or so I find. I'd agree vis a vis navy; one might as well relish the summery linen look...

Since you have a natural linen suit already, I would suggest a summer blue shade. Azure or its variants would look great. I like tan also, but that would be too close to what you already have.

Azure or other bright blue linen would make a beautiful odd SB! For a DB or a suit, I'd tend toward a less brilliant color.

Peter,

Kolecho has made quite a valid point. As you already own the most suitable tropical shade of linen suit may I suggest the versatility of a smokey blue ? The colour could not be described as navy but more of a marine blue , quite diffused and not too sharp.A DB suit in this shade would present so many alternative modes of use.

One could wear the ensemble as a sophisticated yet muted casual suit or wear the jacket teamed with a pair of sharp stone coloured cotton trousers , red or blue bengal striped shirt and Montpellier shoes by EG.

Choice of buttons becomes crucial ! One could agonise between madre perla (darker shades) or dark brown horn depending on the most likely choice of shoe to be worn.

Mario Capra , Ermenegildo Zegna ,Scabal and Loro Piana all have very good collections of linen in more muted shades.

Peter, have you been adventurous enough to order a pair of correspondent's shoes to team with the natural linen suit?


bluscuro

I mentioned the darker blues assuming you wished to use a linen at night. I am not familiar with fresco; what is it like?

Still, in the day, you could pair the darker blues with light or medium grey slacks. And of course off-white, especially duck, too.

Algernon wrote:Creamy shades of light beige are very pleasing, or so I find. I'd agree vis a vis navy; one might as well relish the summery linen look...

I think you can still afford to have another suit or odd jacket in the yellowish-to-brownish colour spectrum.

With due respect to kolecho's opinion, I don't think a tan, sand or buff would be too close to what you already have, since they are much darker than beige. It's similar to the difference between a light grey vs. a medium grey, both of which should pair well with your current beige jacket and the tan, sand or buff jacket that I recommend. And tan, sand or buff are very suitable Summer colours.

I hope the others will not feel offended if I disagree with their suggestions (my apologies if that is so), but I really think the azure is not suitable for Chinese men, who will look weak and too nice in that colour. That is not what the ladies will go for when it's midnight during the full moon or noon during the new moon.

kolecho wrote:Since you have a natural linen suit already, I would suggest a summer blue shade. Azure or its variants would look great. I like tan also, but that would be too close to what you already have.

bluscuro wrote:Peter,

Kolecho has made quite a valid point. As you already own the most suitable tropical shade of linen suit may I suggest the versatility of a smokey blue ? The colour could not be described as navy but more of a marine blue , quite diffused and not too sharp.A DB suit in this shade would present so many alternative modes of use.

One could wear the ensemble as a sophisticated yet muted casual suit or wear the jacket teamed with a pair of sharp stone coloured cotton trousers , red or blue bengal striped shirt and Montpellier shoes by EG. Choice of buttons becomes crucial ! One could agonise between madre perla (darker shades) or dark brown horn depending on the most likely choice of shoe to be worn.

Mario Capra , Ermenegildo Zegna ,Scabal and Loro Piana all have very good collections of linen in more muted shades.

Interesting suggestion blue...but I am not sure if I can imagine the colour you described. Would you be so kind to suggest the specific piece in the books you mentioned?

Indeed I was thinking of a darker MOP buttons...but like you said, brown horn would work too...

bluscuro wrote:

Peter, have you been adventurous enough to order a pair of correspondent's shoes to team with the natural linen suit?


bluscuro

Actually, I do own own pair of correspondent shoes in black/white...but use these exclusively for golf...and these days, I hardly play, so they lie in the closet...but seriously, I have often toyed with getting a pair of correspondents...perhaps a sand/brown one, and most likely not a high contrast one. Perhaps one day...

......your stock has just gone up!

I will get back to you with fabric numbers to view.

bluscuro