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Timeless. Classy. Essential. The suit has long been the basis for some of the finest looks fellas can pull off. After all, well-fitting tailoring denotes impeccable taste and projects refined confidence. But with the traditional heft of a wool blazer, it can also be seen as stuffy, expensive or simply too much come summertime. The simple solution? Some easy, breezy suiting.
What to Look For In Lightweight Suiting:
Come sweaty days, a variety of avenues open for the simple two-piece regarding fabric, cut and even color. Linens and seersuckers, the respective king and queen of breathable cloth, can come out to play, and a relaxed, less-than-snug unstructured shape is all but preferred. Grey and black make their way back into the closet, and neutrals get their chance to shine. And while premium options can run you a few cool racks — Fear of God’s near-perfect summer suiting included — lightweight suits need not be prohibitively expensive.
How to Style Lightweight Suiting:
With summertime suiting comes a whole new set of rules that are more relaxed and fun than buttoned-up winter guidelines. Camp shirts and, indeed, tank tops are a perfectly acceptable (and totally welcome) base in 2023, and we highly suggest you ditch your Allen Edmonds for slip-ons and loafers (unless your slip-ons and loafers are from Allen Edmonds, which would also be totally fine).
Because we’re pro-warm-weather suit, we’ve rounded up 16 lightweight ensembles for your spring and summer escapades, be it a fancy-schmancy dinner, your cousin’s wedding or just another sweltering day in the office. What’s more, every suit on this list is under $1,000, meaning that instead of watching on in admiration, you can hop on the bandwagon yourself. Below, the best breezy suits to save your spring and summer.
The Best Men’s Suits Under $1,000:
Bonobos makes many a fine basic, and their warm-weather stretch suit is no different. The notch lapel jacket is cut slightly casual but certainly wouldn’t look out of place at that upcoming wedding. In fact, it might just steal the show.
Now, we’re not suggesting that you need a party suit. But if you were to commander one, wouldn’t it be nice if it were also made of a lightweight, quad-toned seersucker?
There’s nothing wrong with a classic black suit — that is until you’re boiling in one on a toasty summer day. Luckily, menswear GOAT Todd Snyder subverts the problem with an easy linen edition of their Sutton Suit.
What exactly is “good” linen? That would be Theory’s made-in-Italy stretch linen — produced from a tri-blend of organic linen, eco-conscious viscose made from cotton waste by-products, and partially recycled elastane for stretch — and it’s truly delectable.
There’s no other way to put it: Oliver Spencer’s handsome separates have humongous Bond on the Riviera energy. And really, what more could you ask for?
Alex Mill’s Mercer pairing is less a formal suit and more a lifestyle. A white tee, some penny loafers, and you’re all but guaranteed a hell of a time.
You can thank Percival for a ton of the recent celebrity-endorsed grails you’ve surely seen: crochet polos, special-edition footwear and a killer rain jacket. The U.K.-based label just won’t slow down — one peak at its dapper Seersucker Suit and you’ll be as hooked as we are.
C’mon…you know you want an elasticated, unstructured, darb pink COS suit for the hot boy summer ahead.
Unlike the seersucker and linen options on this list, Polo’s Chino Suit is woven from straight cotton, meaning that its cool factor has to come from elsewhere. Not to fear: between the unstructured shoulders and stretch fit, you should have no problem staying cool.
The Regent Fit is Brooks Brother’s standard cut, making it an ideal option for folks who need a dressy summer suit and want to avoid a tight-fitting monstrosity.
Add a bit of spice to your standard linen-cotton joint and you’ve got the Shinji suit from A Kind of Guise.
A slightly more formal option, SuitSupply’s tropical wool Havana suit is still incredibly light and breathable thanks to its airy construction.
Banana Republic’s resurgence has been something to watch, and if the rest of their forthcoming offerings are anything like the just-released Raiff Linen Suit, we’re in for a treat.
Double-breasted is the move, says Scotch & Soda. We’re inclined to agree.
Linen is the king of summer fabrics. Khaki, the king of suiting shades. Put those together and, as Club Monaco clearly understands, you’re guaranteed a winning combination.
Seneca’s Forma and Vanta set are a suit by the loosest of terms, but they make for a killer travel ‘fit.
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