As any guy worth his weight in selvedge denim could tell you, layering is the sartorial spice of life. A jacket, pullover or knit isn’t just a great way to stay warm on breezy nights; as an added opportunity to introduce texture, color and contrast, it’s a sure-fire way to take your ‘fit to another level.
(Plus, as celebs have proven over and over again, a navy chore coat remains the easiest, coolest thing that you can toss on over a tee, regardless of whether you’re romping around on a Euro holiday or peacocking at your local organic farmer’s market.)
It goes without saying that coats are also a fraught subject when the mercury hits 75+ degrees. The juice is just rarely worth the squeeze where sweat stains are involved.
Luckily, this is an issue that Quince seems to have set its mind to solving. The San Francisco-based clothing company employs every tech-ism in the book — DTC, e-comm only, algorithmically driven — to streamline business, and has also proven to be a savvy operator when it comes to casual-meets-sophisticated designs for a fraction of the typical retail price, with a proven track record of affordable and, much more importantly, aesthetically sound garments.
And while cutting out the middleman doesn’t solve warm-weather layering, Quince’s ultra-lightweight chore coat certainly does.
The Complete Guide to Quince Brand Essentials
Home goods, menswear, travel gear and morePart of the brand’s resort-ready linen collection, the hybrid chore coat is the brand’s answer to a viable summertime shacket. Modeled after classic chore coats — the kind that Jacob Elordi and Austin Butler routinely reach for — and crafted from an airy linen, it’s the platonic ideal of a featherlight but not remotely flimsy option, perfect for scorching days and red-hot date nights.
The jacket’s success where others have failed mostly comes down to the fabric — unlike cotton outerwear, this particular chore coat is made from responsibly sourced, 100% European linen, a weave specifically designed for surviving in the heat. While the fabric’s reputation for wrinkles precedes it, the material has a nice slubbiness, with just a bit of texture and a sturdy enough weave to maintain the right structural slouch without devolving into a shambolic mess.
Combined with a hybrid fit — classic chore coat elements, like dual waist pockets, button-through front placket and collar, have been transposed onto a modern shirt-jacket — it’s endlessly versatile in nearly any weather; you can wear it over a tee, with a linen button-up, or even on its own.
Add in the fact that the layer is available in a handful of easy colors — flax, deep navy, chambray, black, olive and taupe — and, thanks to Quince’s aforementioned practices, a mere $70, it’s definitely a total steal. (The brand estimates that similar styles will run you north of $200.) Shop the layer here or above, or click the link for even more linen styles from Quince.
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