A Casual “Suit”: The Summer Uniform
It’s time to talk summer suits - but not your usual ones.
You see, we love our seasonal tailoring - linen, cotton, tropical woolen; all kinds of beautiful cloth - but when it boils down to the boiling hot summer temperatures, we understand that wearing so much may feel like an unpleasant chore. A tailored jacket is not something that you would really want to sweat in - and even when you opt for light construction and breathable cloth, there is a certain threshold above which one cannot help but suffer (doing so in style, of course - but does that awareness really help?).
Wearing a simple shirt-and-trousers combo does not always feel like an alternative. Yes, it is comfortable, but it feels smart casual at best, lacking the ability to shape your silhouette as a jacket would or to show off that you are dressed up. The same goes for all other shirt substitutes: popovers, polos, rugby shirts, t-shirts… and we haven’t even mentioned other disadvantages yet, such as the lack of pockets or being stuck with a single layer, unable to remove or add back layers during the day.
It may seem like there is always a trade-off to make: you can either compromise your comfort for style and practicality, or give up those entirely for unrestricted ease.
But there must be some other alternative, right?
Effectively acting as a suit not being a literal suit is no easy job - and even if we all believe in some kind of design optimization, let’s admit there is no such thing as a no trade-off alternative in the clothing world.
However, there is always a possibility to balance the features in a way that allows you to have the best of both worlds.
For us, this belief was enough to put Poszetka on a mission.
Before we get into details, let’s get a bit philosophical first: what makes a suit a suit?
We have already talked about a few features, such as the ability to alter one’s body shape (both by the structure put over it and altered proportions), the implication of layering (having to wear something underneath creates visual interest), and the practical aspects built into the design (such as pockets). Sure, these are all important.
However, all of those points might be ticked off by a sportcoat or another kind of jacket… and still not make it a suit when worn with odd trousers. There must be something more to it.
Oh, well, there is: we haven’t mentioned possibly the simplest yet the most crucial fact that the suit is a two-piece garment, with both the bottom and the upper part cut from the same fabric, with exactly the same texture and colour.
This precisely makes it a great base for various looks - it serves as a frame, removing the necessity to think about matching the two biggest parts of the outfit, allowing you to experiment and swap all the other pieces.
And with that in mind, we are good to go…
…and stretch the idea further: what if the suit consisted of a non-tailored jacket and matching trousers?
The idea seems tempting; that kind of matching set has long been executed in the form of various military and workwear uniforms after all. It surely is something that could be done casually in a way that is adjacent to classic menswear, more suited to everyday use and various occasions, not physical labour.
So, for the current Spring/Summer collection, we have designed our own non-tailoring suit alternative: enter the Summer Uniform, a matching set of jacket and trousers, a.k.a. the casual suit, made with comfort in mind.
After such an introduction, we should just say that it is the embodiment of all the ideas mentioned above. Planning our Summer Uniforms, we were sure we would need something that is extremely comfortable (yet smart enough), easy to wear as a whole (but versatile as separates), and holiday-ready (yet not limited to free time).
The whole series is cut from lightweight, made-in-Italy seersucker cloth, ready to withstand the high summer season. As you might remember, we have reached for similar fabrics in the last few seasons; even had proper suits made out of it - but frankly, we think that this new cut suits the fabric even better.
No canvas, no pads, mostly just a single layer of cloth throughout the whole garment: it all means LIGHTNESS. Breathability is top-notch; I would even go as far as to say you wouldn’t notice much difference in thermal comfort between wearing and not wearing this jacket, but you will surely notice the difference in practicality, having all these pockets!
Designing the jacket, we reached for our proven raglan-sleeve cut (inspired by the workwear jackets of the past) that looks great when made in seasonal fabrics. It is equipped with triple patch pockets (plus one inside, all ready to hold your everyday carry), button cuff sleeves (easy to roll up in the heat, mind you!), and a turn-down collar (that can be popped up to shield your neck from the sun). And although it obviously does not have any stiff construction, the right proportions ensure it has some of the silhouette-shaping suit properties.
For the accompanying trousers, we opted for a cut that is best suited to both the idea and the fabric: relaxed, high-rise, single-pleated, belt-loop-equipped, and finished off with turn-ups. The width ensures good airflow in the summer, keeping it breezy.
Both parts of the matching set are usable as separates - the jacket effectively acting as a summer overshirt, being a perfect choice when you need an additional layer for practicality but wish to keep it as light as possible (and just a tad smart, not too much!); the trousers on their own might double as a comfortable holiday option and a not-too-smart, not-too-casual everyday choice, versatile enough to be paired with sportcoats and other jackets.
Still, we would recommend wearing these together a lot - once more, we have to praise the virtues of having the same-coloured top and bottom, as there is something reassuring in this combo. We called it a frame before, but you could also say that it is a blank canvas for your experiments… or a lazy choice for the days that you do not feel like thinking too much. In this case, just throw on a white t-shirt underneath, slip your feet into the most comfy sneakers you own and enjoy the fact that even though your outfit is completely effortless, it definitely seems intentional, not boring or ordinary.
We have worn our Summer Uniforms on and off-duty, both testing the possible combinations at the photoshoots and just living our daily lives in them. We have paired them with shirts and t-shirts; espadrilles, KLEMAN shoes, and various sneakers; with accessories or without any, in a minimalist way.
Oh, by the way: in this case, “we” also includes the women of our team (and a few friends) as the cut comfortably fits different types of bodies and a variety of styles. The versatility extends to being unisex!
You can experiment with it your way, too - after all, the Summer Uniform probably will not replace your previous summer suit, but will surely make up for a new one.
A nice, comfy, and hot-weather-friendly one.
