Summer Event Dressing with NN.07
My techniques for staying cool and comfy while meeting the dress code.
The summer solstice is days away, and we’re in the thick of summer wedding season. Destination or not, the high-heat union marks one of the most challenging, and most googled-about styling obstacles in a man’s life. Not only are you starting with some degree of formal attire - an arduous dress code requiring at least two long-sleeve layers, but you’re compounding that with a warm climate demanding maximum breathability. Suffice to say, summer weddings earn some special consideration when it comes to appropriate and comfortable dress. Today, I’m going to run through a few different styling tips I like to follow in order to keep things cool.
disclaimer — this post is a paid collaboration with Copenhagen based NN.07. All of the items you see in this list have been worn and tested for fit and quality by yours truly.
Colour Palette
Personally I gravitate towards a light-neutral, earth-tone heavy palette for summer event dressing. First, you have the functional benefit of wearing light tones - they reflect the heat from sunlight instead of absorbing it, making it the most comfortable choice if you’re going to be out in the sun. Second, it’s a very easy palette to mix and match depending on what other elements you’re working with. Greens, browns, tans, greys, yellows, blues — anything in a lighter, faded, dusty shade will work well with a light-neutral base. This means you can find yourself one light-neutral suit, and swap out various elements as you make it through the summer. Let me give you some examples.
The Suit
For the suit I opted for a light-weight double-breasted jacket matched to a pair of relaxed single-pleat trousers. The jacket is unlined with an unstructured shoulder, meaning there’s very little material aside from the 50% linen 50% wool outer to prevent heat from escaping. Its patch pockets, tonal corzo buttons, and relaxed fit all lend to a softer look. The trousers continue the theme with a nice wide leg and waist-tabs to fine tune the fit of the waistband.
In the realm of warm-weather tailoring, I tend to prefer a looser, less tailored fit coupled with a drape-y fabric. Not only does this look make for a more comfortable wearing experience, but I find it fits the laid-back vibe of a summer wedding/formal event more than your average work suit. Additionally, the looser fit adds some versatility in terms of what layers you can pair with it.
My second runner-up for the suit was this striped version of the Jordin/Kay blazer/trouser combo. Made up of a light brown, clay, and cream herringbone stripe, its large-scale-low-contrast pattern is bold yet approachable. A less safe yet more fun option for y’all who are looking to make a bit of a statement. If the full suit is a bit much for your taste, I’d separate the two and pair the Jordin blazer with a plain, light trouser like you see above. If you want to see the round-up of alternate-picks for event dressing, check out the link below:
Look 1: Tone on Tone + Band Collar
In this first look I’m trying to keep things very close tone-wise, with a slight difference in the warmth of the fabric. That’s because I wanted to keep the focus on the more atypical collar choice - a band collar. A little outside of my comfort zone, I’ve been warming up to the band collar as of late, but I still find it can be a bit much if there’s a lot else going on in the outfit. The name of the game in event dressing - don’t do too much.
Look 2: Tonal Variation + Classic Collar
For a more classic look, I wanted to add in a bit more tonal variation while still maintaining the neutral colour palette I was after. I went for a relaxed linen button-up in a medium-dark brown, anything darker would be a bit too much contrast for my liking, and likely uncomfortable if I spent any time in the sun. You’ll often guys pair a light suit with something far too dark, and the contrast becomes overwhelming. If you want that tonal variation, you don’t have to go as dark as you think. Obviously there’s exceptions to every rule, but if you want to play it safe, keep the contrast to a manageable level.
Look 3: Subtle Stripe + Classic Collar
Another option is to introduce some pattern. Since we’ve got a slightly textured suit, the look doesn’t look too flat when we opt for plain shirt fabrics, but a bit of stripe or check is certainly welcome if that’s your thing. I thought it’d be best to return to a similar tone-on-tone approach to look 1 since we’re introducing some stripe. The pattern includes pistachio, cool grey, a sandy orange, and a line of rust all laid on a cream ground, it sounds like a lot but from afar you just get some subtle contrast, nothing too overwhelming.
Look 4: Colour + Knitwear
Finally, while this may seem like a bonafide absurd choice for a summer wedding, you’d be surprised how cool a thin linen knit can keep you. Thin enough to see through when held up to the light, this caper-coloured crewneck is dark enough to remain modest (you won’t be showing nip). It’s my go-to for slightly more casual affairs where I want to wear a suit but not feel like I’m wearing a suit.
Thank you all for reading and please let me know what your go-to summer tailoring tips are.