How to get summer tailoring right
From linen suits to breathable Fresco wool, here's how to master summer tailoring without compromising on elegance or comfort.
- Words by: Harry Jarman
There are few style conundrums more frustrating than dressing well in the summer. For the best part of the year, tailoring is reassuringly straightforward. A well-cut navy suit, polished shoes and a crisp shirt will carry you through almost any occasion. Then the mercury rises, the invitations begin to arrive and suddenly you're faced with the annual dilemma: how do you stay elegant without overheating?
Should style be sacrificed for comfort? Should jackets be abandoned altogether? And why does every Italian man seem to look effortlessly composed in the piazzas of Florence, while the rest of us resemble lil we've just stepped out of a sauna?
Summer tailoring is undoubtedly a minefield. But get it right and few things look better.
The secret is understanding that dressing for warmer weather isn't about wearing less; it's about wearing smarter. Fabric becomes more important than ever, construction matters, and choosing the right colours can transform both your comfort and appearance. The Italians have long mastered the art of relaxed summer elegance, favouring lightweight cloths, softer shoulders and unstructured silhouettes. Yet British tailoring has quietly evolved, combining its renowned craftsmanship with fabrics and cuts that are perfectly suited to modern summers.
Whether you're attending a wedding in the countryside, spending an afternoon at the polo, enjoying a garden party or heading to an evening reception in the city, the right tailoring should feel as effortless as it looks.
Throughout history, the best-dressed men have understood this instinctively. Think of Gianni Agnelli pairing unstructured jackets with open-collared shirts, Cary Grant proving that lightweight tailoring could still feel impeccably formal, or Paul Newman making linen look impossibly cool beneath the Mediterranean sun. Their secret wasn't simply confidence, it was choosing garments designed specifically for the season.
Start with linen
For daytime occasions, few fabrics can rival linen. Naturally breathable, beautifully textured and designed to soften with age, it remains the definitive summer cloth.
Oliver Brown's Eaton Linen Suit perfectly demonstrates why the fabric has remained a seasonal favourite for generations. Available in both Navy and Stone, the suit is crafted from 100 per cent Irish linen while retaining all the hallmarks of traditional British tailoring. A classic notch lapel, working button cuffs and a beautifully balanced silhouette ensure it feels every bit as smart as a worsted wool suit, while remaining significantly cooler on warmer days.
The Stone version is ideal for weddings, race meetings and summer lunches, pairing effortlessly with a pale blue shirt, knitted silk tie and dark brown suede loafers. Meanwhile, the Navy offers a little more versatility, taking you seamlessly from a daytime event through to evening drinks.
Modern tailoring for modern summers
Not every gentleman wants the relaxed drape that naturally comes with linen. Sometimes a cleaner, more structured silhouette is required.
That's why Oliver Brown developed the new Mayfair fit.
Designed to bridge the gap between traditional British tailoring and contemporary dressing, it features a defined shoulder, gently suppressed waist and a cleaner overall profile without ever appearing overly slim.
The Mayfair Fresco Mock Leno Jacket showcases this philosophy perfectly. Originally created for the brand's Made-to-Measure department before being introduced into ready-to-wear, it's crafted from an open-weave Fresco cloth that allows air to circulate freely. Combined with a soft shoulder and half-canvas construction, it's arguably one of the smartest options for navigating hot city days without sacrificing elegance.
Wear it with tailored cream trousers, a striped shirt and suede loafers for business lunches, gallery openings or evenings on a terrace.
Wool still has a place in summer
One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding warm-weather tailoring is that wool should be avoided altogether.
In reality, high-twist Fresco wool is one of the finest fabrics you can wear in summer.
Unlike heavier worsted cloths, Fresco's open weave allows heat to escape while naturally resisting creasing, making it an ideal choice for gentlemen travelling between meetings or attending events where maintaining a sharp appearance matters.
Oliver Brown's Mayfair Fresco Lite Wool Suit is an excellent example. It offers all the polish of traditional tailoring with considerably more breathability, making it a dependable choice for business engagements, formal lunches and occasions where linen may feel a little too relaxed.
Black tie doesn't stop for the weather
Summer's social calendar rarely ends at sunset.
From charity galas and embassy receptions to black-tie weddings and rooftop celebrations, formal evening wear remains very much part of the season.
Rather than relying on a heavy dinner jacket designed for winter, Oliver Brown's Lightweight Fresco Wool Dinner Jacket provides an elegant alternative. Cut from breathable Fresco wool, it allows gentlemen to maintain the formality black tie demands while remaining comfortable throughout even the warmest evenings.
The best summer tailoring isn't about reinventing your wardrobe; it's about choosing garments designed with the season in mind.
Above all, summer tailoring should never feel like a compromise between looking good and feeling comfortable. The very best pieces allow you to enjoy both.
Oliver Brown has quietly mastered that balance, combining generations of British tailoring expertise with fabrics and silhouettes that feel entirely at home during the modern British summer. Whether you're heading to a wedding, spending the afternoon beside the polo field or hosting drinks as the sun begins to set, investing in the right tailoring means you'll spend far less time worrying about the heat, and considerably more time enjoying the occasion. Perhaps even looking like a cool Italian effortlessly composed in a Florentine piazza.
