The summer wardrobe

Part one – Summer tailoring

In this chapter we’ve chosen to start with the basis, however. Summer tailoring. Because no matter if you’re spending your summer on Capri, if you bury your face deep into the grapes of the Tuscan countryside or simply ‘staycate’, festive occasions will present themselves. And when they do, the last thing you want to do is compromise with your style ( read: run into the nearest store an buy one of those, generic and boring standard size suits). You know better than that.

Basics, dear friend.

When it comes to summer tailoring, a decent linen suit remains our top priority. An important thing to bare in mind is that linen comes in various weights and structures. Italian linen fabrics will often come very soft and generally in lighter weights. This means a lot of creasing, which if you embrace it, will create an absolutely trademark look for a casual and effortless, understated luxury style. Much like a patinated denim trouser, an Italian linen fabric will crease uniquely over time dependent on the bearer.

British, or Irish linen in particular however, will create a much more refined, tailored look. An Irish linen fabric is much more robust than it’s Italian counter and therefore works really well for more formal occasions during spring & summer. A big reason for this is that it creases less and also often comes in heavier weights, creating a more rigid drape on a tailored garment.

A great feature about linen which makes it such a summer staple is the fact that it is easy broken up into separate trouser and jacket. A nice pair of linen trousers goes well with almost any vacation habits you have (or escapades you may face) and it looks effortlessly elegant with both t-shirts, summer knitwear, tailored jackets or indeed a linen shirt.

As for the linen jacket – cotton, linen, denim or any other structured trouser fabric provides a perfect match. Practically nobody can go wrong with a decent linen suit, especially if it is custom made tailored to your own liking.

The notorious ‘WSL’.

Much like the world of wine, there’s always a new fabric to discover. And when it comes to options for summer tailoring, the quality level stretches to near infinity. And since no sensible man can afford to invest his precious time into learning about them all, we do what we do best – present you with the ones you need.

The Blugiallo ‘WSL’ fabrics is definitely one of these options. WSL, being short for wool, silk and linen, is an absolute Blugiallo family favourite. Mention it in one of our showrooms and our style advisors will happily share a cold one while they tell you all about it. Essentially what the wool, silk, linen mix does, it that it creates a perfect hybrid between casual and formal. This allows the fabric to have the benefits of wool in drape, longevity and comfort, along with the allure of the silk and airy, breathable feeling of linen. The quality of the fabric is simply amazing and we therefore use it in a range of products like tailored suits, jackets, shirt jackets and trousers.

Legends of the far east.

Cotton may have a reputation of being a cheap commodity but as we see it, nothing could be more wrong. Although cotton may come in a cheap version, produced for fast fashion, Blugiallo indeed operates at a different value and vision basis. The cotton we use is carefully sourced and refined with centuries of experience from the mills, only to be as good and versatile as it indeed can be. Cotton is also very versatile, it can be rugged and isolating when it has to (like your fall & winter moleskins), but it can be equally delicate and breathable – like our ‘iced cotton’ fabrics sourced from a renowned family owned Italian mill Larusmiani. Our ‘iced cotton’ suits are a perfect choice for a versatile, allround summer look.

Cotton also has the benefit of being easy to mix with other fabrics in order to create a perfect blend, especially for summer tailoring. This leads us to our favourite part of this inspirational piece, namely raw silk. If your not familiar with it yet, we can recommend you start by reading this piece we wrote on the subject – “Raw silk – the epitome of summer luxury”.

A raw silk jacket has a natural sheen and texture that adds depth and interest to any outfit. The texture of raw silk also makes it a great choice for summer, as it’s breathable and lightweight. More importantly, there’s just no fabric that can match its ‘panache’ – it’s simply incredible.

A few bullets to send you off

When styling your summer tailoring outfits, we like to keep in mind that the goal is to create an effortless, luxurious look. Pairing your linen or WSL suit with a linen shirt or a silk knitwear piece in a complementary color is as easy s it sounds, without loosing the refined touch.

In terms of accessories, keep it simple and understated. A classic leather belt (preferably 2,5cm width) and a pair of penny loafers or leather sandals (car shoes) will complete the look perfectly. If you’re feeling fancy, add a thin cashmere scarf.

All in all, summer tailoring is all about finding the perfect balance between comfort and style. With the right fabrics and styling choices, you can create a look that’s both effortless and sophisticated.

Lastly, before we send you off into the summer heat, we’ve gathered a few of our Blugiallo family bullets to bare in mind ahead of summer.

• Never go to narrow with your fit and cut (especially for your linen trousers). To fully experience the fabrics greatness, you need to let the air blow through it.
• Try to keep the tailoring color scheme to 2 colors. Tone on tone palettes (preferably shirt/knitwear and jacket) creates a perfect understated luxury look.
• Pastel colors are OK, as long as you wear them in cashmere/cotton pair and them with off white trousers (we don’t take responsibility for your grade of tan).
• Always have a pair of off white trousers ready. Nothing has ever looked bad in the company of an off white trouser, especially in summer.