Staying cool in a suit this Summer

Here's a secret though. What if we told you that there is a way to don a suit, without having to worry about breaking a sweat regardless of the endless summer days of Bengal? Impossible, you say? Well, as that leading sporting brand once said, "Impossible, is nothing."

Changing for the better

The first thing you need to pick right is the fabric. The fabric is the very essence of your suit as it ensures that your outfit remains breathable regardless of the colour it is dyed to. Opt for open weave fabrics such as cotton, linen or seersucker. The opening left between the yarn when constructing the suit allows it to be breathable and lightweight.

The right spectrum

Although, this might contradict what you have read, science suggests otherwise. Lighter toned colours tend to reflect heat better while darker tones have enhanced heat absorption capability. Wearing a suit in the line of khaki, light blue and light grey will help in ensuring that you send back all those nasty heat blasts.

Roll up the curtains

Every suit jacket is either full-lined or half-lined. It helps the jacket maintain its shape and adds a touch of visuals along with the fact that it keeps you warm in winter. Skip the linings in the back of your jacket to keep it well-ventilated, while keeping the linings across the shoulders to make sure that the jacket stays in shape.

Change the tie

Switching your regular silk or wool tie to wearing a knitted or cotton tie helps you stay cooler. In addition, you can skip your necktie and wear a bow tie instead. The bow tie, being shorter, allows more air to seep in through the shirt's pleat, at the cost of completely sealing the collar. Consider this if you wish to change up your routine tie game, or, if the occasion permits, leave the tie home and go for a casual "no-tie" look, keeping the first two buttons of your shirt unbuttoned. Nothing gets more dapper than that!

Put a break to it

A break is what you call when the bottom of your trousers meets the top of your shoes. What you want to wear is a pair of pants with little to no break. That way, the bottom of your pants is short and allows more ventilation.

Footwear counts

Your footwear is an integral part of your suit. Try wearing loafers instead of your typical laced up shoes, as loafers are cut shorter at the heels, allowing your feet to stay cooler. As a bonus, loafers allow you to go for a sockless look, but we suggest you avoid that as you could end up with smelly feet. Instead, wear no-show-socks which you can find at Ecstasy, making sure that your feet doesn't sweat or smell.

It can be difficult to find off the rack summer suits which will meet your requirements. Some won't have linings, disrupting the shape of the jacket, while others won't have the right fabric. It is best if you purchase tailor made suits from places like Zurhem or Dapper Bespoke to ensure quality and comfort instead of opting for ready-made suits available in other stores. Older traditional tailors are also often quite good at stitching the perfect summer suit.

Winter is no longer the only season to don the suit. With summer specific suits, we can showcase our dapper selves fearlessly. Let's see what you've got, summer!

Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed

Model: Nahid

Wardrobe: Zurhem

Location: Deck 41, Swimming Pool, Amari Dhaka