Wearing white can cause a certain dilemma, especially because the trend is changing and there are so many options on hand. Embrace its varying shades — off-white, cream, eggshell, ecru, ivory — and maybe combine them in the same outfit or with contrasting elements to add some visual texture.
1. White suit
The summer gives a great chance to own and wear the white suit at different events and get a break from the usual blue and grey suits. Conquering the white suit is not very hard if you know which key elements to get right, confidence being one of the important ones.
The different colours, fabrics and styles
The most important thing here is the kind of white you choose, off-white, egg-shell white or just white. If you have the fabric in mind the choice of colour becomes easier. The main materials for the summer suits are cotton, wool blend and linen (although for the winter months they may be made from mohair or cashmere) as they are lighter making them more suitable for summer.
For example, if you are going for a summer suit in linen or a linen blend you might want to choose a cream white or off-white suit for a more relaxed touch to your white suit. This kind of suit is more likely to look creased and a toned down white will complement this relaxed and comfortable look.
The other important thing to get a perfect white suit is to make sure your suit is tailored to perfection (especially if you do opt for linen). As for the style, a white suit is something more than a regular suit, on the contrary, it is to bring a certain character to your wardrobe.
If you want an easy going simple white suit for summer get a single breasted two- buttoned suit, but if you want to be more experimental and want a suit that is more dandy and makes you stand out at certain events you can also opt for a double-breasted three-buttoned suit. In this case be careful to carry your suit well and look sharp with all the accessories required. The trousers should be slim fit or straight-leg and slightly cropped at the bottom.
Occasions
There are occasions where a white suit is appropriate. If you’ve got a formal summer event, summer time weddings or during the leisure time on the beach, a white suit could be just the attire to attract attention that you need. Formal picnics, boat cruises, and evening parties are also great opportunities to work the white suit. It is certainly not very acceptable at the formal business occasions. Other than that it all depends on how to style it according to the occasion to make it fit the surroundings.
What to pair with
A white suit teamed with accessories in exactly the same shade might not always work, you’ll want to consider lighter neutral colours (beige, stone, tan, eggshell) or pastel shades for your pocket square, tie, belt and shoes. If you want to stand out and want all eyes on you can also go for some contrasting colours and patterns like red, blue or violet.
As for the shirt, if you want the entire outfit to be white — the shirt, waistcoat, jacket and trousers — it creates a very powerful appearance and a polished look for extremely formal events. If you are wearing a white linen suit at the beach, you can go for a light coloured linen shirt. Otherwise, for the casual-formal events, it is important to break the all-white rhythm. Rather than wearing a white shirt, choose a darker or pastel colour that contrasts with your white suit, such as light-blue, blue, beige, khaki, and nuances of pink.
Don’t forget to wear the right shoes or footwear with your white suit. They go well with most colours and styles of footwear. However, you’ll still need to make sure your footwear matches and is appropriate for a white suit. All-white shoes, for instance, are typically a poor choice, as it blends together with the suit. A safe option is to pair with brown oxfords, loafers or boat shoes of which are easy to match.
As well as giving you a smart summertime ensemble with a soft edge, remember that your suit can be split up and worn as separates – providing you with the two core pieces to mix and match the way you wish.
2. White blazer
When it comes to blazers there are so many options to choose from, you’ll find the perfect one to add to your wardrobe, and possibly, carry out for throughout summer. It will act as perfect summer layering.
The different colours, fabrics and styles
A perfect summer blazer should bring style and ease to your everyday looks, a white blazer in cotton, seersucker or linen, should do the trick. Wearing white linen blazer can exude a sense of casual confidence and a relaxed attitude. Also, linen suit styles are more versatile than you think and help you create stylish summer looks.
The colours to opt for a blazer come with a lot of choices like off-white, cream or ecru depending on the kind of blazer you like. It should be perfectly tailored to your body; the shoulders need to fit properly, sleeve lengths hitting correctly, and it should always button comfortably. Opting for single breasted is a smart option as you can leave your blazer open and still look sharp.
Occasions
Depending on the formality of each occasion, a white blazer can be adaptable to a lot of summer events and vacation. It lifts up any casual look and makes it presentable while still looking smart casual.
What to pair with
A blazer goes well with well-fitting trousers or chino pants and a tailored polo shirt or a dress shirt. The one thing to remember with a white blazer is that it is the only “loud” piece your outfit will require. Your best bet is to pair it with muted colours that will complement the white.
The property of this blazer allows it to be easily crushed, which can be charmingly stylish if played out correctly (sleeve rolled and collar popped), linen fabric is incredibly lightweight and cool.
Linen is ideally suited to casual unstructured blazers, another look that might interest someone who wants to go for a casual all-white look is pairing it with summer-white pants and an open-necked linen shirt, with sockless loafers and a printed pocket square. Blazer and jeans work great together and are a go-to combination when creating a casual, yet a put-together look.
Avoid to pair with very big checks in dark colours if you want a perfect summer look.
3. White chinos
White chinos should be a staple in every man’s collection. Usually, they are a summer favourite for all city men. It matters a lot how you select the perfect white chinos, the safest colour combinations, how to break through confidence issues and the best time and place to wear them.
The different colours, fabrics and styles
White chinos should really be in a clear solid white colour if you don’t like the very bright effect you can always go for off-white, light beige or sand chinos. While picking out the fabric for your tailored chinos make sure it is a soft cotton twill fabric for an utmost comfort throughout summer.
Occasions
Casual Fridays to the office, weekend getaway, aperitifs and date nights are some of the typical places you’ll find white chinos absolutely suitable to wear. Definitely avoid them when it’s wet and rainy it’s easy to get them stained. From mid-April to November you’re completely justified to wear them.
Get a slim cut, fit on the thigh chino that sits just on top of your shoes. Not very baggy or long, just the right fit, that can be achieved if you get them tailored according to your measurements.
What to pair with
White chinos can be seen as the highlight of your outfit when you are thinking about the different shirts you can wear with them you can be very creative or very simple. The options of shirts rage from striped, printed, denim or a simple polo shirt.
For a more formal look why not pair them with brown brogues. Light brown loafers or boat shoes go well with white chinos, for a night in the city where you want to keep it casual but not too casual.
4. White linen shirt
Summer is the time to invest in some cool, breathable shirts. A white linen shirt can be incredibly practical in the summer months saving you from the heat and constant sweating, giving a breezy and carefree look.
The different colours, fabrics and styles
White linen shirt has a certain clean and rugged look to it. All the shades of white are welcome. For the fabric choice, you can go for 100% linen or cotton linen blend. The style of the tailored linen shirt can be experimented with a different style of collar than your everyday shirts like mandarin or club collar, making it something different than mundane.
Occasions
It is a staple casual piece but adds a certain character to all looks. While running city errands, evening out with friends or vacation it fits well in all those scenarios.
What to pair with
Wear your linen shirt with a pair of tailored shorts or a slim pair of chinos, creating a confident yet understated elegance. A linen blazer in a light blue or a cotton striped blazer will lift up the look for casual events in the night.