Trend Update: Casual Jackets and Lifestyle Suiting
One of the great silver linings that’s emerged from the pandemic has been the rise of casual tailoring. Perfect for those occasions that fall somewhere in between a relaxed coffee catch up and a board meeting, this has quickly become a mainstay in the wardrobe of many hybrid workers.
And for good reason. Seamlessly balancing comfort with the added polish that inevitably comes with a tailored garment, lifestyle suiting is something of a wardrobe Swiss army knife.
However, with less of an established rule book to guide us, the range can be daunting. To address this, we’ve developed our very own Oscar Hunt guide to casual suiting so you can shop with confidence.
Colours
A casual jacket or suit is the permission you need to do away with the corporate palette. This is an opportunity to flex your creative muscle and try something new. For the uninitiated, a good place to start is neutrals. Ranging from olives and sage through to sand and taupes, these shades balance classic style with the ease and laissez-faire attitude of the moment.
In the event you’re feeling more sartorially bold, there’s also scope to play at the fashion vanguard. This season in particular we are expecting to see bolder, more saturated hues from cobalt right through to brick red and ochre. And while these might not be for the faint of heart, they are guaranteed to make something of a splash.
Patterns:
Many flinch away at the mention of pattern but casual suiting and jackets represent the ideal place in which to experiment with it. From navy chalk stripes over a cream base to bold houndstooths in blue and green, patterns represent an unexpected element of versatility in your suiting wardrobe.
Combining multiple colours (and often textures), they can break up the formality of a traditional block coloured jacket or trouser and add an insouciant wink to your outfit. The trick? Less is more. If you’re wearing a patterned sport coat, keep the rest of your ensemble simple so it can really sing.
Fabrics
For tailored lifestyle suits, more rugged, open weave cloths are the name of the game. Naturally erring away from the formality of super fine wools, casual jackets - and casual suiting more broadly - tends to lend itself to more relaxed weaves. These are fabrics that simultaneously evoke elegance and ease - a tricky tightrope to walk.
Prepping for casual Friday?
To explore our entire range of casual suiting options, give us a bell or swing by a showroom today.