So the warm weather has arrived and you still need to wear a suit at work. A large majority of men who work in large corporates like a bank or at a consulting company still need to keep up appearances even if the mercury rises. The good news is that suits can still be made for summer to keep you feeling cool while also looking sharp.

In this guide we'll run through 3 key components to picking a suit for summer.

Colour

Your suit's colour is probably the most obvious change you can make in preparation for summer. As much as you can, avoid wearing black. Like for cars, black tends to absorb and retain heat making you feel like you are dressed in an oven. Instead you should go for lighter colours that reflect heat and minimise residual heat retention.

If you work in an office where suit colours do not need to be too conservative then try going for a beige light brown or khaki coloured suit. Most men are uncomfortable with wearing light coloured suits but you will be surprised at how smart they can be. When paired with a white shirt or similarly light colours they do well to keep you feeling cool and also looking trendy.

For those who work in offices that are more conservative with suit colours then grey, blue or even navy will do well. There are lots of shades of grey so try something lighter. Lighter blue suits are a throwback to the old school looks that you see in shows like Mad Men and Boardwalk Empire and can look incredibly stylish. Navy does seem like a typical winter colour but it can still look very good when paired with brown shoes on a sunny summers day.

Fabrics

The most well known fabric for suits is wool. They keep you warm in winter and can still stay relatively cool in summer. More often than not it is still recommended to purchase wool suits even in summer because they are more of a year round suit. Other materials will leave you shivering in winter.

Having said all of that, the best material for summer would be cotton. The fabric breathes very well which is a big reason why its used in dress shirts and casual shirts. Make sure you choose a good quality fine weave of cotton for your suit. A lower quality weave can make the jacket look too casual or fragile so you are best advised to pay a bit more for your suit.

The one thing to note with cotton is that it tends to crease easily. This results in more creases usually around the middle of your sleeve where your elbow is. Having too many creases is not a smart look so do note that if you are going cotton this is what you need to deal with.

Fit

The last component of your summer suit is the fitting. While the slim suit is very fashionable nowadays, summer might be too warm to wear a fitted suit. If you normally wear a tighter fit, you may want to consider going for a regular, more relaxed, suit that gives more space for air move.

The big downside of going for a more relaxed fit is that these suits can tend to look baggy. You do not want to feel cooler but look terrible in your suit. To combat this problem, seriously consider going to a tailor and getting a bespoke suit. Most people think that a bespoke suit is very expensive but nowadays quality bespoke suits can be purchased online at prices that you purchase a regular suit for.

A bespoke suit will still look very neat and sharp even in a regular fit. The made to measure aspect means you do not have to worry about your suit looking excessively baggy.

Conclusion

Summer should not be a time to avoid wearing suits, instead it should be a time to look smart and keep cool. While most people will be ditching their suits, men who know how to suit up for summer will stand out from the crowd. A bespoke suit is highly recommended since they can be very affordable.

For more info: Bespoke mens suits