There are particular articles that come up from readers asking a couple of subject time and again. Or somewhat from the truth that once they ask, I don’t have an apparent place to level them to, so I’ve to repeat the identical recommendation. That is one among these articles. 

Fits are costly, and all the time have been. Today a superb one is much more costly comparatively, because it’s prone to be worn much less. 

Confronted with this, it’s pure {that a} reader thinks, how can I get essentially the most out of this swimsuit? Possibly if I get one which I can put on as separates, I’ll put on it extra and it will likely be definitely worth the cash. All I have to do is locate the suitable materials and magnificence so the swimsuit could be damaged up.

The reasoning is comprehensible, but it surely’s fraught with hazard. Most swimsuit supplies don’t make good jackets. As defined in the jackets part of our Information to Material, swimsuit supplies are often woven extra densely to create a sharper look. That’s nice for trousers, however not often for jackets. 

A swimsuit that may be damaged up and worn individually – one thing I termed the ‘three-way swimsuit’ some time in the past – is feasible. However often solely in fairly particular supplies, and people aren’t often what our reasoning reader needs.

The best supplies for a three-way swimsuit are informal ones, significantly cottons. 

Corduroy is okay, as a corduroy jacket could be made the identical as a corduroy swimsuit. Arguably a gentle wire isn’t nice for trousers and a stiff one doesn’t make an amazing jacket, however you’ll be able to often discover a stability. 

Clean cottons like gabardine are often nice too, like my Caliendo swimsuit. Seersucker additionally. Design and construction issues, as a result of my Suzuki cotton swimsuit doesn’t work as a separate jacket, but it surely’s not too laborious to get that proper. I’ve given recommendation on this decrease down.

Linen is an effective choice, as a result of once more a linen jacket and swimsuit could be created from the identical materials. Associations usually play a task right here – we’re very used to seeing sensible linen jackets and trousers, in addition to fits.  

The record of supplies that don’t work is longer. 

Wonderful worsted wools, like most fits use, don’t work as a result of the density and clean end make the jacket appear like a part of a swimsuit. 

Flannel is healthier as a result of it has extra texture, however once more it’s often made to be a swimsuit or trouser materials and appears odd as a jacket by itself. Some softer flannels could be OK, however then the trousers are sometimes a let down. 

Tweed often makes a greater jacket – I made a swimsuit out of tweed with the Anthology and the trousers don’t carry out that effectively; it’s important to press them each couple of wears. The one tweeds that undoubtedly work are the heavy, conventional taking pictures tweeds. They’re stiff sufficient to make good trousers, however then they’re not what everybody needs in a tweed jacket. 

Wool/silk/linen mixes are the identical, simply in summer time – they’re higher for a jacket than a swimsuit. As with lots of this stuff, this can be a particular mistake I’ve made myself – initially making trousers to go together with this jacket. 

The sensible materials that has essentially the most potential is hopsack. That is often a summer time suiting, a weave of wool that’s somewhat breathable and sensible. The jacketing equal is often mock leno or mesh, however hopsack can have sufficient texture to work for each. 

I’ve seen this executed effectively by just a few individuals, one being Alex Natt, who talked on this interview concerning the hopsack swimsuit he had made by The Anthology (proven beneath). The hopsack jacket I had made by Kathryn Sargent when she was at Gieves right here might even have labored with matching trousers. 

Associations assist with navy hopsack, as a sensible navy blazer is one thing we’re used to and it’s simple to get away with a bit extra sharpness. In a brown it wouldn’t be the identical. 

Alex’s fabric was from Standeven, 27033. Mine from Kathryn Sargent was from Holland & Sherry however is not in manufacturing. They’re each a bit coarser and extra textured, and I’d keep away from the smoother, extra Italian variations similar to these used for my Paolo Martorano jackets. They’re too gentle for trousers. 

The one draw back of hopsack is that it’s largely a summer time fabric, so even in a heavier weight you’d battle to put on it by way of a London winter, by no means thoughts a New York one. However it might stretch to 3 seasons in most locations. 

As talked about, design and construction additionally assist right here. 

A navy hopsack jacket in a softer construction – eg Neapolitan – is a bit simpler than a structured English one. Informal particulars like brown buttons somewhat than black assist too, and you can go for patch pockets somewhat than flaps. 

However there’s a stability right here, because the jacket nonetheless has to appear like a part of a swimsuit whenever you put on the trousers with it. Some design components would push issues too far, similar to gold buttons or very pale horn. 

My private selection could be a softer make, dark-brown buttons and flapped pockets. When you have any doubts, keep secure with the pockets and experiment with the buttons – the latter could be modified simply, the previous can’t. 

Most of time after I get requested about this subject, the commenter is simply somebody beginning out – or simply beginning to make investments cash of their clothes. This implies versatility is at a premium, but it surely additionally means they’re comparatively inexperienced. 

That’s why, in a two-sentence remark, I often warning towards a ‘three-way swimsuit’. The chance is just too excessive that they’ll find yourself with one thing that doesn’t fairly work in any of the 3 ways. I’m undecided any of my tailoring ‘experiments’ (journey jackets, tweed waistcoats, embroidery) have actually paid off in the long term. 

But when they do need to go forward, I’d push a reader in the direction of hopsack or an informal materials like corduroy or linen. And if anybody thinks they’ve had success with extra cold-weather supplies, please tell us.

Emilie Hawtin has additionally written effectively about this for ladies.

These experiments: