Which of these two suits would be easier to wear?

[fpm9]

Hello,

I'm considering buying a double-breasted suit and have found that Spier and Mackay's RTW options tend to fit me well, although I haven't purchased a DB jacket from them before.

I'm trying to choose between these two suits:

https://www.spierandmackay.com/product/taupe-chalk-stripe-8850-tdb1-hr01
https://www.spierandmackay.com/product/light-gray-tropical-double-breasted-suit-8827-db01-nt02

I tend to prefer the light grey one, but I'm concerned it might be more difficult to wear. Here's how I'm weighing the options:

Taupe Linen Suit:

• I live in a warm climate and enjoy wearing linen for half the year.
• My office dress code isn't very formal, so I wouldn't feel out of place in a taupe linen suit (altough a DB suit might be pushing it).
• This might work as an odd jacket with cream pants and loafers.
• However, the fabric seems casual, while the DB style is more formal, and I'm worried this might look a bit off.

Light Grey Suit:

• I think this fabric suits a DB jacket better.
• But I’m concerned it might be too formal for my office.

What do you think? I appreciate your feedback.

 

[acconrad]

light gray tropical. more versatile and the tropical wool is just as light/breathable as linen and won't wrinkle as easily. the taupe + stripes make it much harder to match and use in a variety of occassions

 

[fpm9]

Thank you for your help. I never had a tropical wool suit before but this could be a good and not too expensive way to try.

 

[acconrad]

i had one and honestly what you really want is unlined/quarter lined. if its tropical wool it almost has to be quarter/half lined to maintain any semblance of shape. i say this because lining is like a trashbag and traps heat far more than the actual outside wool material. a hopsack wool that is quarter lined is still lighter and more breathable than a tropical wool with a full liner. so thats really the most important thing - i say this having owned a fully lined worsted, unlined linen, and (at one point) a fresco fully lined (what a mistake that was)

 

[fpm9]

i had one and honestly what you really want is unlined/quarter lined. if its tropical wool it almost has to be quarter/half lined to maintain any semblance of shape. i say this because lining is like a trashbag and traps heat far more than the actual outside wool material. a hopsack wool that is quarter lined is still lighter and more breathable than a tropical wool with a full liner. so thats really the most important thing - i say this having owned a fully lined worsted, unlined linen, and (at one point) a fresco fully lined (what a mistake that was)

Thank you for sharing your experience.

Well, it sounds like I made a similar mistake. I ordered it last Saturday, and didn't think the lining would be a problem. But this makes sense.

The fabric is advertised as 275 grams/metre, so from what I understand this is on the heavy side for this type of suit. Maybe I could keep it and wear it on these warmer winter days here in Texas?

 

[acconrad]

can you return it? it hasnt been that long and S&M i hear is pretty good about returns. i would get something unlined, simple (no pattern), in either linen or fresco

 

[fpm9]

Yes, returning it is an option, easy to do. I have plans for a MTM linen suit and a seersucker suit in the next 12 months, but I wouldn't mind getting another.

Do you think fully lined tropical can't be worn comfortably even on colder days? I understand the lining kinda defeats the purpose of the fabric, but I wouldn't mind a non-summer suit.

 

[acconrad]

What is the point? If you wanted a versatile option you would get a 4-season suit. So by already staking a claim in a summer suit, you're already making it clear you want a second suit for colder months. So either go with a lighter gram wool, fully-lined 4 season worsted suit or accept that you'll have two suits, one for warmer and one for colder, and go with say a gray linen quarter/half-lined and a charcoal flannel fully-lined

 

[fpm9]

Thank you, this makes sense. Spier and Mackay advertises it as an "All-Season Weight", but I prefer having appropriate suits and jackets for each season. So yes, thinking about it, buying this suit was probably a mistake.