Think ‘outerwear’ and the first image that typically springs to mind is a warm wool coat or something similarly winter-bound. But the fact is your spring/summer wardrobe also requires outerwear. In fact, we’d go so far as to say that it depends on it. It may not serve the same protective function as your winter coats and jackets, but summer outerwear provides structure and an additional layer that can add interest, contrast, and texture to your look. And in some cases, it will protect you from changeable weather (also known as the English Summer).
The key to getting it right is to consider outerwear as an afterthought or something you throw on once you’ve finished getting dressed, but rather as an extension of your core clothing, which includes polo shirts, tees, lightweight knits, shorts and cotton/linen trousers. As with any composition, you need a yin to offset the yang, and a lightweight summer blazer or coat can provide a certain amount of sartorial detail and structure versus the more casual elements of your look. The simple lapel structure and pocket details of say, our Coram or Cowboy jackets create more depth and interest in an outfit without weighing it down. Both styles are unstructured and therefore easy to layer, even on hot summer days.
One of the most versatile pieces of seasonal outerwear is the bomber jacket. Cropped at the waist, and with the classic bomber collar, it can easily be worn as a statement piece over a plain tee, or you can use it as the final layer to a tee and shirt ensemble. The fact that the bomber doesn’t have a structured collar like a Harrington jacket does means that it pairs nicely with any number of shirt styles, from the collarless Granddad variety to a casual button-down. We created our Bermondsey bomber as a perennial piece but with one eye on the spring season, which is why we cut it in an extremely lightweight Italian water-repellent cloth. The double-ended zip-fastening allows you to expose different lengths of layers beneath, while the two patch pockets break up the otherwise minimal finish.
Similarly, our Grandpa coats are cut from the same waterproof cloth but have a more substantial silhouette. That said, they are still extremely lightweight and are an excellent way to add volume to a look without feeling bulky. They needn’t just come out for downpours either: the technical fabric offers a subtle textural contrast to natural fibres such as cotton or linen.
Our Cowboy jackets are an excellent hybrid of the classic four-pocket field jacket and the traditional linen safari jacket, only realised in more of a shirt weight, perfect for these warmer months. They come single-breasted with a five-button front cut in soft Evering Irish linen, to give it that slightly crumpled finish. The beauty of Irish linen is that it gets softer and softer with each wear, eventually shaping naturally over the contours of your torso and fitting like the proverbial glove. While it might not be the most water-repellent of fabrics, on the plus side it does dry incredibly fast!
Click here to discover more of our versatile outerwear pieces.