Artist Shaun Daniel Allen for Umi Nori. Photography: Byron Spencer

IF THE HEAT of this late winter is telling of what’s to come for summer, well, the outlook’s not so good. Nowadays, jackets and trousers don’t cross our mind when it comes to dressing for the summer. Fair enough: knit polos, long shorts and a pair of sandals are what we’re gravitating towards. But the thing about suits, the sweaty preconception, is that they can be worn in 30 degree heat – it’s just about picking the right fabrics and style.

Sydney-based tailor Zi Nori, creative director of Umi Nori, knows how easily men will retreat from wearing a suit, however beautiful, in the summer. With his studio in Martin Place, the corporate heartland of the city, he’ll often see white collar men sweating through their shirts, calf-clinging trousers darkening with perspiration. But there’s Nori, whose attitude towards suiting doesn’t change regardless of the sticky, sweltering conditions. For Nori, who’s made his mission to properly educate Australian men on tailoring, the fit, construction, and fabric choice of a suit are key elements to surviving stuffy commutes to work, or attending an outdoor wedding in the middle of a hot day.

Recently, we asked Sydney’s ‘anti dapper’ tailor how to nail wearing a suit in the summer, what fabrics you should consider (wool is surprisingly suitable), and some of his ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ when it comes to getting dressed for a wedding (you can wear black, after all).

How do you stay cool in a suit in the summer?

A deconstructed suit is the most effective way of staying cool in the summer. Now, you wouldn’t be the first to imagine something avant-garde when hearing the word ‘deconstructed’ in tailoring. But don’t freak out – it’s actually a lot simpler.

“It comes down to the construction of the suit which will determine how cool it is,” says Nori. “Less padding, minimal lining and lightweight canvassing will allow more airflow and will make the suit lighter overall.” (Yes, you can ask your tailor or favourite suit store for this).

Opting for a deconstructed jacket essentially means you’ll be wearing one layer of fabric on top of your shirt, rather than multiple. This lightweight function also extends into fabric choices such as cotton, linen, or seersucker for optimal breathability.

“[It] instantly takes out that James Bond allure. You just have a beautifully soft silhouette that becomes much more palatable to be worn in a much more casual way.”

Are wool suits good for summer?

Although we mostly associate wool as an insulating fabric for winter, wool is also suitable for summer because of its soft and breathable composition. “It’s such a diverse fabric and comes in so many different weights and weaves,” says Nori. “It really depends on the type of wool.”

Nori recommends that you should look out for lightweight wools such as fresco and jersey, citing its breathable and lightweight qualities. And a plus side to wool, as opposed to a synthetic fibre like polyester, is that it has natural moisture-wicking properties, evaporating moisture from the skin, and keeping you cool and dry.

What fabrics are good for a summer suit?

Linen is the no-brainer summer fabric for a suit. Pure Italian linens, in particular, are the gold standard for Nori. “It keeps you cool in every sense of the word,” he says. Ever the popular choice for summer shirting, the fabric’s natural creasing leaves some to think it not suitable for the correctness and formality of a suit.

But Nori believes that “you must embrace the creases! My favourite part of linen suits is when they’ve been worn in and they age so well, they start to mould to your body and have a beautiful drape.”

Can you wear a black suit to a summer wedding?

“You can definitely wear black to a summer wedding,” says Nori. “But it’s all about execution.” This is where everything I’ve discussed with Nori so far comes together, who’s go-to summer wedding suit is a black deconstructed linen one. Though dark colours don’t bode well in direct sunlight (they absorb heat), compensating it with appropriate fabrics and construction covers the trade-off, which Nori notes “gives it its softness which contrasts to the beautiful natural sheen of the black fabric.”

What are some wedding suit dos and don’ts?

The unspoken rules of what to wear at a wedding as a guest can be exhaustive, but Nori sums his up as:

DON’Ts: 

1. Unless the wedding is specified as “Black Tie” don’t wear a tuxedo as a guest. It’s a faux pas just like wearing a white dress to a wedding! 

2. Don’t over accessorise. I see way too many people doing way too much. Pocket square, flower, pocket watch chain, tie bar, coloured tie to match, belt to match the shoes, collar bar . . . you end up looking like a Christmas tree. Less is more. 

3. Unless you’re at a wedding on the Amalfi coast and you’re in a beautiful linen suit with an aperol spritz in one hand and an oyster in the other . . . please wear socks. 

DO’s:

1. Start dressy and work your way back from there. Blazers and ties aren’t glued to you!

2. Invest in a good pair of shoes. Buy once, buy right. Especially if you have a nice suit, a cheap/bad quality pair of shoes can really ruin a whole outfit. 

3. Have fun, be yourself, dress yourself, and above all make sure you’re comfortable.

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