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Timeless. Classy. Essential. The suit has long been the basis for some of the finest looks fellas can pull off, with a well-fitting tailoring denoting impeccable taste and refined confidence. But with the traditional heft of a wool blazer, it can also be seen as stuffy, expensive or simply too much come summertime. The simple solution? Leaning on a new canon of easy, breezy suiting for red hot summer fits.
The Best Lightweight Suits Under $1,000
The Best Wrinkle-Resistant Travel Blazers For Frequent Flyers
Dress for the class you want to be sitting inWhat to Look for in Lightweight Suiting
Come sweaty days, a variety of avenues open for the simple two-piece regarding fabric, cut and even color. Linens and seersuckers, the respective king and queen of breathable cloth, can come out to play, and a relaxed, less-than-snug unstructured shape is all but preferred. Grey and black make their way back into the closet, and neutrals get their chance to shine. And while premium options can run you a few cool racks — Ghiaia Cashmere’s near-perfect summer suiting included — lightweight suits need not be prohibitively expensive.
How to Style Lightweight Suiting
With summertime suiting comes a whole new set of rules that are more relaxed and fun than buttoned-up winter guidelines. Camp shirts and, indeed, tank tops are a perfectly acceptable (and totally welcome) base for your tailoring in 2024, and we highly suggest you ditch your Allen Edmonds for slip-ons and loafers (unless your slip-ons and loafers are from Allen Edmonds, which would also be totally fine).
Because we’re pro-warm-weather suit, we’ve rounded up 14 lightweight suits for your spring and summer escapades, be it a fancy-schmancy dinner, your cousin’s wedding or just another sweltering day in the office. What’s more, every suit on this list is under $1,000, meaning that instead of watching on in admiration, you can hop on the bandwagon yourself. Below, the best breezy suits to save your spring and summer.
The Best Men’s Suits Under $1,000
For the Entry-Level Layman: A&F Collins Tailored Linen-Blend Suit
Material: 57% cotton, 23% viscose, 20% linen | Fit: tailored | Sizes: 36-46 | Type: single-breasted
Who is this for? The everyman who wants to look nice and save a buck.
Starting the list off strong, Abercrombie’s Collins Suit has been rebooted for summer with a flexy cotton-linen blend and a few warm-weather colors — we’re particularly charmed by the breezy taupe option for weddings and other functions. If you’re looking to save a buck or two, this is your man; there are better-fitting options on this list, but none for a cool $260.
For the City Boy: Uniqlo x JW Anderson Cotton Utility Suit
Material: 100% cotton | Fit: relaxed | Sizes: XXS-XL | Type: single-breasted
Who is this for? Popeye readers and short stans.
Looking for a summery suit for everyday wear? Trying to ride a Studio-Ghibli-meets-Parisian-chic vibe through August? Part of the latest collection between Met Gala winner Jonathan Anderson and Japanese retailer Uniqlo, this 100% cotton blazer and matching utility shorts bring a playful urban vibe to the classic summer suit. Matching relaxed trousers are also available.
For the Suiting Savant: Todd Snyder Italian Linen Pinstripe Wythe Suit
Material: 100% linen | Fit: relaxed | Sizes: 36-46 | Type: double-breasted
Who is this for? The wedding guest with something to prove or the already-proven sartorialist.
We lied to you. This handsome Todd Snyder is, unfortunately, not under $1,000. We will, however, ask you to suspend your shock and outrage while I explain why the luxurious joint is well worth the extra $96. Meticulously crafted in Portugal from an impossibly light Subalpino Mill linen, the suit checks all our boxes for wedding attire — bold without being loud, cut with a natural shoulder and room to spare, and all but guaranteed to ensure you’re the best dressed (and most eligible) bachelor present.
For the Do-It-All Dude: J.Crew Crosby Classic-Fit Double-Breasted Unstructured Suit
Material: 70% linen, 30% lyocell | Fit: classic | Sizes: 34-50 | Type: double-breasted
Who is this for? For the guy who wants to take his officewear to the next level (also, the bar).
The new J.Crew makes a good-looking, affordable suiting? Shocker. Jokes aside, their latest batch of ‘Crew tailoring has us particularly excited to pull up to the office in our finest Joyce Manor tee and this unstructured, double-breasted suit. The chino colorway is causal enough to hit East Village drinks after work and not look like a lost Middletown C-Suite guy, but the peak lapels and double-breasted fit are still dressy enough to impress the head honchos — or a Raya date — with a bit of pleated linen charm.
For the Fashion Forward: A Kind of Guise Shinji Suit
Material: 65% lyocell, 35% cotton | Fit: classic | Sizes: 46-56 (IT) | Type: single-breasted
Who is this for? The menswear head who wants to telegraph taste and an affinity for Highsnobiety.
Based in Germany, A Kind of Guise has become something of a cult label for their highly considered knits and out-there fabric choices, and their take on the two-piece follows suit. The Shinji embraces elements of classic suiting — a slightly loose fit, double vent cut and traditional Shawl lapels — albeit with a distinct lyocell-blended front tie twist.
For the JFK-LAX Regular: Buck Mason Japanese Seersucker Carry-On Suit
Material: 100% Japanese seersucker | Fit: tailored | Sizes: XS-XXL | Type: single-breasted
Who is this for? The frequent flyer who can tell you exactly how many Delta SkyMiles they currently possess.
Diamond medallion status deserves an equally swaggy suit, right? Look no further than Buck Mason’s Carry-On set, now in an ultra-light 5 oz. Japanese seersucker. It packs down beautifully, passes muster in most boardrooms and will get you into the Magic Castle. What more could you ask for, really?
For the Casual Cat: Alex Crane Alta Suit
Material: 100% French linen | Fit: tailored | Sizes: XS-XXXL | Type: single-breasted
Who is this for? The dude who wants to wear a suit, but doesn’t really want to wear a suit.
Alex Crane’s just-launched Alta Suit isn’t like other offerings. For starts, its feel and fabric are much more akin to your standard ruggged chore jacket-chino uniform than they are to a stuffy lined suit. It’s still more than a fit for causal engagements that demand a jacket, as the sustainably-grown French flax reads refreshingly modern.
For the Workwear Warrior: Madewell x MN Dye Studio Chore Suit
Material: 67% cotton, 21% lyocell, 12% hemp | Fit: relaxed | Sizes: XS-XXL | Type: chore coat
Who is this for? The dude who definitely doesn’t want to wear a suit.
Can’t be bothered with a proper suit? Madewell’s recent partnership with MN Dye Studio produced glorified workwear capsule that is just matchy-matchy enough to meet the tailoring benchmark, but in reality, it’s just a sick-ass denim chore coat and some workwear pants you could actually roof in.
For the Heel Grind Homie: Noah Madras Sack Suit
Material: 100% Italian linen | Fit: relaxed | Sizes: 34-46 | Type: single-breasted
Who is this for? The streetwear junkie or mid-twenties creative.
You can reliably expect Noah’s offerings to skew trendy, but the NYC-based state brand has somehow found a way to make the classic Madras sack suit — a staple of “old guys rule” types and sunbaked Florida retirees — into a streetwear grail perfect for any Bushwick bro with $1,000 bucks to spare.
For the Trust Fund Type: Alex Mill Seersucker Mill Suit
Material: 100% cotton. | Fit: relaxed | Sizes: XS-XXL | Type: single-breasted
Who is this for? The lobbyist, family-fund accountant or other D.C.-adjacent socialite.
Unless railroad money runs in the family, seersucker can be a tough look to pull off. Alex Mill does it best to make the lightweight material approachable; their relaxed, three-roll-two blazer and wide-fit pleated trousers could just as easily be spied on a hot campaign consult as it could a the cousin of an oil baron.
For the Lad on Holiday: Percival Relaxed Linen Suit
Material: 100% linen | Fit: relaxed | Sizes: 34-44 | Type: single-breasted
Who is this for? Barcelona-expats and Santori converts.
You can thank Percival for a ton of the recent celebrity-endorsed grails you’ve surely seen: crochet polos, special-edition footwear and a killer rain jacket. The U.K.-based label just won’t slow down — one peak at its relaxed linen suiting and you’ll be as hooked as we are. The open ensemble is practically build for vacation, especially considering a pair of pleated linen shorts is also in the mix.
For the #Menswear Guy: Mr P. Double-Breasted Linen Suit Jacket
Material: 100% linen | Fit: tailored | Sizes: 36-48 | Type: double-breasted
Who is this for? Anyone who knows what r/MFA means.
No, a salmon pink, double-breasted linen suit is not for everyone. But we salute the guy who sees the vision — confidence is half the battle when pulling of a suit this loud. Even if you’re unconvinced that you won’t look pasty as hell, you can at least appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into every stitch of Mr Porter’s in-house product.
For the Beach Bum: Frescobol Carioca Paulo Unstructured Linen Suit
Material: 100% linen | Fit: classic | Sizes: 36-42 | Type: single-breated
Who is this for? Porto-bound vacationers and “digital nomads”
We don’t recommend wearing a suit to the beach…but if you do, Frescobol Carioca’s Linen Paulo Suit is probably your best bet (at least under $1,000). There are tons of linen options on this list, but Frescobol’s is one that looks great wrinkled, a deceptively coveted trait when it comes to the semi-fickle fabric. Just slip on a pair of sandals and vibe.
For the Suit Separates Power User: Billy Reid Window Plaid Archie Jacket
Material: 74% cotton, 26% linen | Fit: classic | Sizes: 36-48 | Type: single-breasted
Who is this for? The perfect dinner party guest (and his very, very expensive bottle of wine).
Though not technically a suit, this window plaid version of Georgia-based designer Billy Reid’s best-selling Archie Jacket is tailormade for summer and fundamentally dressy. Pair with some slick slacks, your favorite polo and a 25% tip and you should be good to go.
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