5 ways to dress down a suit
New-season tailoring is all deconstructed two-pieces, casual pairings and pastels. Here’s how to get it right
The decline of traditional office dress codes, more time spent at home and the loosening of rules everywhere from bars to weddings all lead to one thing: the green light to dress more casually. So, where does this leave the suit? Not in the charity shop, just yet. While the timeless combination of a navy two-piece, white shirt and black leather shoes might not be as desirable (or needed) as it once was, there are a whole load of ways that you can make your two-piece more casual, more comfortable and yes, much cooler. Here’s how.
1.
Deconstruct it
News flash: your suit jacket and trousers do not have to be matching in order to look acceptable. In fact, we’d actively encourage you to avoid it. Also, you don’t need to exclusively wear a suit jacket with suit trousers – and vice versa. The perfect look? A pair of well-fitting suit trousers worn with white trainers, a clean tee and a bomber jacket or a suit jacket, polo shirt and chinos.
2.
Add a print or pattern
There’s no better season than summer to introduce prints into your outfit rotation and no easier way to dress down your suit than with a standout patterned shirt. While you probably don’t want to wear a full-blown Hawaiian shirt, a subtle stripe would work well.
3.
Pair it with the basics
A crisp, white T-shirt is the most effective way of dressing down a two-piece, with men such as David Beckham and Chris Hemsworth big fans of this simple, effortlessly-cool look. Pick a classic white crew neck and for bonus comfort, choose it in GOTS organic or supima cotton.
4.
Add a trainer
Perhaps the easiest of the lot, the simple act of pairing a trainer with your suit will make it immediately more dressed down. It’s not rocket science and it’s definitely not a new trend, but a sleek white trainer and a classic navy suit is a fail-safe pairing that brings instant style kudos.
5.
Pick a pastel
While your winter wardrobe is undoubtedly filled with dark monochrome hues, why not brighten things up for the season ahead with a pastel suit? Blue, green and pink are our go-to colours and all look impeccable dressed down with trainers and a T-shirt or, indeed, deconstructed and worn with other wardrobe basics.
