[Sir Kurokodairu]

Greetings All,

I'm about to make a Summer Fresco Suit with the Fresco III collection that I could wear to "lounge suit" dress code events (such as clients' anniversary dinners), as well as to the office (assume a corporation where most men are in suits, some with ties and some without, although most manager-and-up employees are with ties). I'm eyeing the 9 oz (280 g), 9-10 oz, or 10 oz (310 g) ones in either medium gray, dark gray, or charcoal. I've selected four candidate fabrics from the collection, shown here .

I'd appreciate very much for any advice on the following:

1. Does charcoal feel too dark/somber on a hot (90 F) and bright Summer day? Am I better off with a mid grey as the darkest gray for my Summer day suits?
2. Would the 3rd and 4th fabrics be too "rustic" (due to the grey/white two-tone effect) for lounge suit dress code events?
3. The first fabric is 30% mohair 70% wool. I have no experience with mohair, but I think the luster on the Fresco III mohair fabric is low compared to other mohair fabric. Would the luster on this fabric be inappropriate for regular office wear?
4. Is ANY degree of luster (that a mohair can possibly give) inappropriate for regular office wear?
5. Given the slight luster on the mohair and the two-tone effect of the last two fabrics, do you think either one is acceptable as my first Summer gray suit (foundation suit)? I'd like to stick with Fresco here for coolness and drape.

I've done a lot of reading, but still these questions are too specific to be answered by general guides.

Thank You.

 

[215339]

I agree that mid-grey is less somber in that situation, I would do that.

All the fabrics listed are fine. That two-tone won't be apparent from 1 foot away.

Not familiar with mohair, but can't comment.

What I will say is that I've heard Fresco can be quite scratchy for trousers. I know you said you want to stick to Fresco, but be aware of that.

https://www.permanentstyle.com/2019/07/a-guide-to-high-twist-bunches-2019.html

There's a list of other fabrics for summer if you want to take a look.

 

[Flanderian]

Greetings All,

I'm about to make a Summer Fresco Suit with the Fresco III collection that I could wear to "lounge suit" dress code events (such as clients' anniversary dinners), as well as to the office (assume a corporation where most men are in suits, some with ties and some without, although most manager-and-up employees are with ties). I'm eyeing the 9 oz (280 g), 9-10 oz, or 10 oz (310 g) ones in either medium gray, dark gray, or charcoal. I've selected four candidate fabrics from the collection, shown here .

I'd appreciate very much for any advice on the following:

1. Does charcoal feel too dark/somber on a hot (90 F) and bright Summer day? Am I better off with a mid grey as the darkest gray for my Summer day suits?
2. Would the 3rd and 4th fabrics be too "rustic" (due to the grey/white two-tone effect) for lounge suit dress code events?
3. The first fabric is 30% mohair 70% wool. I have no experience with mohair, but I think the luster on the Fresco III mohair fabric is low compared to other mohair fabric. Would the luster on this fabric be inappropriate for regular office wear?
4. Is ANY degree of luster (that a mohair can possibly give) inappropriate for regular office wear?
5. Given the slight luster on the mohair and the two-tone effect of the last two fabrics, do you think either one is acceptable as my first Summer gray suit (foundation suit)? I'd like to stick with Fresco here for coolness and drape.

I've done a lot of reading, but still these questions are too specific to be answered by general guides.

Thank You.

1. As much a matter of preference as anything else. Darker colors tend to be more elegant/formal and better suited than lighter colored ones for evening. But were the choice mine, I'd likely select door #3.
2. IMHO, any of these cloths would be eminently well suited for office wear.
3. No, much fine cloth, independent of mohair content, has a slight luster. And I actually seek it. Looks much richer without being in any way inappropriate. Of course, all bets are off if it glows in the dark!
4. See #3.
5. It is very slight. While barely noticeable, it adds interest to the cloth and IMO makes it richer looking.

 

[medhat]

What @Flanderian said. In my interpretation of your OP when you say "lounge suit" dress code events I'm thinking very formal-leaning, i.e., evening, and darker. A sheen could be an advantage here. I'd look at the darkest fabric.

 

[Sir Kurokodairu]

3. No, much fine cloth, independent of mohair content, has a slight luster. And I actually seek it. Looks much richer without being in any way inappropriate. Of course, all bets are off if it glows in the dark!

I am also drawn to fabric with a slight luster (or even slightly more than slight). I have a midnight blue suit that has a slight but IMO a good amount of luster to the naked eye, but looks very flat on camera under certain lighting, which makes it look much cheaper.

What may be some suggestions of high twist Summer fabric with a slight, good-for-office amount of luster?

 

[Flanderian]

I am also drawn to fabric with a slight luster (or even slightly more than slight). I have a midnight blue suit that has a slight but IMO a good amount of luster to the naked eye, but looks very flat on camera under certain lighting, which makes it look much cheaper.

What may be some suggestions of high twist Summer fabric with a slight, good-for-office amount of luster?

Sorry, I can't recommend any bunches, I've been out of the fine tailored clothing market for many years. But when I had a tailor, I could spend hours going through bunches from various mercers. You can get good cloth from a variety of sources, some English and Italian cloth often comes from among the better mills.

Sheen seems to be a product of multiple factors, the wool spun, how it's spun and and how it's finished. But for a hard wearing, warm climate cloth, I would have to think fresco a good choice. As I stated, I would be well pleased with what you've shown. I've read the descriptive term "dry hand" applied to cloth with no sheen and and a slightly rougher texture, and I've found this characteristic even among tropical worsted, which are some of my favorites for hot weather. But you can also find other tropical worsted spun to be more silky and not as hard finished. I've still an old navy DB of Scabal chalk stripe. The soft cloth has a soft liquid hand and slight luster. I thought it might be slightly delicate when I had a suit made from it, but it has worn like iron.

In addition to mohair blends, sheen is often found in some sharkskin worsteds, and silk and wool blend worsted. Your tailor should have books of cloth you can look through, you can get an idea of how they take the light by pinching them slightly and turning them to various angles.

 

[Sir Kurokodairu]

Sorry, I can't recommend any bunches, I've been out of the fine tailored clothing market for many years. But when I had a tailor, I could spend hours going through bunches from various mercers. You can get good cloth from a variety of sources, some English and Italian cloth often comes from among the better mills.

Sheen seems to be a product of multiple factors, the wool spun, how it's spun and and how it's finished. But for a hard wearing, warm climate cloth, I would have to think fresco a good choice. As I stated, I would be well pleased with what you've shown. I've read the descriptive term "dry hand" applied to cloth with no sheen and and a slightly rougher texture, and I've found this characteristic even among tropical worsted, which are some of my favorites for hot weather. But you can also find other tropical worsted spun to be more silky and not as hard finished. I've still an old navy DB of Scabal chalk stripe. The soft cloth has a soft liquid hand and slight luster. I thought it might be slightly delicate when I had a suit made from it, but it has worn like iron.

In addition to mohair blends, sheen is often found in some sharkskin worsteds, and silk and wool blend worsted. Your tailor should have books of cloth you can look through, you can get an idea of how they take the light by pinching them slightly and turning them to various angles.

I have just gone to the tailor today and looked through a few popular ones: Minnie Fresco 3, Fresco 2, Smith Woollens Finmeresco Travel Suitings 9-13 oz, and H&S Crispaire. I realize that the 100% wool Fresco and Finmeresco fabrics are all without that "slight" luster you mentioned, such as the amount that's on regular plain solid and twill solid, non-high-twist, quality, 100% worsteds in heavier weights. The only ones with a slight luster from the above collections are Frescos with mohair and the Crispaire fabrics, but the mid-gray mohair (2nd in my link) looks silver-ish and thus less classy and less business-appropriate IMO, and the 9-10 oz Crispaire is a much tighter weave than Fresco, thus would be too warm.

I guess I'll have to forego the slight luster if I want to maximize the coolness/breathability with Fresco, which is a priority for this suit, since it gets very hot and humid here in Hong Kong summer. This trade-off seems to be experienced by many. Nevertheless, I believe I'll still be happy with the 100% wool Fresco fabric.