Cotton Suit/Cotton Odd Jackets

[Thruth]

How many members have cotton suits and/or cotton odd jackets?

I have neither as these tend to be summer fare and by the time it is hot around here, like July, I'm not wearing suits or odd jackets as I am on holidays until mid-August.

But I am always toying with the idea of acquiring some just as I periodically consider linen, tropical wool or wool linen blends.

A corduroy suit or odd jacket has a more fall/winter vibe.

NMWA has brought new focus on cotton Solaro.

So what are your experiences with such garments and what might some recommendations be?

 

[LelandJ]

You know I only buy cotton suits for the most part, but are you looking more formal or casual style?

 

[Thruth]

You know I only buy cotton suits for the most part, but are you looking more formal or casual style?

Mostly something I could wear to the office.

 

[John Lee Pettimore III]

Have a seersucker, a tan cotton, and a navy chambray. But I live in Florida, so I should.

 

[Thruth]

So how comfortable is the cotton in the hot weather?

 

[LelandJ]

Too bad this Formosa's OOS in your size:

 

[Thruth]

Too bad this Formosa's OOS in your size:

I could buy the fabric directly and have my tailor make it up for less than their sale price.

I am more interested in whether a cotton suit will be worth getting at all

 

[LelandJ]

Won't know till you try.

 

[fxh]

I have a cotton light brown/olive suit - its a proper suit. 1 cotton navy jacket unlined unstructured. 2 linen cotton blend jackets.
A few - say 4 - cotton casual jackets hip length and waist length, G4 /G9 type.
Not sure what the question is?

 

[John Lee Pettimore III]

So how comfortable is the cotton in the hot weather?

Really hard question to answer. Depends on how hot it is, how adapted your body is to hot weather, your shirt, etc. I find it very comfortable.

 

[robertito]

1) where can you buy solaro fabric online?
2) I have quite a few cotton jackets but no cotton suits. In fact I am planning in buying another 2 jackets for this summer. I like very much the washed cottons from people like Boglioli or Lubiam. You can find cheaper alternatives in Massimo Dutti or Sacoor.

I don't really like very formal cotton suits. I wear the jackets in summer and one of them in winter. Is a very heavy cotton and wears very hot.

 

[Thruth]

I guess I was not clear enough. I am debating getting either some suits/odd jackets for warm weather wear at the office. I'm looking for a sense of how a cotton suit performs in hot weather compared to:

Tropical wools

Linen

Linen/cotton

Linen/wool/xx blends

Plain/Panama/fresco/Crispaire open weave wool

I realize it is dependent on a variety of factors including: type of canvassing, full/half/unlined, shirt fabric.

I am part reptile. I can wear cashmere into the 80's F

I have no point of reference with cotton suiting.

I can tell you the relative difference between lightweight wools 8/9 ounce/250 g wool) vs 13 oz vs 16 oz

Trying to figure out what would be ideal in terms of wearing cool vs. maintaining shape/creasing.

 

[fxh]

aaahh

being in Oz I do know a bit about hot weather. Not sure what 80F is (btw its 2015 here!).
I'll check. aahh its about 27C. Not really hot.

I'm in Melbourne so its not as hot here for as long as other uncivilized parts of the country like Sydney or the bits inhabited by savages like Brisbane. Still tops of over 40C and a run of days well over 35C isn't uncommon in Summer and a run of days /weeks 27C - 32C is common.

I've tried to understand - over many years - all the talk about cool fabrics. I know a bit about fabrics and I know about hot weather. A lot of the talk is nonsense. Nonsense in the sense that ALL OTHERS THINGS considered the fabric, in most cases, is the least important in body temperature/ comfortableness.

oops - sorry have to go - Sunday afternoon here - more of a rant later.

 

[Scherensammler]

Don't own a cotton suit/ jacket, but in all bunches I have access to the cotton cloths are a very close weave, which makes them run warmer than summer wool or linen cloths.
I'm guessing the myth of cotton being cooler stems from the days when woollen cloths and internals were much heavier and warmer, so cotton cloths were a lighter and "cooler" option.
My main objection to cotton jackets is the rumpled look after 5 minutes of wear.

 

[HenryC]

Personally I find cotton jacketings/suits the hottest out of all the other reasonable alternatives like linen and open weave wools. It just doesn't breath very well.

 

[fxh]

I forget what trajectory I was on before:
I often do a lot of walking outside in the city - because I like to walk and flâneur - but I usually wear layers with and over coat if its cold and windy. Lowest day so far I've been out dressed up and not casual was 10C top with rain and wind. I have a Irish made Donegal jacket - it wears so hot I haven't even worn it once in winter this year. So the material does make some difference but so do a lot of other things.

Most people here go from a heated /air con house, 5 metres to an air con /heated car into a climate controlled underground car park up in an air con/heated lift to an air con/heated office and reverse the procedure at night. Even if you go by train the train/tram is air con/heated, and you have a short walk from home to train and train to office.

Maybe you go out in the weather at lunch for a short walk to a food place. Many don't even go outside at all in the day.

So unless you are doing big Ks walking outside at lunch the heat isn't an issue. Who insists on wearing a jacket on the way to lunch in 34 C? - an idiot thats who. You take your jacket off. And most likely your tie.

However in summer I like to LOOK and FEEL summery - that means lighter colours, plus cotton or linen or "cool" wool.

If you must wear a jacket outside in summer - then a looser fit is less hot than a tight fit. This is top of the list. Next; unstructured unlined is cooler. Next unlined. Next buggy lined.

Cotton jackets crease but different from linen and different from wool. I like the look of cotton. It looks a bit more casual or relaxed than wool but not as louche as linen. A good compromise to appear approachable, but smart.

If I could arrange it sensibly I'd have 2 x cotton washable, buggy lined suits for summer - 1 x tan, 1 x navy and I'd mix and match jackets and trousers. Mostly with blue or white OCDBs, some linen, some striped, and sometimes sans tie - sometimes with a black knit tie.

 

[LKP]

I have a cotton solaro in the making, first cotton suit of mine
however this cotton is not that cardboard-like like many other cottons...