When was the last time you wore a suit? How did it make you feel?
Suits have long been associated with looking powerful and professional. They create an assumption that we are polished, credible, trustworthy and carry an air of success or standard. I think they look sharp! I love a good piece of tailoring and, though I wear more blazers than two-piece suits, they are a fabulous canvas for self-expression.
The days of perceiving a suit as just ‘formal wear’, is about to get revised. No more will we be limited by choice to the traditional palette of black, blue or grey. It’s time to suit yourself. Conformity is out the window and designers are teasing us with new silhouettes, textures and modern ideas. What won’t change is how a suit makes us feel; sophisticated, elevated and elegant in our dressing. It will still allow us to feel confident and refined; however comfort, wearability and nuance will be key. It won’t be difficult to strike a balance between self-expression and professionalism.
Surprisingly, we are seeing modern influences musing from past eras. Bridgerton, that fabulous television series drawing us back to the early 19th century, is inspiring a ‘Regency’ revival. It was a time of romantic elegance and in suiting it portrays all things lavish and opulent in the wardrobe. Creative licence, with a move away from historically authentic fabrics and silhouettes, sees a resurgence of cinched and tapered waistlines, brocade vests, long lines, motifs, cuffs, cravats, velvets and lots of vivid colour. It’s a beautiful blend of romantic fantasy and modern tailoring.
The event and racewear domain have also embraced this trend; so much so that its strong presence has become widely seen being worn to after-five occasions, red carpet runways and on the stage with its own category in the fashions on the field competitions…’Best Suited’.
The trend is trickling down to our everyday dressing also. Lifestyle and leisurewear have been influenced, as the need for smart everyday dressing transforms blazer-style jackets and trousers being made with relaxed linens, corduroy or brushed cottons into less rigid, wearable essentials. Unconventional colours like tans, olives, rusty reds and pastels softened with a cotton T-shirt or knitted polo, keep the look ‘put together’ with a focus on clean comfort and relaxed tailoring.
Time to pull those suits out of storage and start experimenting
The humble tracksuit has even been tweaked into a hybrid style suit using soft flexible fabrics with sporty contrasting stripes running along leg and sleeve lengths. Fashion houses are lapping this idea up as us Aussies love a good elevated ‘tracky’; Some are even being made in satin…go figure! The only thing missing is some unique accessories and personal styling. Shoes like loafers, sneakers or mules make the look a little less formal; and a neck scarf can add a sassy vibe and some texture.
We are becoming very excited to see so many fashion-forward and avant-garde tailoring twists such as lantern shaped sleeves, contrasting lapel fabrics, shorter, wider and cuffed trouser legs, and even drawstring waists and pleats are back… very 1930’s. ‘Dandy’ dressing has become a real culture. The desire to overly decorate and adorn our outfits with blingy buttons, lacey bows, and vintage brooches has become chic and is turning our heads back toward considering heirlooms and investing in collectables.
Couture suiting and make-to-measure has also found a new platform. Tailoring is a tricky business and proportions and fit are the most important part of a well-made garment. We have found good reason to follow the bespoke process to achieve what we want, and we have so many amazingly talented tailors in this country.
Standing out and expressing ourselves using the suit as a blank canvas has never been so ‘in vogue’. The post pandemic shift to pack corporate attire away might just be coming full circle. Time to pull those suits out of storage and start experimenting. The possibilities are endless so grab your favourite style of suit, roll up a sleeve, add a pop of colour, mix and match or add a silky kerchief and start to create suiting’s ‘new normal’.
Keep warm.
Fashionably Yours.
Annette