Distinguishing between winter, summer, and all-season suits

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Distinguishing between winter, summer, and all-season suits

Dressing with the seasons is an art worth mastering — the key to feeling at ease in your clothes, whatever the weather may bring.

IT MAY SEEM COUNTERINTUITIVE AT FIRST, BUT THE ULTIMATE ALL-SEASON FABRIC IS NONE OTHER THAN WOOL

Thanks to its breathable and thermoregulating properties, wool is the ideal material for tailoring suits that can be worn all year round. As long as the fabric is 100% wool, your suit will keep you warm in winter and cool in summer.

The most suitable wool for this type of suit is worsted wool — a durable and refined fabric that can vary in weight and texture depending on its intended use. At Fursac, we most often favour wools between 240 and 260 grams. The most common weave for these suits is twill.

A close second is tropical wool (also known as fresco or cold wool). Typically lightweight (averaging 220 to 250 grams), this fabric is woven with a looser plain weave that allows air to circulate. Though versatile, it remains mostly reserved for spring and summer. That said, as European winters grow milder, mills have begun producing heavier tropical wools that can now be worn throughout the year.

Winter or summer?

Some fabrics, however, are naturally more suited to winter. This is especially true of carded wools such as flannel or tweed — both heavier, denser options ideal for colder months. Flannel, for example, is given a distinctive finish that creates a soft, almost velvety surface, making it especially pleasant to wear in cold weather.

Wide-wale corduroy — whether made from cotton, wool, wool and cashmere, or even silk — is another excellent winter option.

In summer, prioritise plant-based fibres such as pure cotton or linen, or blends that combine these with each other or with wool.

Nota Bene: Many mills are now developing cotton-wool and linen-wool blends in heavier weights — perfect for extending the seasonal range of these fabrics into the colder months.