If you’re convinced that wearing a suit to a dance is a hot, stuffy affair, then you’ll have a hard time believing that you can wear a suit in the summer, but it can be done. How?
It’s a matter of fabric. If you wear a typical 3-season weight (Fall/Winter/Spring) wool suit, you will melt. Chances are it’s a dark suit, which makes it extra hot and not appropriate for the season anyway. What you want is a lighter weight, breathable fabric like cotton or linen.
White linen: think more Tom Wolfe, less Don Johnson (unless that’s your thing, then go for it!).
Cotton Seersucker: Can look a bit dandy (works for me!), so dress it down, stick to one seersucker item (jacket/vest/pants) per ensemble, or try an alternate seersucker color, like gray.Khaki Linen: The most approachable option. The jacket or pants can each easily be used separately. Perfect together for a summer wedding.Madras: Very preppy, very summer, and another option (as a jacket, NOT as a suit).
Besides the fabric of your jacket or suit, it’s lining will also make a difference to your perception of the temperature. Jackets can be fully lined, partially lined, or unlined. Unlined jackets are unstructured and often are made of cotton. (They’re also packable, which make them great for travel).
No matter how breathable and lightweight your clothes, you will sweat. Count on it. Take a break, cool off, dance by a fan, take off your jacket if it gets overwhelming, and for goodness sake, change if you’re drenched (you did bring extra shirts, right?). The follows will appreciate it. (If you don’t, they’ll tell their friends not to dance with you).
This three piece 1930’s suit definitely has potential – if you look at the close-up photographs, the herringbone is blue and gray, which creates an interesting visual effect. Size 40R and priced to move at a $24.99 starting bid on eBay.
My heart be still…any man who dons this gorgeous three piece linen suit and asks me to dance will definitely get a spin on the dance floor. At $325 it’s as much as you’d pay for a new suit, but definitely less than this version in Irish linen from Brooks Brothers for $598…
(WordPress is being uncooperative with my photos and I don’t have time to figure out the problem right now, but I wanted to get this post up in case any locals wanted to go check out the shop, as they are only open this weekend! I’ll work on the pics soon…)
Yesterday was actually the first time I had been to Beggars and Choosers in Pittsboro, NC, even though I have been to Pittsboro many times. People have been telling me to go for years and I can see why – this shop is full of thoughtful and adorable pieces of furniture, antiques, knick-knacks, a second floor full of vintage clothes and accessories at reasonable prices, and a basement full of furniture and clothes at thrift shop prices.
The shop is only open for this coming weekend, after being closed for some time following a robbery at the store. To kick off the store’s limited weekend opening, Beggars and Choosers had a “preview” night on Thursday, April 29 and for $10 admission you get first dibs on the store’s new inventory, hors d’ouvres, and live music while you shop. The store’s owner, Pam Smith, was a delight and danced around the store, meeting and greeting people, new friends and old friends, with a warm welcome.
I hope that Beggars and Choosers will remain open, if not with regular business hours, with these sort of limited open weekends, because there were some really great swing era items and a lovely selection of vintage faux pearl jewelry. My friend Natasha El-Sergany came along and picked up a pearl necklace for her wedding. Notable items included a great selection of men’s footwear, lots of dead stock items for men and women, a pair of black spats, a 1930’s embroidered debutante/wedding gown with matching embroidered shoes, tons of sundresses from the 1950’s through the 1970’s, tons of men’s and women’s hats, at least 6 pairs of 1940’s heels that make me wish my foot was AAAA width, Art Deco era Bulova watches, a wonderful straw cloche, bakelite bangles, lots of pearl jewelry, a lovely brown evening gown that was promptly snatched from the display, some sassy 1940’s dresses with peplums and draping, and the biggest collection of 1950’s rooster ties I’ve ever seen.
If you are local to NC, the store will be open Friday and Saturday (April 30 and May 1) from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sunday, May 2 from 1 to 5 p.m. It’s worth the trip!
The center of the store is this magnificent dress!Some really old captoes.Spats!Whimsical dress...There was a whole shelf of dead stock men's shirts.Lovely brown evening gown with gold detail on the neck and pockets - yup, pockets in an evening gown! Awesome!A straw cloche for a very small head.These red shoes were adorable.There was a whole box of these little men's accessories bits and pieces, brand new in box.Some of the bits had initials on them......and other bits had 1950's men's names on them. 🙂Most of those white/cream jackets are dinner jackets.Rooster ties! Adorable flowered dress with peplum...too small for me, but maybe not for you?Cool men's vest.Who doesn't want a Mr. Tap 'n' Go?
Yes, I know I have neglected the gentlemen on my blog thus far, but I was waiting for a superior item to post and here it is. Check out this 1930’s navy blue pin-stripe three piece suit for sale on eBay – the suit even makes the scruffy male model in the pictures look sharp!
Note that the suit is custom tailored and “the pants and jacket both have plenty of room to be let out,” in case this suit is almost your size.
Lindy Shopper 
