View all newsletters
Latest in Luxury - Sign up to our weekly newsletter
  1. Style
  2. Fashion
July 12, 2017

Men’s Style: Unlined, but Not Underdressed

By Lauren Jade Hill

By Benjamin Liong Setiawan

This story originally appeared in the July/August 2017 issue of Elite Traveler.

One of the keys to dressing well,while not sweating bullets during the summer months, is minimizing the number of layers you are wearing. As we near the hottest and most humid time of the year, your goal will be to simplify and pare down. However, this can be tough if you are in an environment that requires a jacket. The solution is a half-lined, or sometimes fully unlined, suit or blazer. These will become your go-tos, because they provide a buttoned-up look without the bulk. They can be worn to the office paired with a shirt and tie, or dressed down with a T-shirt as a light outerwear piece.

This unlined Ralph Lauren double-breasted sport coat in a linen and wool blend provides an effortlessly pulled-together look when worn with a simple crewneck T-shirt and espadrilles. LBM1911 is an Italian heritage brand known for their relaxed tailoring, but don’t take their unstructured jackets to be a lack of craftsmanship.

Sometimes it can actually take more skill to create an unlined suit, such as this cotton two-button notched lapel suit with patch pockets, than it does for a lined suit, where the imperfections can be hidden underneath; when a garment is unlined, every little detail is visible.

Dries Van Noten is a master of creating clothes that are on one hand a product of his left-brain intellectual studies, and yet result in pieces that emit such a poetic visual language that they end up stimulating the right-brain as well. But Van Noten is not interested in designing collections to be placed in museums. He wants his clothing to be worn, and there’s no doubt this double-breasted look will be.

Finally, not many labels can make army pants and sneakers look dressed-up, but Brunello Cucinelli elevates the mundane and makes it luxurious. Here Cucinelli pairs them with a half-lined three-pocket jacket, a slim-fit shirt and solid tie.

Ralph Lauren, navy linen/wool sports coat, $1,995, navy linen/wool pants, $895, crewneck T-shirt, $95, navy linen espadrille, $350, available at Ralph Lauren in New York, +1 212 606 2100, ralphlauren.com

Content from our partners
W New York - Times Square: "We Do Things Differently"
The Finest Destinations to Fly Private with Qatar Executive
A Weekend Travel Guide to Austin, Texas

Dries Van Noten, Benz Bis camel linen blazer, $1,175, Cheyenne khaki cotton/linen shirt, $580, Patterson camel linen pant, $620, brown leather belt, $480, available at Barneys in New York, +1 212 826 8900, barneys.com

LBM 1911, cotton suit, $1,295, cotton shirt, $275, leather bag, $995, available at Taylor Richards & Conger in Charlotte, NC, +1 704 366 9092, lubiam.it

Brunello Cucinelli, single-breasted three-pocket jacket in lightweight wool, $2,395, slimfit button-down shirt, $495, wool solid tie, $225, cotton army pants, $825, braided leather belt, $775, Icaro calfskin sneakers, $875, leather travel bag, $3,995, available at Brunello Cucinelli in New York, +1 212 334 1010, brunellocucinelli.com

Select and enter your email address Be the first to know about the latest in luxury lifestyle. Get the latest news on hotel openings and in-depth travel guides. Get insider access to exclusive promotions and special offers from our luxury partners.
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thank you for subscribing to Elite Traveler.

Websites in our network