White summer style of bespoke light brown jacket and bespoke off-white duck trousers.
I see two main traditions in regard to men’s summer style wear.
Victorian white summer style
There is the white summer style that goes back to the Victorian era. You can also say it is the pre-World War 1 summer style. It is about white and off-white shades with an occasional splash of a stronger colour.
The bold preppy style
Then there is the inter-war summer style from the 1930s, an era beloved by many sartorially minded men. Roomy cuts and colours arrived, for summer as well. The bold preppy style of the 1950s can be traced back to the gaily coloured 1930s.
I think it is right to say that the preppy style has won today. The white summer style tend to look dated and retrocentric.
How to use white summer style
That being said you can of course wear white clothing in summer without looking lost in the good old days. I think the trick is to vary shades and textures just a little. That brings a bit of energy and Zeitgeist into the old summer style.
In the present photo I sport a half-lined light brown jacket of “open-air” jacquard vintage cloth. Sleeves have been lined with a striped summer fabric.
I pair the jacket with light tan duck trousers. Duck is a traditional weave of hard spun yarns. It was used for small sails and duck trousers that you could pair with a blue reefer jacket. Today the weave is popular for upholstery and backpacks mainly.
Underneath the jacket I wear a white jersey popover. My feet are covered by white plimsolls.
Francesco Guida has made jacket and trousers, and Camiceria Carmen had made the popover shirt.
Photography: Sartorial Notes