A cotton suit, or at least jacket, should be a staple of casual summer wear.
Cotton is often derided by fans of bespoke because it has no drape and wears out quicker than other fabrics. But the issue of drape – how the cloth falls across your body – is really one for more formal clothing. All cottons, whether corduroy, gabardine or moleskin of any weight, have too much body to drape, and so does suede, leather or any other material used for casual jackets.
Cotton certainly wears out quicker than wool or linen, despite costing roughly the same to have made bespoke, but a cotton jacket should have a lived-in feel. This is one of its charms. It softens and moulds in a very different way to canvassed worsted or flannel.
In an age when men frequently where their worsted suit jackets with casual trousers (no!), have negative associations with linen and tweed, and don’t know much about the other choices, cotton is a good option. Particularly gabardine, as shown here, which has a smoother finish applied to it, or a cashmere/cotton mix made up into corduroy or similar cloth. Zegna makes some lovely examples.
This navy garbardine suit is being made by Choppin & Lodge, an old tailoring name that has been resurrected by Richard Wainwright (pictured) and Paul Wilkinson. Both working as visiting tailors previously, and currently with premises below Graham Browne in the City, it’s fair to say Richard and Paul add a certain dash to the style of bespoke suits. While perfectly capable of making a good solid business suit, they have more of a penchant for colour and soft tailoring. My other commission from them is a navy topcoat – but in luxurious vicuña and lined in Pongees silk. Some of this taste comes from Richard’s background, which is as front of house at Huntsman, Gieves & Hawkes and Chester Barrie.
My suit will have patch pockets, little canvassing in the chest and minimal shoulder pads. Richard ripped off one layer of the standard pre-made pads to show me how they would reduce them (see below). It will be half lined and, in line with that penchant for flair, use a houndstooth shirt cloth for the lining.
Choppin & Lodge’s quality of make is on a par with Graham Browne, and indeed Russell is cutting some suits for them at the moment. This suit cost £875, but more standard commissions can be less.
A cotton suit isn’t for everyone. In navy, I think it is a nice subtle change in texture and preferable to navy linen. But everyone should consider a cotton jacket.
How about telling us something about this tie you’re wearing? I love the dimple.
Sure – it’s one of Drake’s untipped, hand-rolled, silk tussah ties. Available by clicking on the advertiser in the top right of this page!
Simon
thanks for posting
isnt that graham (from graham browne) in your pictures?
how did russell and his team feel about using another tailor right under their nose?
Hi Simon,
Having indulged us with the type of tie you were wearing, could you please go one further and tell us the rest of the outfit you had on? I can see the stone coloured trousers and blue shirt, but was wondering what jacket and shoes you had teamed them with.
Many thanks,
Ben
The shirt is from Turnbull & Asser and the trousers from Panta in New York. I was wearing a baby cashmere Loro Piana navy blazer.
Simon
Dear Simon,
Would you be able to discuss the relative merits of Choppin & Lodge and Graham Browne?
It’s mostly about style – the two cut and make very similarly. One is run by Richard, and ex-Huntsman front of house, the other by Russell.
Simon
Hi Simon,
I recently got a Cifonelli overcoat and a Graham Browne suit based on the recommendations on your blog. The Cifonelli overcoat I am still waiting for but I have picked up the Graham Browne suit and I am very happy with, so thank you for introducing me to them.
Now that I have a Graham Browne suit I thought I would try Choppin and Lodge just as an alternative. I have already commissioned a suit with a waistcoat and I just wanted to ask how you found the suit you commissioned and wrote about in the above article has worn over time?
Thanks,
Alex
Very well, thanks Alex, though that was a while ago and I believe they use a different cutter now. Neither good nor bad therefore, but my recommendation is a little out of date
Ah okay. Thank you for getting back to me and I will let you know how I find my suit.
I have also just commissioned a suit from Choppin and Lodge so would be interested in hearing your experiences Alex. Also my name!
Hi Simon
Very much enjoy your website BTW. I was wondering if you had any photos of the finished Choppin and Lodge suit.
Have a search for the cotton suit – it’s on the site
My husband has a cotton suit with 5% lycra ( or something like that ) being made at Brooks Bros. Boston. He had had a suit made there, a blazer,( both Italian wool) a sport jacket( bamboo) assorted pants etc- but the cotton suit is not coming out right. The others were perfection.
Their tailor said that cotton is not possible to tailor as well as wool. The sleeves looked rumpled in the back and the chest has folds under the front armpits have been somewhat relieved by shoulder pads.
Is is that difficult to tailor a cotton suit? My husband loves them for summer concerts and travel.
We have been back and forth for months- the tailor agreed with me on the sleeves and some other details I pointed out.
Going nuts!
Thank-you
Cotton suits are indeed a lot harder to tailor. But it may also be due to them using the same pattern for cotton as for the others. I’d also steer of Lycra mixes
Dear Simon,
I am thinking of trying Choppin & Lodge because I’ve heard quite a few good things, but I would just like to get a view as to how you feel they approach customers who want something very specific. I’m afraid that I like to specify the cut of my suits in quite a bit of detail and a tailor that I have worked with quite a lot recently can’t seem to get it right.
If I were to order a suit from C&L, asking for a 4.25″ peaked lapel with a rounded belly and 2.5″ gorge, together with a jacket with closed quarters – do you think I’d actually get what I asked for, or would there be a risk of things going awry during the production process?
Do they make in the UK or do they send their clothes to workshops overseas?
Thank you very much indeed for the advice,
Aleks
Hey Aleks,
You could certainly get all that, yes.
Oh, and all making in UK, yes
How did it work out using a shirting for the lining on the jacket?
I wouldn’t really recommend it. It’s too much of a pain getting it on and off – too much friction.
I think the only time a lining like that can be nice is on a bomber jacket or similar, where you might be wearing just a T-shirt underneath. Then it might be worth the trade off: harder to get on, but no cold lining against the skin
Thank you for this! I know this article is old but hopefully you still see when people comment. I just got a navy cotton suit (Drake’s x Amir Leon Dore [second hand but hardly worn]) and I love it! What i’m not sure about it is how to look after it.
After just half a dozen wears the trousers, in particular, are pretty crumpled up (bagging at the knees), and while I get that that’s part of the charm I think there is a difference between looking like your suit is nicely warn in and looking like you’ve slept in it…
If I treat the trousers just like any other cotton trousers (washing machine and iron at home) then I expect they’ll fade a lot faster than the jacket. And I don’t think I’m bold enough to put the jacket in the wash also. What would you suggest? Just iron at home and dry clean the full suit occasionally?
Yes Robert, no thread on PS ever dies, it only matures!
I would press them at home, yes