Britain And The Summer Coat
Admittedly, we are not renowned for our warm summer’s evenings in the UK. As a result, we have developed quite an affinity with an often ignored fashion item. In countries with more fluxuating temperate, there may be less of a distinction between a summer coat and any other but it’s certainly not something which is given a lot of attention by the fashion industry. Although we hang on dearly to the ideal of the delicate summer dress, we’ve all been to too many barbeques, garden parties and marquee based gatherings to overlook or undervalue the summer coat.
The summer coat is something that goes beyond the quintessential mackintosh. That’s because it’s not just about fending off the odd summer shower; the summer can actually be quite chilly. Functions in unheated marquees and weddings in drafty churches are just a few of the occasions where you’ll need to look fabulous and seasonal, while keeping the cold at bay. We all readily acknowledge the importance of the winter coat. It’s an investment piece that we know we’ll get a lot of wear from. With a summer coat though, there seems to be an undercurrent of defeatism associated with investing in a piece that essentially, you hope not to wear.
As we are approaching the turn of season, you’ll likely get less wear out of your summer coat. However, you will be
able to find beautiful summer coats from top European designers like Betty Barclay and Gina Bacconi on sale. As a well tailored summer coat should be viewed as lasting an investment as your winter coat, you shouldn’t shy away from picking something up that will last you through the autumn season and then next year and beyond. There are a few things that we would recommend though. You have to think about the colour palette. As wearable as it is, black just isn’t a summer colour. Never fear though, as you’ll always be able to work it into your autumn wardrobe.
The trench coat, mac and parka may not be suitable for more formal occasions but their endless wearability still makes them a smart buy in the summer sales. At Gray and Osbourn, we have our own designs on these summer weight wardrobe staples, as well as others by Betty Barclay and Easy Comfort. For something more formal though, Gina Bacconi, Chesca and Basler have summer jackets on sale at the moment that would make excellent investment pieces, seeing you through the autumn and summer seasons to come.
