Sir, – I respectfully disagree with the recent correspondence criticising that traditional bastion of the male wardrobe, the suit. So many of these critics have closed their minds to the garment’s possibilities and have, very probably, never experienced the joy of a handmade suit created just for them.
Unlike both Harry McGee (Fashion, April 2nd) and John Thompson (Letters, April 3rd) I love to wear a well-cut suit and have done so for many years. Indeed, if I may say so, MrMcGee looked far more commanding a presence in the Canali suit he was being persuaded to buy in Brown Thomas than in his uninspiring, if practical, comfortwear.
And surely if one must commute by bicycle (a commendable, even brave, decision!) isn’t it normal practice to travel in one’s cycling gear and change into the suit when one reaches one’s workplace? I have managed for years to travel in complete comfort on public transport and to arrive at work with the degree of sartorial elegance I desire.
A bespoke, hand-tailored suit is something to appreciate and can be described as the creation of a skilled craftsman. Nor need a suit be a symbol of “dull uniformity” as Mr Thompson asserts. Indeed it is a garment which boasts a vast array of possibilities, both in terms of style, material, shade and weight. Materials range from the heavier, such as flannel or serge for the cooler Irish climate, to more breathable varieties such as a cool, lightweight wool or light gabardine which, unlike the linen look Mr McGee complains of, won’t crumple so much.
Pinstripes, rope stripes, subtle plaids and houndstooth make for interesting patterns and a gentleman need not limit himself to the boring palette of navy, dark grey and black. What of light grey in spring or summer or the vast varieties of which blue offers in addition to simple navy? Shades of brown, olive, and tan were also once popular choices, though not so much in recent years, yet these too would be less formal and provide variety and contrast.
Finally, I note that the “suit” which so many Irish men have, inexplicably, adopted as regular daywear in the last decade or so is the last refuge of the sartorially bankrupt: the track suit. Yours, etc,
DAVID MARLBOROUGH,
Rowanbyrn,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin