Summer time clothing

[catchascatchcan]

Over the past few months, I have been accumulating a collection of vintage clothing. However, summer comes closer, I am beginning to realize that my collection is better suited for cooler climates. Since I live in south Louisiana, I want to start purchasing vintage clothing that won't aid with heat stroke and dehydration. For those of you who are familiar with Southern summers, what do you recommend wearing during the 100 degree weather?

-Catchascatchcan

 

[davestlouis]

Seersucker and madras, not at the same time, of course.

 

[Edward]

Linen!

 

[Chasseur]

I face a similar dilemma here Hawaii. Its not as brutally hot as the South in the summer, but except for our winter where it stays in the 1970s, the rest of the year is in the 80s... I like linen for trousers and generally try for a 1930-50s "resort look" two-tone shoes, linen trousers, light weight dress shirt or guyabera, and panama hat. I mix that when the occasion or mood strikes with linen sportcoats or a lightwieght blazer I have. I have one linen suit as well I wear from time to time. But really a "sportcoat" in Hawaii is pushing levels of formality so I don't wear suits that often...

I try to have fun in our 3-4 "winter months" and wear all the rest of my wool suits and jackets. I'm normally lucky enough to have some formal dinners and opera season during those months so I can break things out.

I've gotten many ideas from those wonderful Esquire threads fellow loungers have thankfully scanned and posted:
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=38164&highlight=esquire

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=42780&highlight=esquire

 

[cptjeff]

As little as possible. I have no clue what the standards are where you'll be working, but on those hot and humid days, you don't want to be wearing many layers or heavy fabric. Certainly you'll want to avoid long sleeves, ties and jackets if you can. All three of those get rather uncomfortable in the heat.

Also keep in mind that it's humid- you'll be sweating a lot. Don't be surprised if you find yourself changing shirt and underwear when you go home for lunch.

And while this is a vintage board, don't stick with vintage cotton undershirts. None or a wicking one is most comfortable for me, the cotton ones warm up up at first and then hold the sweat and become sticky and uncomfortable, especially once you get back into A/C.

 

[djhatman]

Linen pants or shorts and bamboo button down short sleeve shirts. It feels like you are wearing your PJ's but looks some much better.

 

[Edward]

I'm really looking forward to Summer here..... I'm a big Winter person and I truly don't care for the sun, but it has been so cold for sol ong here now, that I'm gagging for a change, a change to go out again with a leather jacket slung over a shirt and tie, not swathed in a heavy overcoat. Heck, I'm even looking forward to getting to wear a trenchcoat again without freezing...

My Summer workwear involves a lot of linen and cotton. At the end of the last Summer season, I picked up a great deal on a modern (quite late fifties cut, to my eye: slim, but not the OTT Sixties slim) linen two piece in black, with the intention that it will be my go to for more formal daytime events such as graduations that require a dark suit on days too warm for wool. I also enjoy wearing white or tan cotton trousers with blue blazer, pref DB, corespondants (actually, from March 17 through to late September, I rarely wear anything other than corespondants on my feet). Fully casual weekend and holiday wear is mostly casual trousers or jeans with a short sleeved shirt (I have half a dozen or more in various cottons and linens, bought from Sainsbury's own brand line in the last couple of years, all of which have a distinct fifties-vibe to the design) over an undershirt, or a T shirt (more often than not, nowadays, a plain black one). Shhoes, well, I have a pair of fifties-esque trainers somewhere, but for the most part I continue to wear leather shoes, often my creepers, with that ensemble. This year I think I might pick up a pair or two of saddle shoes to throw into the mix. I also want to have a pair or two of Converse-style shoes; I've stopped buying Converse for various reasons, but I'll be looking a similar thing from Ethletic and/or PF Flyer.

This Summer, I also hope to add to my casual wardrobe. I truly do not like going out to gigs, clubs, theatre, whatever - anything that involves making an effort to go on a night out - in jeans and a t shirt... I'm hopnig to add to my wardrobe in not only the rockabilly direction, but particularly the sort of post-war, forties casualwear that has a sort of proto-rockabilly vibe to it, still has a level of something more than casual by today's standards, but with a touch of deference to one or two valued friends that I know I have made a little uncomfortable in the past with my tendency towards habitual overdressing for any occasion.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

I got a question about chinos. They can be considered as summer wear, don't they. I guess they are casual but still dressier than jeans.

Do vintage chinos have pleats? Do you wear them with or without crease? Do they have cuffs (I guess not)?

Thanks in advance!

 

[John in Covina]

Different era's have different concepts of summer time wear.
Then you can tie the style of clothes to work or pleasure or specific event.

Out this way it can be very warn in the summer, so cotton tends to come to mind. Chinos and dress shirts are good. I tend to wear hiking shorts and safari shirts for casual days.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Thank you. Well, how were they worn in the 30s and 40s? Pleats and cuffs?

 

[Edward]

Obviously civilian clothing, unlike military wear, varied enormously in those decades, and once you get into bespoke, all bets are off.... As a general rule, however, it seems that cuffs were very common on all bar formal and semi formal wear.

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

I got a question about chinos. They can be considered as summer wear, don't they. I guess they are casual but still dressier than jeans.

Do vintage chinos have pleats? Do you wear them with or without crease? Do they have cuffs (I guess not)?

Thanks in advance!

Well if you are talking about the "original" chinos, starting as U.S. Army summer khaki cotton pants worn as civilian wear, and their civilian copies that quickly became popular post-WW2, there are a few guidelines. Early models sometimes had pleats, but this was rare. The general cut was high-waisted, fairly full in the legs, flat-front with cuffs. Later on into the post-war era the cut became trimmer, the cuffs often disappearing. The most "traditional" colors are the khaki/tan/beige shades that mimic the color of the original U.S. Army pants.

 

[John in Covina]

Bill's are mentioned often in some of the other threads.
http://www.billskhakis.com/

 

[Selvaggio]

but except for our winter where it stays in the 1970s, the rest of the year is in the 80s...

What an interesting relationship your islands have with the time-space continuum.

 

[Chasseur]

Hey good catch, I guess I had the 1970s on my mind...

 

[Selvaggio]

Well...I thought it could be kind of fun if things were really like that.

 

[Geronimo]

Another hat tip to seersucker. Great for 90-100 degree days.

I tend to go with an undershirt in that kind of weather, if only to absorb the sweat.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Well if you are talking about the "original" chinos, starting as U.S. Army summer khaki cotton pants worn as civilian wear, and their civilian copies that quickly became popular post-WW2, there are a few guidelines. Early models sometimes had pleats, but this was rare. The general cut was high-waisted, fairly full in the legs, flat-front with cuffs. Later on into the post-war era the cut became trimmer, the cuffs often disappearing. The most "traditional" colors are the khaki/tan/beige shades that mimic the color of the original U.S. Army pants.

Thank you very much. This was exactly what I wanted to know. I was looking for something I could wear with an Ike Jacket. I want it to look a bit more civilian. Olive seems to be too much like an uniform. Lighter chinos maybe in-between.

 

[Mr Badger]

I spent years trying to wear leather jackets in the Summer, and suffered accordingly!

However, over the past few years, I've amassed a nice collection of repro hawaiian shirts (mostly Avanti silks) and lightweight cotton 50s sport shirts that're easily hand-washable; summer straw hats & cotton eight-panel caps; saddle and spectator shoes, etc... all of which has made the hotter months much more pleasurable!

As far as trews go, you should still be able to track down Dockers K1s, which are the original Cramerton cloth, and are perfect for the Summer.

And I always wear a thin white undershirt or beater...

Here's an (admittedly quite beardy – hence my FD moniker!) pic from last Summer of me and my wife with our 1969 Morris Minor (Mrs Wilberforce):

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=9061408&l=9de719d374&id=725635470

And one taken in Savannah a coupla years back (Robert Mitchum or Harry H Corbett? You decide!)...

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1848557&l=361f0d4982&id=725635470

A good 'general' guide to my Summer wardrobe can be gleaned from this pic, taken during our Memphis wedding trip, nearly five years back...

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=10669091&l=b49aa94ffa&id=725635470

...but, of course, it can still all go horribly wrong, no matter how well you're dressed!

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=10676480&l=bce954720c&id=725635470

 

[Edward]

Trousers in an authentic 30s/ 40s cut are definitely the hardest bit to find... for the most part, I can find shirts that are very passable, but it's the trousers that pose the problem. I'm gonig to get ahold of some patterns, then I need to find some seamstress somewhere.... heck, I'm trying to oraganise myself a trip to Hong Kong in the next couple of years - I plan to head out there with a bunch of patterns and hit the right tailor....

Isn't it a pain that the ladies seem to be so well catered for when it comes to affordable vintage repro, as comeapred to we men, for whom vintage repro (beyond polyesther 50s "rockabilly" stuff, mostly aimed at a modern reinterpretation rather than truly vintage style) is pretty damn rare (let alone affordable...).

I tend to keep more on in the heat than most.... mix of reasons - I don't like the sun, actively loathe the idea of developing a tan... I've been known to wear cotton glovs no hot days to ensure as littl of my skin as possible is exposed to the Sun... It takes a lot to get me to go out without a jacket (feel naked without one - that's what seven years of wearing a blazer in Grammar school every day did for me!). Most of Jul and august, however, leather is right out, and I end up in one of several cotton jackets. I've got a couple which are what would loosely be termed the 'Ricky' style round these parts. Later manufacture, but very much a fifties look. Also have a few Harrington types which are great in the warmer months. None of mine are genuine Barracutas, though the only thing the better ones I have (Merc) miss from hat design are the raglan sleeves. Not a detail that bothers me - and certainly not something i'd be willing to pay the Barracuta premium for (double the cost for any I've ever seen in my size). These I find really flexible for a lot of looks, given the design has been around since 1937. I'm especially fond of wearing the black or navy one with a pair of fiftiesesque trousers, shirt (either a ss in a chequed pattern, open neck, or a long sleeve with a soft collar and a square ended, slim knit tie), and a 2ish" brimmed fifties-style fedora, when it's not too warm for felt. Corespondants, of course.... though hopefully I'll also have th option of a pair of saddle shoes this year.