The new playful suits that aren’t just for the office
Slowly but surely, the suit has been taking over from the dress as a go-to when we’re required to wear ‘something nice’. Like so many things, it’s in part a response to the pandemic: an antidote to cottagecore; the corporate answer to a tracksuit that looks great with trainers; and an easy fit that can be slouchy enough to skim over anything we’re self-conscious about.
It has become for women what it always was for men, a failsafe uniform that’s both polished and versatile.
Now it’s time to welcome the suit 2.0, which introduces a more playful take. The options this season include variations with shorts, mini and maxi skirts, waistcoats and sleeveless jackets. We’re seeing a broader variety of cuts too, such as Aligne’s high-neck butter-yellow waistcoat with trousers, a hit with editors at London Fashion Week.
The holy grail? A four-piece set – a jacket, trousers, waistcoat and shorts – which provides a wealth of potential combinations.
The 2024 suit is no longer just for the office or quiet, minimalist dressing. All of a sudden, it’s fun, and celebratory enough for Royal Ascot or a wedding.
It’s exactly what Sarah Corbett-Winder, stylist and founder of the new women’s suiting label Kipper, had in mind for her first spring/summer offering. ‘The goal was to bring joy,’ she says.
‘The fabrics put a spring in your step. Tailoring can be quite serious because it is so classic and can be structured. But for me, it’s about making you feel uplifted and happy, not weighed down.’
That’s another thing about the new suit: it’s more youthful. Whistles’ dark-denim version is still smart but knocks out some formality. The trousers of Asceno’s cornflower-blue linen suit have a drawstring waist, lending it a nonchalant ease.
The best thing about a suit, though, is that it doesn’t fill just one gap in your wardrobe, it fills several: a blazer to throw on with jeans; smart trousers to wear with mannish shirts – and of course as an outfit in itself.
‘I think people love the ease of putting on a suit, whether it’s with a white T-shirt or nothing underneath,’ Corbett-Winder says. ‘It’s all about empowerment.’
Try these...
Herringbone blazer, £165 and skirt, £87, & Other Stories
Denim waistcoat, £109, blazer, £159 and trousers, £119, Whistles
Wool blend blazer, £159 and skirt, £119, Arket
Heavy linen jacket, £495 and trousers, £325, Asceno
Pinstripe blazer, £250 and skirt, £149, Nué Notes
Waistcoat, £69 and skirt, £79, Albaray
Textured blazer, £285 and trousers, £235, Ganni
