I was thinking about what defines Britishness the other day and near the top of my list was dressing up for the summer season.

British men love to dress up and to dress well. After all, the English style of a two piece suit, invented by Charles II, is perhaps the biggest fashion export of all time.

made to measure, tailoring, trousers

Summer time frees the suit from the shackles of the city and allows modern cuts to flourish as well as being the time to dust off classic pieces such as a morning suit which is still required for events such as Ascot. Many people are ditching the traditional morning coats for their weddings. In one way it’s a shame as the general backdrop for photographs looks so good with everyone dressed in unison but then it understandably allows individuality to shine through. However, the dress code of a joyous summer suit for a friends wedding can be a tricky one to pull off. Too much white or cream is probably to be avoided; mistakenly having your nuptials tied could prove uncomfortable.

Our ready to wear suit in Orlando cloth hits the mark and we have many other fine Merino wools which are waiting for you via our made to measuring tailoring.

For sporting events, blazers are always a good option. The term blazer was coined when someone commented on bright rowing club attire with a statement which probably went “By golly gosh, that coat you are wearing is a blazer!” Who made this throw away comment is not recorded in history but they were very likely to have been wearing cream flannel trousers, a boater and perhaps a naval style double breasted jacket similar to our new season Ink Spectra jacket but not quite as exciting. Should you wish to continue adding to the verbal history of clothing then we can certainly help with some of our new fabric designs, you never know what moniker will stick. I’ve had the pleasure of some sick admiration in the past!

Holiday attire is a tricky thing to pull off. Obviously if there is no one else around on your remote island you can wear anything you like; perhaps nothing at all but a well positioned mosquito net. However, more often than not you’ll find yourself invited to a banging beach club party followed by cocktails on a friends boat and then an overflowing fruits der mer platter with trout lipped blondes – or perhaps I’ve been hanging out in the Balearics too much.

Obviously some cool threads are required for such occasions and the advice of Hardy Amies, the Savile Row couturier is as relevant as ever “A man should look as if he had bought his clothes with intelligence, put them on with care, and then forgotten all about them.” Wearing beautiful clothes with nonchalance is the answer, high street clothing in cheap fabric looks indifferent at the best of times, after a little rough and tumble they simply look like rags. From boho to hobo is just a thread away.

Again, Dashing Tweeds can help you. Despite our name we also weave with cotton for the summer months and our wonderful jacquard cloth named Threadbare will keep you in the scene. Our Threadbare shorts look great on the beach paired with our new ecru cotton knit, then as the sun goes down you can chuck on a matching jacket for the ultimate in short suits or wear a contrasting weave should the suit concept distress your bros too much.

We have added some knits to our refined summer collection. I love an elegant 100% cotton knit which I can pair with summer trousers, one with long sleeves that can be worn in the evening or under a jacket. They are surprisingly hard to find, so we designed a geometric pattern reminiscent of marquetry and had it knitted with a placket collar just the way I like them. I hope you do too!

Now is the time to plan. Our ready to wear collection is selling fast and our made to measure tailoring takes six weeks. So whether you are stalking in the moors, strolling the beaches or cheering in the home counties you know where to come.

To celebrate the launch of our first complete capsule collection (a head to toe off the peg look) we are having drinks in the shop on Thursday 11th June from 5pm onwards. It would be lovely to see you. Do feel free to bring any of your friends along, especially those who need an added dash to their wardrobe.

See you then,

All the best,

Team Dashing