The Summer Suit Blues. . .

This delightful cotton suit by Belvest arrived here at Totleigh-in-the-Wold yesterday afternoon.  I've wanted to add one to the ol' wardrobe for some time now to augment the linen and seersucker (Yes, I said seersucker!) suits that already come in handy during the warm first few weeks of the autumn semester, which kicks in at the end of August each summer.  Found this one ('Leaf Green' is the color.) on Ebay, new with tags but costing only about 10% of its suggested retail price amazingly enough.  The sad part is, after the usual minor alterations, I'll probably have to wait until the end of the summer for an excuse to wear it.  Watch for a photograph or two at that time.

And the point of sharing this news?  Well, first off, not all suits need to be the usual worsted wool in navy, gray, tan, or charcoal.  More casual cotton numbers like this one offer a refreshing alternative during the warmer months, resisting wrikles a bit better than linen (if that is an issue).  They are also a bit more staid than seersucker, which most guys outside the American south probably balk at wearing for fear of sticking out.  Finally, you can find incredible bargains on topnotch stuff if you "shop" routinely, know precisely what you are after, and keep you eyes open.

-- Heinz-Ulrich