‘Wool over linen’: 5 tips on wearing suits in Singapore from Beams and Colony Clothing experts

SINGAPORE – The muggy local clime can make layering seem awkward at best and foolish at worst.

But take it from Beams creative director Tatsuya Nakamura: “For men, a suit is the coolest thing to wear. It’s relaxing and easy to wear casually.

“It’s easier to close business deals in, and you get better treatment at restaurants.”

Here are five simple tips from tailoring experts for suiting up in Singapore.

1. Choose your fabric wisely

Mr Nakamura recommends a breathable wool base. The choice may seem odd compared with heat-busting materials like linen or cotton, popular in Japan, but those natural fabrics wrinkle easily here and so are weaker options, he says.

Wool does not need to be cleaned as often as cotton or linen, so handwash judiciously.

2. Pattern-clash boldly, not recklessly

When The Straits Times meets Mr Nakamura, he is kitted out in a medley of prints: a grey check blazer, striped undershirt and patterned blue tie. It sounds like a lot – loud to the point of yelling – but put together, the look coheres into something spiffy. Polite, with a dash of spice.

He says the key is calibrating the “volume” of one’s clashing pieces. His loudest article, the tie, is also the smallest, his striped shirt further tones things down, and his jacket – only faintly checked and of a familiar heather grey – is muted. His rule of thumb is go loud to soft, or soft to loud.

In Singapore, where he says customers prefer a slight difference over major statement pieces, this discreet method of pattern-clashing is a good way to subtly distinguish oneself.

3. Go breezy

Mr Kozo Kawamura, founder of local menswear store Colony Clothing, says a suit need not always be styled with a formal shirt and tie.

He recommends knitted T-shirts and light leather shoes to dress down the two-piece.

A resort-style shirt – like Colony Clothing’s best-selling billowy poolside shirts (from $340) – with a matching jacket or trousers can also create a look that feels luxurious yet realistic for everyday life here, he adds.

More relaxed constructions like lightweight trousers and unlined jackets without sleeve linings are also game changers for comfort and practicality.

“The most important thing is not to force the suit, but to wear it in a way that suits your own lifestyle.”

4. Air after use

After light use, air the suit in a well-ventilated place before putting it back in the closet.

5. How to get a good fit

To ensure your suit fits well, local tailor Cai Foong suggests sticking to these cues:

“Jacket sleeve lengths should be ¼ inch to ½ inch shorter than the shirt’s so the shirt cuffs peek through. The shoulder line should end at or slightly before the shoulder bone. Lapels should sit on the chest cleanly without any popping.

“The waist should be snug, but not pull at the fabric when the top button is fastened.

“The jacket should follow the natural curvature of your back shape, and be long enough to cover the whole rear. And the collar should hug snugly around the neck.”