Fresh takes on suiting for a return to the office

THE holidays are finally over, and the days of working from home could soon, if not already, be well behind us too.

Post-pandemic, heading back to the office spells the end of comfort wear and the return of standard blazers. Some of you might even be having a suit dry-cleaned as you read this. But after nearly three years of taking Zoom calls in our favourite jammies, the road back to 44 (or more) hours a week in shirts and trousers might not sound too appealing.

Enter the Fall/Winter 2023 menswear shows at Paris Fashion Week and at its Milanese counterpart. Longline cuts, draped silhouettes and knit fabrics dominated on both sides.

Sure, many houses showcased the standard tailoring chops, with impeccably cut coats and jackets that fit like a glove on their models. But what piqued our interest were the looks that slouched just a little, had a little give, and yet still had a smart sensibility to them.

Here, we summarise three of our favourite comfort-focused trends, with tips on how to incorporate them into your weekday wardrobe:

Alternative jackets

It seems the casual cousins of the suit jacket are making a comeback. Harringtons, bombers, blousons and coach jackets featured heavily at the menswear shows, offering less movement-restricting options to those in need of work-appropriate outerwear.

While these styles are often seen as less formal, they received an elevated boost on the runway, with some in pinstriped fabric and others in decadent wool. The result? A series of luxe, comfortable looks that wouldn’t look out of place in any office.

At Zegna, a coach jacket in sleek black wool – with matching trousers – exemplified the dress-up potential of this typically casual style. Earlier in the show, an all-grey woven version was equally stunning. Artistic director Allesandro Sartori sought to create an almost all-cashmere collection, supplemented with fabrics from recovered fibres under the house’s “UseTheExisting” programme. What we get is a series of beautifully tailored pieces that allow movement and ease while retaining a serious vibe.

Meanwhile, collarless jackets at Armani’s Milan show were a hybrid of structure and approachability. The collection was filled with a mix of military and ski inspirations – the latter might not be best suited to our climate, but some pieces could certainly find their home in Singapore. Funnel-necked outerwear was shown with the fabric pushed down to almost resemble lapels, in yet another smart reinvention of suiting for the 21st century.

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Styling your wardrobe: When looking for a non-suit jacket for the office, fabric choice is key – synthetic materials, such as nylon and polyester, tend to look more casual or even slouchy. They are also notorious heat trappers. Wool can fall into the same sweaty pitfall, but merino fibres are lighter, and can even be worn outdoors. Avoid jackets with too many buttons, patch pockets or heavy embellishments to maintain a professional flair.

Hang loose – but not sloppy

The suit of days past is fussy, sometimes stuffy, and often constraining. In our climate, a fitted suit spells certain doom, especially if you’re planning on lunch al fresco. And don’t get us started on alterations in a post-Covid world.

As though answering a Singaporean’s prayers, designers showed looser-cut outfits this season, just toeing the fine line between cool comfort and overly casual. Many opted to keep jackets relatively fitted, and varied the fit of their bottoms for an airier feel.

Take for instance the opening look at Kenzo’s show: a breathtaking beige ensemble, comprising a boxy double-breasted jacket and wide, pleated trousers, forming a perfect blend between traditional suiting and artistic director Nigo’s Japanese roots. (A version in dark pine came later in the show, perhaps for those who think a beige suit would be too casual for the office.)

Louis Vuitton, too, showed a similar direction in its tailoring. The childlike thread of the collection – brought to the house by guest designer and KidSuper founder Colm Dillane – injected a newness into the looks, only occasionally bringing them into the realm of junior. One section, all in maroon, included flowing trousers with a belted blazer.

Styling your wardrobe: Relaxed silhouettes can easily overwhelm your frame, or make you look sloppy. If buying off the rack, make sure to visit a tailor and have your hems taken in – especially trouser legs – so nothing drags or pools. At the same time, try not to have everything be oversized; keep one item relatively fitted to maintain a level of sharpness.

Vested interests

For those looking to avoid a jacket altogether, a vest may well be the next best thing to keep a sartorial edge. Reminiscent of a classic suit, yet not quite as restrictive, vests offer up a cooler way to look professional. And considering that the recent shows were for the autumn and winter seasons, a surprising number of sleeveless looks were seen slinking down the runways.

South Korean brand Wooyoungmi showed a muted buff-coloured version, with just a single button. The eponymous designer’s heritage was on full display in this collection, with inspiration drawn from ancient South Korean looks. Still, this one seemed perfectly suited for modern times. And although it was shown with a turtleneck, we see it working just as well with a crisp shirt underneath.

Over at LGN, a light-blue monochromatic look, with a sweater-vest over a shirt and tie, brought a youthful, decidedly soft spin to the table. Designer Louis-Gabriel Nouchi embraced the brand’s gender-fluid DNA this season, with a collection that subverted traditional menswear tropes. This particular look could go in anyone’s wardrobe and fit right in.

Styling your wardrobe: Fit, as always, is the crux here. A vest should cover the waistband of your trousers; your shirt, when tucked in, should not show. If you go for a more traditional look, the last button is typically left undone. When it comes to sweater-vests, there are fewer rules at play, but note that this is the least formal option – perhaps not the best for a meeting with clients.