Suits and sports jackets with a classic feel are big this autumn. Based on traditional British designs, these items offer slim, modern silhouettes that give the wearer an air of sophistication.
British-style suits typically have padded, narrow shoulders and are made with insulating fabrics, such as tweed, and often feature checkered patterns.
In the 1990s, the jackets were cut long and usually had loose silhouettes. These days, people are attracted to jackets without shoulder pads, cut short, often with narrow hemlines, and slim fitting, following a trend that has been popular since the 2000s.
The Takashimaya Style Order Salon, a suit tailor in the Osaka Takashimaya department store in Chuo Ward, Osaka, offers an attractive three-piece suit in glen check for 64,000 yen (excluding tax, about 570 dollars). The suit's light grey fabric means that even when the vest is worn under the jacket, the ensemble doesn't overwhelm.
Yasuhiro Tamura, who is in charge of menswear at the shop, suggests wearing a necktie with a subdued pattern or paisley motif with this suit, along with a white or light-blue plain shirt.
Combining a strong jacket with a simple shirt is recommended for a neat and orderly "V-zone," the prominent "V" shape on your chest that your suit jacket makes when buttoned.
"I want people to enjoy this kind of 'square-yet-cool fashion.' Just take care not to make the silhouette too large," Tamura said.
The Ring Jacket brand offers a brown suit made with a soft brushed fabric for 130,000 yen (excluding tax). The rounded shoulders give the suit a gentle look, and the pleated pants provide a comfortable fit. The suit looks best when paired with a decorative brogue-patterned shoe, rather than a plain-toe.
The Daimaru Umeda department store in Kita Ward, Osaka, has a big selection of British-style suits. Lanvin en Bleu offers a playful jacket in what it calls a "crazy check" pattern for 55,000 yen before tax. The body is in a glen check, while the sleeves, upper collar and pockets are in a houndstooth pattern.
"You can wear it for work or play. It can be fun to match it with a shirt of a different check pattern depending on where you're going," a shop employee said.
Abahouse Lastword Garden offers a three-piece suit with a slim silhouette for 96,000 yen (excluding tax). Made with a brown and navy-blue material, the suit has proved popular with men in their 30s and 40s, a shop employee said.
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