Summer Suede
Why not wear suede in the summer?
One house keeping note:
It seems like you all have been enjoying the summer dressing and wishlist shop I’ve put together on ShopMy, so I’ve decided to refresh to help when it comes to curating your wardrobes for the season. I’ve added pieces like this J.Crew straw paillette clutch (to be honest their current collection is full of summer gems), this pair of shoes that feel like the natural evolution of these, and some truly Siren-worthy earrings. You can check out the full list here.
Enough with the logistics onto the meat and potatoes!
A few months ago, I mentioned that even though we were moving into warmer months( at least in theory) suede, a fabric usually reserved for colder seasons, was starting to feel surprisingly right for spring and summer. Since writing that newsletter, I’ve noticed suede popping up almost weekly. The most common sightings have been jackets, but there’s also been a steady stream of suede footwear. And while I haven’t seen too many of those on the streets myself, I have no doubt they’re out there.
When I first brought up the idea of warm-weather suede (and I have to give credit where it’s due: thank you to Linda Zhang for planting the seed during the fall runway shows—I told you I’d run with it!), I framed it as part of a broader ‘70s revival. But I was also thinking about how designers shape our desires and influence what we reach for when getting dressed. And if suede’s on your mind, especially in the form of a bomber, it’s hard not to trace that back to Anthony Vaccarello’s work.
Since writing that original piece, I finally got around to watching Easy Rider (I didn’t enjoy it... I couldn’t really figure out the point. Great soundtrack, though). What stuck with me most wasn’t the plot, but the outfits. Billy and Wyatt, played by Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda, wore full leather and suede as they made their way through the Southwest, ostensibly in search of themselves. Which, I guess, is the whole point of the movie?
As I mentioned in that same April letter, suede has become somewhat boxed in. Once a rugged, utilitarian material, it’s now more often treated as precious, only worn occasionally and with caution. Maybe you pulled out a suede piece for a Cowboy Carter look, or maybe it’s been sitting in the back of your closet because it feels like too much work. But that tension between its past and its present is exactly what makes it interesting. Suede isn’t just for winter anymore, and honestly, maybe it never should’ve been.
Of course, there are suede pieces, like with any material, that still feel distinctly cold-weather appropriate. I’m not sure how many of us are eager to be running around in shearling-lined moccasins come July, but if that’s your thing, by all means go for it. Still, when I started thinking about how to make suede work for warmer weather, I didn’t actually begin with the suede itself. It might sound counterintuitive, but I approached it the way you might with a strand of pearls: it was the last thing I put on and the first thing I took off.
For me, summer suede works best when it plays a supporting role rather than being the star of the outfit. It’s less about making it the focal point and more about how it can bring the rest of the look to life. In the right context, suede becomes the grounding element that makes the color, texture, and silhouette of everything else feel more considered and more complete.
The piece I’ve been idolizing this season is a suede shirt, though more specifically, something closer to an overshirt or, to add a little more complexity, a shacket (that shirt-meets-jacket hybrid). Versace was kind enough to let me borrow theirs, which comes in the perfect shade of cognac. It’s also on sale if you’re interested in preserving a bit of the Donatella era. It has just the right amount of boxiness, and while it features the snap closures often found in Western-style shirts, it still manages to feel polished.
The first time I wore it, I styled it with what has quickly become my go-to piece this season: a pair of La Collection shorts, along with a halter top that’s also moving into regular rotation. Worn that way, the look feels slightly edgier, maybe even a little moody. But here, styled with flowy whites, it softens and feels more gentle. That shift in tone says a lot about the versatility of the piece.
That said, I completely understand the hesitation around investing in suede clothing, especially if you're not looking to test your heat tolerance. In that case, there’s been a flood of suede accessories in every shape imaginable as well as shoes, all of which offer the texture and richness of suede without the commitment of a full garment. I also love the look of a suede chukka boot paired with something more polished, like a tuxedo jacket. It creates just the right amount of tension, the kind that makes an outfit more interesting.
And maybe that’s the joy of suede right now. It feels a little wrong, but not in a bad way. As I’ve said more than once, we’ve been inundated with messages about the “right” things to buy, the “right” ways to dress. And while there’s value in guidance, the real joy of getting dressed isn’t about always nailing it. It’s about wearing what makes you happy.
Talk soon!
XX
JJ
I wear my suede all year round, and am happy to see Fashion catching up with me!😁 As always, Jalil, your outfits are stellar! I’m inspired to wear a new-to-me suede shirt with snaps and laser- cut hem detailing (so early 00s), in a soft lavender blue.
Thanks for the excellent article!
I feel like you’ve given me a gift - permission to wear my new suede skirt ahead of autumn/ winter! Such a creative piece and thank you for the inspiration x