The Closet Questions: Festival Dressing, Trench Coats and Owning Summer Wedding Season
In this month’s edition of the closet questions it’s all about looking the part at the season’s biggest events (and tackling the inevitable drizzle whilst you do so)
We’re here. We’ve stumbled face first into June. And now, with warmer weather looming (fingers crossed), it’s time to start thinking about all the summer events we’ve got coming up and - importantly - how to dress for them.
Luckily for you - and thanks to the generous readers who sent in questions - I’ve got all the answers to help see you through “the season” in style.
First point: never, ever refer to it as “the season”.
I see a lot of women wearing trench coats at the moment. Is it also a menswear trend? If so, which would you recommend as the best to buy? @bimbombom10
I agree with you, Bim, there seems to be something of a prevailing uniform in the womenswear world right now, and it consists of wide leg washed jeans, oversized striped shirts, preppy snaffle loafers or vintage running trainers, and oversized Mackintosh or trench coats.
The look is somewhere between Michelle Pfeiffer in One Fine Day and Matthieu Blazy’s first show for Bottega Veneta - and it’s the kind of girl-boss-with-a-Goop-subscription aesthetic regularly championed by the likes of Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner.
The trench coat is arguably the most important ingredient in achieving the aforementioned look, acting as a neutral sartorial emulsifier, bringing together the constituent parts into a rich, creamy whole. Trench coats can, of course, wield the same level of power in your own outfits, so long as they’re worn correctly.
(They’re also great for the British summertime, given that the weather is nearly always shite.)
So here, to help you furrow your own trough into trench coat greatness, I’ve pulled a few rules for wearing the outer-layer of the season, now.
1 | If in doubt, go a size up.
This isn’t 2010, we’re not living through Indie Sleaze 2.0 (even if the less well-healed fashion mags are hell-bent on convincing us otherwise) and you aren’t a serial killer and/or flasher; all of which means you want to avoid a close fitting trench coat like the plague.
As with all things clothing-related right now, oversized is by far the best route to take on your journey into Trench Coat supremacy. Not only will it bring an insouciant elegance to your look, but you can smarten things up by belting your trench at the waist (that’s what it’s there for), or cocoon yourself in it when you’re feeling less zhuzy.
Also, the sad truth of the matter is that as we age, we tend to gain mass, so going a size up is a smart avenue to take if you intend to wear your investment trench for decades to come.
2 | Avoid teaming with tailoring, if you can
There’s something about a trench coat worn with a suit which gives me the ick. I’m not talking about an oversized lyocell trench coat worn with a drapey suit in the style of a nineties Armani model, but rather a too-slim navy blue work suit worn with an equally slim cut trench - blue, stone or *shudders* black.
The look can feel geometric and organised if you wear a tie - so long as it feels intentional (intention is the unequivocal key to the success of any look) but an open-neck work shirt worn with a suit and trench is about as flappy, disorganised and sartorially stressful as it gets.
Far better to team your trench with denim and a grey, pink or sea green knit or marl sweater and aim for a low-key preppy look.
3 | Too much tonal contrast is not your friend
If you’re wearing a trench - one cut from beige, stone or tan, in particular - the key to the success of your look will be to keep tonal contrast to a minimum. The main reason is that a trench is an inherently spring-appropriate garment and will therefore work best teamed with correspondingly springlike shades - mosses, pinks, washed yellows and sages.
Likewise, if you’re wearing a black or blue trench, you should team it with tonal shades of black or, indeed, blue. Anything too clashing or contrasty will look jarring.
That being said, f you choose to team your beige or brown trench with a black roll neck and a frame blessed with the proportions of a young Yves Saint Laurent, then I won’t be mad about it.
4 | Expensive does not necessarily equate to good
The best trench coats are cut from gabardine, which is not a particularly expensive fabric. As such, so long as your coat is waterproof and cut well - ideally with a raglan sleeve - you don’t need to spend the earth. A vintage trench will look great, as will something new from a less expensive brand. Burberry is obviously the goal, but the margin of sartorial improvement as the cost of your coat increases is small.
5 | Don’t be afraid to play
The intense wardrobe staple-ness of a trench coat means that it will ground your outfit with such a weight of heritage and functionality that you can afford to go wild with the rest of your garments if you want to.
Wear your trench coat with a grey marl tracksuit and you will immediately look edgy but also chic. Team it with a brown suit and brown roll neck and you’ll look like a sexy Gallic spy, and wear it with red trousers and a pink sweater and you’ll look a walking, talking William Eggleston photograph (an excellent thing).
Here are my pick of the best trenches to buy, whatever your budget
How would you dress for a festival? (Glastonbury to be specific) thanks! @andrewjgriffiths
Andrew! I’m sad to say that I’ve not been to a festival since long before Covid (bar a few misspent hours at Field Day in 2022), but for just shy of a decade I was an annual devotee of Wilderness festival (I’ve lost many hours of sleep to Cornbury Park) and I have long wanted to go to Glastonbury (a desire which, now that I’m sober and in my late 30s, seems unlikely ever to be fulfilled).
My approach to packing for festivals when I did attend them, was to take as little with me as I could. This was as much to make more room for all the booze I wanted to smuggle in, as to ensure my departure was as painless as humanly possible (nothing worse than trying to pack up the detritus of one’s lost weekend on the mother of all hangovers).
The way I did this was to pick one garish “festival” item and build my entire look for the three or four days of the festival around it. My go-to was a bright orange Gucci sweatshirt emblazoned with an embroidered tiger from Alessandro Michele’s first collection for the brand. When it was too hot to wear the sweater I’d sport a T-shirt featuring Diana Vreeland’s “Garden in Hell” print, reimagined by The Chapman Brothers for Kim Jones AW’13 Louis Vuitton collection.
Additionally, I would pack a few changes of pants, a pair of simple shorts, some jeans for when it got cold and a pair of comfortable tracksuit bottoms for wearing in the morning as I downed a breakfast beer or two. Throw in a few pairs of sunglasses (I’d invariably loose one pair somewhere in a field), a set of neutral trainers I didn’t mind ruining, some low wellies and a light jacket for the evening, and I was set.
With that in mind - here’s what I’d pack for Glastonbury if I was going this year, to help you do the same, Richard.
Can you share some dos and don’ts of dressing for a summer wedding pls? @pmroterr
Hi PM.
Sure thing. Some top line thoughts below - but ultimately, if in doubt, buy the couple a good gift, choose a nice, well-fitting suit and don’t even think about wearing white.
Do stick to the dress code
For all the effort the bride(s) and groom(s) will go to to assure you how “chilled” they are about their forthcoming nuptials, the truth is that when it comes to the big day, they will be stressed. They will want things to be perfect. And, as a consequence, they will expect their guests to fall into sartorial line.
What that means for you is that you must follow any dress code you are given to the letter. If the code reads “black tie”, be sure to wear a tux (or a subtle variation on one – a velvet jacket is fine, a full silk smoking jacket might be too much). Likewise, if it reads “smart”, or if no dress code is listed, you must wear a suit. Not chinos and a blazer, a suit.
The primary reason your hosts will be so hot on the dress code is because they’ll want their guests to look as fantastic as in the wedding pictures as they do. Indulge them. It’s the least you can do since they’re paying for your dinner.
Don’t pull focus
Look nice, sure. But today is not about you. So, it’s important not to rock up looking like Liberace.
In general terms, this means that as a wedding guest you should avoid wearing any shade relating to white (this includes bone, cream, buff and any other nom de guerre you can think of). It’s probably best to swerve faux fur, even at a winter wedding. And you should never wear a tux unless the dress code reads black tie.
By the same token, avoid anything too embellished, too decorative or too loud. Oh, and pulling a Mr Harry Styles by turning up in an oversized wedding gown probably isn’t going to win you any brownie points on the big day, either.
Do accessorise (but do exercise restraint)
Sure, a pocket square is fine. And yes, a tie is a given (see above). But to bring some personality to your suit without sticking out like a sore thumb, you’d do well to think bigger on the accessories front. Lapel pins, tie bars and cufflinks bring flair to a sober suit, but we’d advise looking into the (tasteful) deployment of jewellery, too. A well-chosen signet ring from David Yurman or Tom Wood will imbue your outfit with a subtle sense of refinement (think Felix Catton in Saltburn, before his sticky demise).
A watch is absolutely welcome, but should be an appropriate style for a formal event. Park the heavy-duty, chain-link pieces and opt for something with a discrete leather strap. Frankly, it would be hard to improve upon a Cartier Tank.
There’s no question that a wedding is a great moment to experiment with colour and fabric. What weddings are not great for, however, are waistcoats furnished with Pink Panther prints or ties emblazoned with photos of Mr Timmy Mallet. Apply personality with caution.
Don’t even think about wearing your work suit
Newsflash: if you wear the same suit that you wear every day to the office to a wedding, no amount of free prosecco will make your fellow guests unsee the bagginess around your knees and wear around your crotch.
Weddings provide a chance to experiment with fabrics you’d never usually sport in your day-to-day life – from crisp Dunhill hopsacks, to soft Universal Works seersuckers. So, why throw away an opportunity to play by wearing a grey old suit you bought with your first paycheque in 2006?
Do arrive prepared
If in doubt, pack a Burberry trench (see question one for more) and an extra-chic umbrella (see my pick below). The latter might feel like overkill, but the moment it starts spitting (an inevitability if you’re celebrating in the UK), you’ll be the most popular person at the wedding. And if it doesn’t rain? Well, then, you’ve got a natty walking stick to lean on as the speeches hit their third hour.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that buying a travel steamer will change your life. Not only will it give your clothes a much-needed breath of freshness when you unpack them pre-wedding, it’ll also remove any and all creases, which is an absolute essential as all clothes – even bad ones – look better when they’re properly steamed.
If you’re heading away for a wedding – to the English countryside, say, or to Santorini for nuptials in the Grecian sun – then be sure to pack options. You can plan your wedding outfit to within an inch of its life, but if the weather takes an unexpected turn, a lack of choices could leave you soggy.
If you’re wearing a light suit, pack a tonal mac. If you’re going with a heavy-duty wool two piece, take an alternative jacket in case the weather is warmer than anticipated. When it comes to shoes, adhere to the rule of three. One pair of loafers, one pair of lace-ups and one pair of boots will see you through any and all matrimonial eventualities – a Bridezilla attack notwithstanding.
I’ve been invited to Ascot - what should I wear? @anon
I touched on top hats in last weekend’s newsletter, anon (as I’m sure you’ll know), but I’ll let the experts revisit the point, just for you.
The Suit
“The dress codes are a little bit stricter in Ascot’s Royal Enclosure. So, for example, you have to wear a top hat with a morning coat. Then you’ve got the Queen Anne enclosure, wearing you have to wear a suit (matching trousers and jacket) and tie, and the Windsor enclosure, where the rules are a little bit more relaxed.” Daniel Fletcher, menswear designer
The Shoes
“In the Royal Enclosure you are required to wear black dress shoes, so not even your beautiful dark brown burnished oxfords will do. Personally I believe if you go to Ascot, you know the drill so just lean in and go proper formal. Black, Goodyear Welted shoes, properly polished and definitely not pointy. I would wear a plain shoe like a Derby or a toe cap oxford, not a brogue as they are a bit too "country". Personally I would avoid boots like Chelsea or Chukkas, as it's the wrong time of year. I'd also avoid a loafer maybe, as its seen as casual in super formal circles such as The Royal Enclosure.” Tim Little, CEO and creative director of Grenson
The Hat
“I'd have to find a black silk top hat. You’re looking at £5,000 to £6,000 for one of those - particularly for people who have large heads like me. They're even fewer and far between because they stopped making them during World War II. You can rent one for less, however.” William Hanson, etiquette expert
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