We’ve explored why this faux pas exists and whether it holds any weight.
What is Suede?
Suede is a material that is made from cows skin in the same way leather is, except the fleshy side of the material is buffed to make the velvety nap we associate with Suede.
The word ‘Suede’ actually comes from the French word for Sweden.
The original term suede came from the phrase ‘gants de Suède’ which means gloves of Sweden, likely in reference to a pair of suede gloves which came from Sweden.
Suede remains a really common material that we see everywhere, no matter the age, style, gender, or race, everyone can look good in suede.
Why Is Suede Not Good For Summer?
Well, as we can see, the original term Suede makes reference to Sweden, a cold Scandinavian country where suede became a popular material.
It became popular as the material suede can be quite warm, as most animal skin is. It will have served a specific purpose historically to keep the Scandinavians warm in cold weather, as leather was originally used.
As suede perhaps has a practical purpose of keeping us warm, many have suggested not to wear it in summer, mainly because it is a heavy and thick item that isn’t ideal for hot weather.
But if you’ve been to Coachella this year you will still see people wearing suede and leather jackets in the sweltering heat of California.
Can You Wear Suede In The Summer?
As a general point, of course you can. There is nothing stopping you wearing anything, these are silly rules that have become ‘faux pas’ in reality as they don’t really hold too much weight.
Yes, suede can be a material that can make you warm, it’s animal skin at the end of the day. But there’s no reason this should stop you wearing it.
Wool is also a cold weather material but you still see wool garments that have a summer vibe.
The same goes for suede, it does have properties that can make you warm, especially in the heat of summer, but there the material’s style and practicality can both still be appropriate for summer.
In other words, it isn’t the fabric alone that makes it seasonally inappropriate, it’s the garment itself that could be inappropriate.
For example, wool is a cold weather material, but woolen halter tops are all the range in summer and have a specific summer vibe.
Moreover, the wool becomes practical for the season at this point as loose knit wool can be really breathable in summer. Yet, if you wore a woolen jumper in the summer, this could easily be seasonally inappropriate.
How To Style Suede For The Summer
Just like wool, there are many ways that suede can be styled to suit the summer season.
Suede can be a material that gives us a summer vibe, no matter the garment. Suede jackets are definitely a summer vibe for us, particularly at festivals.
Just look at Woodstock, Coachella or Burning Man to see suede jackets and waistcoats being worn in the summer, with fewer layers you could totally style a suede jacket as part of a summer outfit.
A suede waistcoat can look really great at a summer festival too, like a suede jacket just wear fewer layers underneath, which you can get a bit more frivolous with especially at a festival as well as in hot weather.
We all forget about suede shoes too, not blue suede loafers like elvis, but suede boots are another great festival look for both men and women.
Men will appreciate suede boots with a good grip on the hard dirt in summer, women may also seek out a suede boot to add something different to an outfit – it can really dress down a flashy outfit to that rugged festival vibe.
Denim is another material historically used in cold weather, but denim shorts are a common sight on both men and women in the summer, style this out with a suede jacket or waistcoat at a festival and you really get that western, rustic, look which there is loads of room to experiment.
Consider the smaller parts of your outfit, such as accessories, and how suede can really help them pop.
A suede hat, or suede bag could really bring a lot of texture and also brightness to a perhaps plain colored outfit.
This can be ideal in summer when neutral colors such as white are more often worn, a suede accessory such as a belt can really make a boring outfit pop.
Finally, suede is a great transistinary material, if you live somewhere where the summers dont get that hot in the first place a good suede jacket could be the perfect garment to transition into the cooler days of fall.
Or you could even style the same jacket from spring into summer.
Final Thoughts
So, don’t let the fashion faux pas get you down. People have been wearing suede in the summer since the 70s when the hippies made it their own.
But suede is actually a really versatile material that can totally be worn all year round and is actually a really great transistionary material, allowing you to use it in different circumstances.
Suede, we think, is an overlooked part of festival fashion, events which often occur in summer, and a good suede accessory, boot, or jacket, could really help you blend into that rugged look which is great at festivals, potentially dressing down an outfit that is showy and loud.
Often, it is the garment that can be inappropriate for the season, rather than the material itself. This is evident in wool and denim as well as suede, other materials which are often all year round even though they are historically saved for winter.
Hi, my name is Jenna Reign and I have teamed up with my best friend, Sam, to deliver you all of the style secrets to help you stay ahead of the trends. We both met in fashion school and have been inseparable ever since!
Despite our deep love for fashion, even we found it difficult navigating our closets when trying to leave the house for the first time since the pandemic was announced. Were the trends still evolving, or did they get put on hold like the rest of the world?
