The Rise of Soft Tailoring: How smarter pieces have taken menswear by storm
‘Soft Tailoring’ is a seemingly inescapable term currently, with many championing the style’s ability to seamlessly blend between situations without ever looking too sloppy or overdressed. Defined by its mixture of more traditional suiting with vintage military and western pieces, soft tailoring is very reminiscent of 1960s Ivy Style and 1980s Preppy Tailoring, but has a distinct elegance that sets it apart from previous eras. Defined by its effortless sophistication, versatility, and comfort, let's take a closer look at why soft tailoring seems to be the style of the moment.
WHERE DID SOFT TAILORING COME FROM
‘Soft Tailoring’ is a seemingly inescapable term currently, with many championing the style’s ability to seamlessly blend between situations without ever looking too sloppy or overdressed. Defined by its mixture of more traditional suiting with vintage military and western pieces, soft tailoring is very reminiscent of 1960s Ivy Style and 1980s Preppy Tailoring, but has a distinct elegance that sets it apart from previous eras. Defined by its effortless sophistication, versatility, and comfort, let's take a closer look at why soft tailoring seems to be the style of the moment.
As mentioned, the soft tailoring style has two main forerunners, these being the ivy league style that dominated campuses in the 1960s, and the return of classic suiting for both men and women spearheaded by Giorgio Armani and Ralph Lauren in the 1980s. It's clear to see the progression of each style, and how they fed into each other consecutively to leave us with our modern approach to suiting.
It’s no secret that ivy style has had a huge impact on the menswear industry, with the Japanese market refining the style which arguably led directly to the rise of heritage fashion. Appearing on college campuses, ivy is recognisable through its blending of smarter items like chinos and shirts with more traditionally sportswear pieces such as hoodies, sweatshirts, and polo tees. The dress became synonymous with affluence, lending the wearer a casual and comfortable way to still look sharp. In a period of post-war economic prosperity, ivy is notably different from its successors in its casualness, with more relaxed pieces dominating outfits as people tried to distance themselves from more tailored styles that evoked military uniform.
Eventually replaced in the mainstream with the colourful hippie style in the 1970s, it wasn’t long until suiting made a comeback, and this time in a much more obvious way. Led by designers like Giorgio Armani and Ralph Lauren, the 1980s saw a huge resurgence in classical tailoring, with bold designs meant to evoke corporate and social power dominating the period. Brighter colours were supplanted with more toned-down or natural hues, and ‘power dressing’ became popular among women, who were now breaking into male dominated workplaces like never before. The 80s were a decade of consumerism, status, and decadence for some, while for others, the period was marred by welfare cuts, tax riots, and inequality (sound familiar?), and this social divide is reflected clearly through fashion. Preppy style contrasted with a plethora of vibrant youth subcultures, and New York became an epicentre for modern fashion. Films like American Gigolo (which Armani himself outfitted) and even some early seasons of Friends are great demonstrations of this.
While Armani focused almost exclusively on sleek suiting during this period, Ralph Lauren began using more classic American workwear fabric in his designs. By doing this, he created an instantly recognisable look that has cemented the brand as the most enduring to come out of the 1980s, and contributed to many concepts we see in soft tailoring. Inspired by the ivy looks of his youth, Lauren strayed from classical suiting without dressing his models down - a move that led to a return to smart casual in the 1990s.
After 30 years of more casual approaches to mainstream fashion, it seems that dressier looks are on the rise yet again. The idea of being overdressed seems to be less and less of a worry, with more concern placed on being too casual. Enter soft tailoring, a style that seems to marry the 60s and 80s through outfits that embrace the smarter elements of classic suiting, whilst adding a perfect balance of sporty and military comfort.
Soft tailoring is recognisable in a few ways. First, in its effortless elegance. Outfits tend to ride the line between smart/casual impeccably, incorporating a balance of blazers, ornate scarfs, Oxford shirts, vintage jeans, Henley’s, and baseball caps in a way that feels completely natural. Again, Ralph Lauren is probably the king of this, choosing his cuts, colours and fabrics in a way that feels completely organic. You should never look like you’ve tried too hard to add all your favourite pieces, essentially. Don’t shy away from wearing the basics - the real style comes from wearing standout pieces in moderation. Secondly, fabric choice is of incredible importance. The way a silk scarf shimmers compared to the flow of a wool scarf matters, so does the length and cut of your trousers, and the patina on your denim jacket. The details are what make or break many soft tailoring outfits, so considering your fabrics and adding thought-out accessories is a must. Lastly, and probably what has made soft tailoring so popular, is its accessibility and versatility. Because outfits don’t lean too dressy or too casual, you’re pretty safe to go about your day knowing you’ll look sharp. The style is also hugely accessible for anyone who wants to give it a try. After all, most people already own an old pair of jeans or vintage chinos. Pick up a vintage tweed blazer, nice Oxford shirt, or patterned scarf, and you’re ready to start pulling some outfits together!
SOFT TAILORING ESSENTIALS
So, now we know the background, let's take a look at some essential soft tailoring pieces. Here’s what we think are the bare bones items you need to start building a wardrobe even a Drake’s aficionado will be jealous of.
Wool Jacket
Though wool blazers are a staple of soft tailoring, they can be a tough item to style if you don’t have a full wardrobe to go with it, so a great alternative when starting out is a vintage style wool jacket. Soft tailoring incorporates a huge range of vintage inspirations, so choosing a mid-century wool coat is always a safe bet for outerwear. Shangri-La’s ‘Varenne’ is our choice here, as layered with a shirt and tie, it adds a subtle ruggedness to your outfit!
Reliable Shirts
A few reliable shirts can carry you through many outfits, so choosing the right ones is essential. Patterned shirts like Drake’s Madras button downs are fantastic for adding colour and texture to your wardrobe, and their more lightweight construction makes them ideal for summer. For a more subdued base, a classic chambray is one of the most versatile pieces you can own, pairing with almost everything well. The Freewheelers ‘Neal’ shirt is our choice, with black buttons and delicate stitching adding some detail.
Classic Chinos
A classic pair of chinos is a great way to elevate any outfit into the soft tailoring realm, with their roots in the military bringing a certain class with them. From vintage army cuts to more modern interpretations, finding the right pair for you means you’ve always got a solid choice to rely on. Merz b Schwanen’s front pleat chinos are right up our street, with their wider cut evoking the 1980s suave without feeling corporate.
Head-turning Loafers
We couldn’t talk about soft tailoring without talking about loafers. A staple of dressier fashion; adding loafers to your outfit can instantly transform an understated ensemble into something that looks incredibly curated. It’s a hard choice, but we’ve narrowed it down to either Yuketen’s Ishica loafer, a shoe that exudes elegance with its gold tone hardware and rich suede, or a pair of Paraboot Reims, a SON OF A STAG favourite and something much more at-home in daily wear.
Worn-in Denim
Denim has become a key fabric in soft tailoring, with its roots in workwear and transition to preppier style mirroring many garments seen in the aesthetic. Owning a denim item with a great patina is ideal for bringing some personality to your outfits, and choosing a style that falls well to compliment the rest of your wardrobe gives you a piece to rotate freely and easily. FULLCOUNT's heavily washed chore coat has become a favourite of ours recently, with a flattering cut and detailed fade making it both versatile and eye-catching.
Standout Accessories
Often, what makes or breaks soft tailoring are accessories, with their implementation a key in bringing outfits together. Ties, bandanas, and scarves can all be great accents, while belts and caps lend recognition from adjacent styles like sportswear and western. There’s really no going wrong here, it's just all about developing an eye for fabric and pattern!
