The Suede Overshirt

Suede is good for all manner of things. A pair of unlined loafers, or some rugged chukkas? Certainly. A bit of heavyweight outerwear? Our roughout Five-Pocket Chore Jacket is always popular. But what about something you don’t see quite as often? What about a suede shirt? A suede overshirt, that is. Suede is sturdy stuff and has routinely been used for workwear and protective clothing throughout history. Everyone from cowboys to blacksmiths have made use of suede for over garments, to defend against whatever hazards those choices of livelihood present.

Granted, you’re probably not spending your days toiling away at the anvil, but you still want a hardwearing bit of clothing that’ll last you a lifetime and only improve with age. As well as being sufficiently heavy duty for all kinds of adventurous pursuits, suede looks rather nice, too. Of course, if it didn’t, we might not be so keen on the stuff.

Taking inspiration from the cotton two-pocket overshirts we’ve been offering for many years, we’ve kept the silhouette neat and fairly short. In place of the usual horn buttons we’ve got enamel snaps, as a further nod to classic Americana. And then there’s the suede itself. A thin, flimsy suede just wouldn’t do the trick here, so we’ve opted for something more substantial that drapes beautifully.

Existing in the space between an overshirt and a jacket, this is an incredibly versatile piece. It works perfectly styled as it is here, over a thick flannel shirt. But equally you could wear it over a bit of knitwear when the temperatures dip, or simply over a plain t-shirt if the forecast is looking mild. When winter rolls back around, you might even want to layer your suede overshirt underneath your overcoat. The possibilities are endless.