Oxford cloth, poplin, linen, flannel. Maybe even corduroy if you’ve really got your finger on the pulse. These tend to be the go-to fabrics when we find ourselves in the market for a new shirt, and unless you’re a cattle rancher from the late 19th century, suede probably doesn’t even cross your mind.

It may be more commonly used for footwear and that waistcoat your weird uncle always wears, but it’s a mistake to rule suede out when it comes to shirting. This soft, tactile fabric is easy on the eye, pleasing to the touch, excellent at holding colour, and can really add a dash of depth and texture to an otherwise unnoteworthy outfit.

Trouble is, good suede shirts are hard to come by and even trickier to style. Taking sartorial cues from the wild wild west and pulling it off is always going to be a tall order. However, with a little guidance and the right labels at your disposal, there’s no reason not to lasso yourself one of these frontier favourites.

How To Wear A Suede Shirt

For all its plus points, suede isn’t the sort of material you want right next to your skin. It’s heavy, terrible at allowing moisture to escape and can become stiff and awkward when damp. For these reasons, it’s best suited for use as an overshirt. Particularly in the autumn and winter months.

That’s fine, though, because that’s what a suede shirt is best at; it’s a born layering piece. Throw it over a T-shirt, another shirt, or perhaps a hoodie. Wear it open or closed, under a winter coat, or on top as a standalone piece. Wear it any which way you see fit, but always, always, team it up with some sort of base layer.

Reiss

An additional caveat when it comes to wearing suede is to steer clear of too much texture. Suede is a complex fabric with a lot of tones and plenty of depth. It shouldn’t be fighting anything else with those characteristics for attention. A pair of corduroy trousers or a shearling jacket, for example.