How To Nail Timeless Tailoring

‘Effortless’ is often lauded as the holy grail of sartorial success – an outfit that looks perfectly put together without feeling forced – elegant but understated, comfortable, versatile, easy. Done right, a pantsuit delivers all of the aforementioned, as proven by stylish tastemakers such as Christie Tyler and Achol Ayor. The trick for spring/summer ’26 and beyond lies in a few style guides (rules are too rigid when we’re talking modern tailoring). First, blazer silhouettes should run from relaxed to oversized; comfort is a key consideration here and anything too contoured feels dated. As for pants, look for wide-leg cuts with elegant pleats, or clean straight-leg styles.

The tenet underpinning modern tailoring is nothing new. Ever since Coco Chanel pioneered relaxed separates and Yves Saint Laurent introduced his historic ‘Le Smoking’ tuxedo, a slew of stylish women, from Marlene Dietrich to Julia Roberts, have worn a relaxed blazer and wide-leg pants to perfection. This season, the ’90s (the heyday of undone tailoring) are back on the mood board – think clean lines, crisp cuts and an absence of unnecessary extras. In terms of color, pay homage to the decade by opting for classic neutrals like gray, navy and beige. Model Christy Turlington proved why this is a winning formula at Milan Fashion Week, dressed in a tonal beige suit with a matching clutch and oversized shades. To recreate her look, team Joseph’s subtly darted ‘Fallon’ blazer and ‘Colburn’ pants with Toteme’s exquisite ‘T-Lock’ clutch in biscuit-toned leather. If you’re feeling a touch more adventurous, a flash of blue or burgundy should do the trick.

Kallmeyer and its minimal mastery can always be relied upon to deliver slick, timeless tailoring. The brand’s longline ‘Louis’ coat will look divine with Ssstein’s pleated wool-twill pants. To finish, reach for Bottega Veneta’s ‘Long Andiamo’ leather clutch (handheld silhouettes are trending for the season ahead) and loop a crew-neck sweater over your shoulders instead of a scarf.