When it comes to summertime suits, there are the usual suspects. You have casual lightweight linen, or maybe a patterned madras fabric, and the crisp white option for the sartorial daredevils among us. Enter Taika Waititi, who has been marking the releases of Thor: Love and Thunder, which he wrote and directed, and Pixar’s Lightyear, for which he supplied a voice, with his own Extremely Good Suit Summer. The stylish filmmaker is proving that you can wear classic-looking suits in darker shades and still make them feel light, breezy, and undeniably fresh for summer. It’s just all in how you wear it.
Waititi’s summer of great suits started last month in London when he showed up to a UK Lightyear premiere in an elegant double-breasted number from Giorgio Armani. A great double-breasted blazer inherently has some extravagance, but he upped the ante with clear-framed sunglasses and a gold chain glimmering from underneath a crisp white V-neck undershirt.
Ten days later, Waititi was in Los Angeles for the Thor premiere, wearing yet another double-breasted suit, this time with pinstripes and designed by Louis Vuitton. He opted for a more formal buttoned-up shirt but kept it from feeling too stiff with a standout beaded necklace.
Then, earlier this week, he was back in London for the Thor opening and donned a blue Prada suit with black trim and a matching bowtie, completing the look with a glossy emerald necklace from Cartier. And let’s not overlook what is perhaps Waititi’s secret weapon: his neatly trimmed mustache and pitch-perfect stubble.
The best way to wear a suit these days continues to be with a bit of a distinctive edge, making it uniquely your own with little details of your choosing—and the warm days of summer feel like prime time to let your sartorial freak flag fly. Pair it with some sharp sneakers, a retro-looking knitted polo, or maybe even your dressiest designer clogs. You’d also be wise to steal from Waititi’s playbook and lean into pairing classic suit styles with unexpected and idiosyncratic accessories. Whether that means some expert-level grooming, statement jewelry, or great sunglasses—the choice is yours, and your summertime suit will be all the better for it.