How We're Styling Summer Jersey

The word 'jersey' refers to a tightly knitted fabric which historically was typically constructed from wool, but these days it tends to be woven from cotton and certain synthetic fibres. We love using organic cotton jersey in the summer months at Oliver Spencer because it is extremely soft and pliable, has great breathability and excellent moisture-wicking properties, hence why it's the go-to fabric for loungewear and underwear. Because it's so comfortable, we use it across our tees, short-sleeve shirts and polo shirts, but the key thing with jersey is that because it is knitted, you can create vastly different and unique textures with it, which is exactly what we've done this season, from smooth flat tees to very textural and tactile polo shirts.

Jersey fabric takes its name from the weird little island a stone's throw away from France. I'm at the liberty to call it 'weird' because I grew up there. I saw plenty of cows, Jersey Royal potatoes, but no looms rattling off thousands of yards of Jersey fabric. Jersey weaving dates back to the Middle Ages but the vast majority of the world's jersey cloth now comes from China. Jersey cloth had typically been reserved for undergarments up until 1916, when one Coco Chanel started using it in her couture collections. The fashion industry soon changed its tune and all of a sudden jersey fabric was being used for all manner of garments. The advent of sportswear in the 20th century was perfect for jersey, thanks to its aforementioned properties, hence why we love to create polos and tees with it.

Which brings us on to this season's jersey offering at Oliver Spencer, of which we have an embarrassment of knitted riches. We'll show you how to incorporate it into both smart and casual wardrobes this season, so you can benefit from the comfort and texture of this amazing fabric.

How to Dress Jersey Up

Despite the casual connotations and the history of it being used for undergarments, modern jersey is actually very easy to dress up with the the addition of some relaxed tailoring. You don't have to go the jacket/blazer route, but instead of wearing shorts, swap them out for a pair of pleated trousers instead. Just this simple change will completely elevate the jersey, especially if you combine the trousers with a pair of loafers. A smooth heavyweight jersey tee can certainly hold its own under a tailored jacket, but you might find that the more textural tops in our summer collection add more dimension and a tactile finish. Tailored shorts will work equally as well with some of our textural jersey polos and loafers. It's the combination of smooth cotton or linen tailoring with the puckered nature of the knit that pulls the look together.

How to Dress Jersey Down

You don't need to try too hard to dress jersey down since that is its default attitude. Combining textured jersey into a set, of which we've created a number for this season, is a great way of injecting some uniformity into your dressed down looks. Otherwise, bold striped patterns keep your look fun and playful. If you want to layer a jacket over a tee or polo, then refrain from a classic tailored jacket and instead opt for a lightweight cotton or linen blouson. In fact, linen is an especially good fabric to combine wirth jersey since it forms a nice subtle textural contrast thanks to the slubby finish. Our short-sleeved linen shirts can be worn as overshirts, layered atop of a jersey tee for example. Relaxed fit cotton chinos and cropped styles worn with sandals, boat shoes, or lo-fi sneakers keep your jersey tops with a slightly sporty edge, too.