The linen waistcoat is one of those pieces that looks effortless on the right man and slightly fancy dress on the wrong one, and the difference almost always comes down to quality. A cheap linen waistcoat pulls at the buttons, bags around the back, and has that slightly papery drape that reads costume rather than considered. The good ones hang properly, hold their structure across a warm afternoon, and work whether you are wearing them with the matching trousers or with a pair of well cut chinos and an open collar shirt.

We have been particularly focused on waistcoats where the linen itself has some weight to it, where the lining is done properly, and where the back strap is actually adjustable rather than decorative. Summer weddings are the obvious occasion but these are more versatile than that. Thrown over a white shirt for a smart casual event, they carry real authority. These are the ones worth the money.