How we’re smartening up our off-duty wardrobe this spring.

Despite what you may have heard, Sunday is not the day of rest. It is the day of judgment. And the judgment usually comes from your in-laws. The hot, pitiless probing eye of your father- and mother-in-law sitting opposite you like Judge Jeffreys about to pass sentence is enough to put you off your roast beef, but eat it you must because if you don’t, you will only offend them further. While you can’t do anything about the fact that you may never be good enough for their dear David or Davina, you can at least make sure your clothes are up to snuff. To inspire you, we asked the MR PORTER team for their choice of Sunday best duds.

After spending the best part of the winter swaddled in layers of navy knitwear and stomping through the snow in a pair of trusty dad sneakers, I’m ready to wriggle out of my muted cashmere cocoon and metamorphose into something a little more convivial. Mercifully, I’m a few years shy of the age where I’ll have to endure any weddings, house warmings or – shudder – gender-reveal baby showers, so, bar any unexpected pregnancies or deaths, the biggest events on my calendar this season should involve nothing more than cocktails, rooftops and parties involving cocktails on rooftops. So, for my Sunday best this spring, I’ll be channelling my inner bon vivant – cue this patterned shirt from Off-White, which will look great tucked into this pair of lightweight trousers from CMMN SWDN. What can I say? The contrast of the smooth silk shirt with the textured seersucker of the trousers strikes the kind of pleasant dissonance I like to live by. And, if any unexpected special occasions do arise, I’ll be sure to smarten everything up with these failsafe and rather timeless Derbies from Ami, which I can also wear when the wedding invitations start to roll in.

A spring wedding in Upstate New York is not the easiest one to plan for. It could be balmy, it could be Baltic. Also, the look needs to be sharp enough for the occasion, but not too formal. After much deliberation, I’m going for this double-breasted Noah blazer. It has a great shape and there is a hint of colour in the fabric to give it depth. I will be pairing it with a Canali linen shirt, no tie, again for the texture and to make sure the look isn’t too stiff. Oh, and I’ll throw in an IWC Schaffhausen pilot’s watch for good measure.

I’m anticipating the extremely delayed spring in the UK by making some seasonal wardrobe upgrades. This year, it won’t be Pimm’s o’clock but rather Pimm’s o’weekend as I plan on spending most of my free time at London’s best garden parties. To this end, I will be purchasing three outdoor-party essentials. 1) A light-coloured polo shirt, a lovely alternative to the (obvious) summer shirt. This Prada one is made from lightweight virgin wool so you literally keep your cool in it. 2) A pair of white jeans. You’ll earn lots of kudos if you can wear them and keep them stain-free. Be on high alert around barbecue food and beware of grass stains. These Ami ones are made from rigid denim that softens over time, as with any strong and meaningful relationship. 3) Some loafers. The perfect shoe to give your ankles their daily dose of vitamin D. These ones from Gucci are backless and slip off easily so you can feel the grass between your toes. Now let’s just hope the weather plays ball.

A suit can be so specific. One for work, one for black tie, one for a wedding, one for family parties. I prefer to have outfits that offer more flexibility, so this summer I will be wearing this green corduroy suit from P. Johnson. It’s unlined, so I won’t get unstuck in warmer climes and, best of all, it can be separated and worn in a variety of ways. To finish the look, I’ll wear these Grunya sunglasses from Moscot. If they were good enough for Mr Andy Warhol, they’re good enough for me.

Sunday-best clothing puts me in mind of what I was forced to wear as a callow youth attending church for the first time. In my imagination, there is an itchy, ill-fitting suit, handed down from an older brother, possibly brown in colour, and made from some form of highly flammable material now banned by the EU. Most unpleasant. Thankfully, as an adult, there is a certain degree of choice and free will when it comes to what you wear. Thus, any formal event – in a religious setting or not – should be greeted as an opportunity to express yourself. Get a suit that fits snugly, like this one by Gucci. Have fun with your shirt – this one by Richard James should bring a smile to your face. And never, ever leave the house without a hip flask. Especially if the hip flask is from Dunhill.

During the colder months, I tend to hibernate in darker colours (mainly black, mourning the loss of the sun on my back). But with spring around the corner, it’s time to update my wardrobe with something a little lighter, something a little brighter for all of those (dreaded) family engagement parties and weddings that the warmer months herald. Lardini’s olive green single-button blazer offers a cheerier alternative to commonplace navy or grey for such occasions. Plus, it’s one of the key players in the world of Italian tailoring. Its breathable and unstructured blazers are a must-have for when the mercury creeps up. It’ll go nicely with the petrol lenses and bright gold frames of these Cubitts sunglasses, which I’ll be using to hide all the eye-rolling I’ll undoubtedly be doing at all the gushy-gushy grooms’ speeches, and the hangover the morning after. Bitter rantings of a single Sue? Probably. But at least I’ll have Montblanc’s Automatic 40mm Red Gold And Alligator Watch as enviable arm candy. For a lifetime, too. Beat that.

You know those too-perfect cookery shows where the presenter/chef potters about in some idyllic country-house kitchen, effortlessly rustling up a work-of-art breakfast while his Central Casting family smile beatifically in the background? It’s exactly like that chez Rookwood of a Sunday – except with dropped eggs, spilled milk and lots of crying. And that’s just me. I do like a leisurely breakfast with the weekend papers. We operate an open house on Sunday mornings for friends to drop by, so I tend to pad about in presentable pyjamas (put on fresh) and this pin-dot navy pair from Derek Rose are my current favourites. Also, Bottega Veneta slippers, so I don’t step barefoot on any stray Lego. And then, appropriately enough, I’ll dab on some Byredo Sunday Cologne because it’s better to smell of woody bergamot and vetiver than smoky bacon. Although it’s a close contest.