The London Lounge

I am interested in having a basic black and white herringbone tweed jacket made. It will have a two button front, but I am unsure about the vents. All of my suits have two vents, but I have heard that the rustic nature of tweed odd jackets is better complemented by a single vent.

Also, would leather or undyed horn buttons be a better choice, and does a tweed jacket require full lining? Finally, does anyone have good a good cloth reconmendation? I live in New York City and would hope to potentially wear the coat from september to early spring.

Thank you in advance.

Dear emc894,

emc894 wrote:I am interested in having a basic black and white herringbone tweed jacket made. It will have a two button front, but I am unsure about the vents. All of my suits have two vents, but I have heard that the rustic nature of tweed odd jackets is better complemented by a single vent.

I have not yet seen the one vent coat that looks attractive...
Suggest sticking to what you like and what seems to work for you.

emc894 wrote:Also, would leather or undyed horn buttons be a better choice

This doesn't matter in my eyes. Nice buttons do matter, period.

emc894 wrote:and does a tweed jacket require full lining?

The short answer is yes. At least mine are and will always be. Good tweed is scratchy.

emc894 wrote:Finally, does anyone have good a good cloth reconmendation? I live in New York City and would hope to potentially wear the coat from early september to early spring.

Just a suggestion: http://www.ardalanish.com/darks.html. But don't miss open cloth club subscription. Wearing the 2011 corn shetland today - what a cloth

Cheers, david

Two looks far better - what you have heard is nonsense.

emc894 wrote:All of my suits have two vents, but I have heard that the rustic nature of tweed odd jackets is better complemented by a single vent.

Thats a peculiar thing to say and I can't imagine the motivation behind it. Anyway stick to two vents if thats what you want. I suggest a horn button with a prominent fleck for a sportscoat but thats my own taste, in New York you're spoiled for choice when it comes to trimmings so have a wander in the Garment District to get an idea of what would look well.

Definitely fully lined, half lined or unlined jackets are normally for very warm climates where the lining is omitted to improve breathability. Not a concern in New York during the winter months I should imagine.

All of my tweed jackets have side vents. Single vents are traditional on hacking jackets (so as to divide neatly while sitting a horse), in which case you'd want a longer, somewhat flared skirt and slant pockets, and probably three buttons. Single vents are also standard with 1950s J. Press or Andover Shop-style sack-cut, undarted, "natural" shoulder herringbone tweed jackets--often made with a hook vent. These jackets often had/have relatively short vents. It's a very specific look that's intended to be studiously not dashing. If you're built like you can still earn your oar on the varsity eight, it can appear nonchalant and suggest sprezzatura. If you're of average build it will make you look dumpy or like an aging New England patrician that doesn't give a damn. If you're close to New York, Cambridge (MA), or Andover, pop in and have a look to see the type, or check the vintage shops around Harvard (if they haven't been picked clean of that style by now). If you want this look, save yourself time and money and get MTM at one of the two suppliers mentioned above. The style doesn't repay the efforts of a talented bespoke tailor, and most real tailors probably won't have a feel for the style anyway.

Most people are far better off with a shaped jacket with side vents, as you'll see illustrated throughout this site.

For cloth choice, the Molloy Donegal is worth a look.



610 gramme/m2, if you don't run hot in tweeds it should do the job and last forever.

For what it's worth, I took a bundle of Butt of Lewis Harris Tweed to my tailors yesterday. It's a green/blue/brown barleycorn, very rustic and better as countrywear than a sports coat. I've gone single vent and hacking pockets as I want it to have an equestrian air to it. Final details will be hammered out at the first fitting but I suspect it will end up with leather buttons and a storm latch collar.

I have seen samples of Molloys Donegal and these are outstanding; I am putting a suit of their 545gm tweed on my project list.

All of my tweed jackets have side vents. Single vents are traditional on hacking jackets (so as to divide neatly while sitting a horse), in which case you'd want a longer, somewhat flared skirt and slant pockets,

All my bespoke sports jackets have side vents. I have heavier tweeds with a single vent as described. These are like short overcoats for me and are great with the collar turned up. I only buy these rtw, as they are more practical than stylish and not worthy of bespoke , in my opinion. Get a nice set of horn buttons. Consider a swelled edge, if the cloth suggests it.
Good luck and enjoy!

All good advice, in my opinion.
Unlined tweed tends to cling to the shirt back. You may have a tweed shirt jacket made, but that's something else...

Costi, do you think that a summer lining (i.e. linings to the arms and upper back) would also present that problem? I was thinking (when the time comes) to bespeak my LL Gun Club jacket as a "summer jacket" as regards the lining. I live in a warm climate, as you know.

Best,
Luis

Dear Luis,

although you are talking to Costi, please allow me to comment

I am already wearing my city gun club. The cloth is amazing, the coat a beauty. The cloth is light and so is the weave. I don't think having this coat made half lined would be such a good idea - it would look rather odd to me. Or would anybody living north wear a linen suit in winter with an extra warm lining?

I don't know exactly where you live. But you might want to wear this coat in the evening, when it is windy or when travelling. It is comfortable and soft like cashmere.

cheers, david

...

couch wrote: Single vents are also standard with 1950s J. Press or Andover Shop-style sack-cut, undarted, "natural" shoulder herringbone tweed jackets--often made with a hook vent. These jackets often had/have relatively short vents. It's a very specific look that's intended to be studiously not dashing. If you're built like you can still earn your oar on the varsity eight, it can appear nonchalant and suggest sprezzatura. If you're of average build it will make you look dumpy or like an aging New England patrician that doesn't give a damn.

Thank you Couch for letting me "save face" while wearing my center vent herringbone tweed jackets. Nonchalant and sprezzatura sound much better than dumpy and aging and all this working out has to pay back sometimes. Although I generally favor side vents too, all my 3 herringbone tweed jackets are center vented. Indeed, these jackets are MTM and not bespoke, and I ordered them with a center vent because I believe this feature goes the best with a rather unassuming coat (not dashing, you would say).

emc894 wrote: Also, would leather or undyed horn buttons be a better choice?

While I see that the LL consensus rapidly moved in favor of horn buttons (which I generally also favor), I have to say that herringbone tweed is probably the one that can take leather buttons advantageously. The pattern and texture of the leather folds go well with the architecture of the cloth, the nature of the garment, and they are the only adornment to an otherwise very plain field.
So emc894, hereby I express my dissents and: center vent and leather buttons it is for your black and white herringbone tweed jacket.

Thank you everyone. I think that very soft tailoring might favor leather buttons, but I will likely go with a more structured, double vented, horn buttoned coat.

The original question was promped by a page in the very average, tounge-in-cheek "Sloan Ranger Handbook".

http://www.amazon.com/The-official-Sloa ... 0312582293

lgcintra wrote:...

Luis, sorry for missing your question, I was absent for a while and catching up now
In principle, if you have the upper back, sleeves and vents lined, it shouldn't be much of a problem. However, I think David is right, I don't see the advantage of having the City Gunclub made unlined, the cloth is not as breatheable as a fresco or linen, so it wouldn't wear much cooler without a lining. I'd say have it lined in Bemberg and yes, wear it when temperatures allow you to do so comfortably. It's not a very heavy cloth, I don't think you'll suffer in it.