The London Lounge

Gents,

Fall is here. Move the linen and frescos to the back of the wardrobe and shake the dust off the tweeds and flannels.

It’s time for a discussion of Fall dressing, a moment many of us look forward to and enjoy. I thought we would begin with a review of tweed coats and suits.

Though recent trends have seen the creation and marketing of lightweight worsted tweed facsimiles, real Scottish tweeds are the source of constant admiration and delight for the elegant dresser. The tweeds we are interested in vary in weight from 500 to 800 gms per meter. Their provenance is the Border country and North of Scotland. It should be mentioned that excellent tweeds can also be found in Ireland.



The quality of a tweed cloth is measured in the density of the weave that can be felt when rubbing the cloth between thumb and forefinger. The tweed’s finish can vary from medium soft to thorny hard. Patterns vary from sober herringbones and subtle windowpanes to more strident gun clubs, and brightly colored checks.







Most often one will choose a 3 button front on a tweed jacket as this format provides better coverage against inclement weather and temperatures. Here are a few things to think about when choosing or designing a tweed coat:

If you plan to wear a sweater underneath, make sure to leave enough room for one by cutting the jacket with a bit of extra breadth; and since the sweater will hike the jacket up a bit, make sure and cut it a ¼ to ½ inch longer than your city suit jacket.

Tweed jackets are not worn with overcoats as city suits can be, so make sure and choose a weight of cloth that will give you the warmth and protection you will require. Ideally a 650 gms weight cloth should be chosen.

Not only will heavier weight cloth protect you better against the elements, the heavier, rigid tweeds will drape magnificently and hold their shape over the years and despite egregious mistreatment at the hands of Mother Nature.

When ordering a tweed jacket, ask your tailor to make as natural, ie “soft” construction as possible. The natural rigidity and weight of the cloth means that you will require little if any padding in the coat. Tweed coats can be made unlined, but a moderate weight lining is to be preferred.

If you intend on making a tweed suit, make sure and choose tweed with a very tight weave. Loosely woven (Shetland, Harris, Homespun) tweeds do not make satisfactory trousers. With time the trousers will bag and loose their shape.

If you have any questions, please ask.

Cheers

Tweeds numbers 1 and 3 are terrific.

Here are two pictures of a jacket I had made up from a rather heavy Harris Tweed four years ago. I hade it made to wear as Alden suggests with a three button front, only a canvas for structure with no padding, and a bit of room for a sweater underneath. It also has bellows pockets, which I like, but am not sure that I would repeat on the nex one I have made. I really think of this jacket as outerwear, and it has served me well on many a chilly Saturday and Sunday afternoon.

Jacket:

Fabric:


Here is a tweed suit in, as suggested, a tighter weave. It is also a "real" tweed and not a lightweight alternative. This suit is not cut to have a sweater under it. It is a bit shorter and closer to the body than the jacket above, but also has no padding to speak of.

Suit:

Fabric:

I hope you enjoy.

I just finished my first John G Hardy Harris Tweed. I made it with three open pleated patch pockets, belted back, and a throat tab. I must admit I tried to wear it in my store a bit too early. I thought I would introduce it to my customers now, so they may have 6 to 8 weeks to order one but it was very warm and deserves only cool weather.

Dear Mr. Alden


You note above that tweed jackets are not worn with overcoats. What coats may be worn with tweed jackets?

Kindest regards


Alan Kirshner

Dear Sir,

I am thinking specifically of country use where an overcoat is normally dispensed with because of its bulkiness and weight when on walks, or engaged in sporting events like hunting, horseback riding or intense picnicking.

Some of us spend most of our time working when in the country and overcoats are a bit of a nuisance in such cases. Also when wearing tweeds there is something to be said for flying your colours. Why cover up such a nice plaid after all?

If you are in very very cold weather, you might use a tweed overcoat that works with the pattern of your jacket. That can be done quite well and to great effect if you are adventurous.

A city cashmere overcoat over a tweed jacket is clearly to be avoided at all costs.

Cheers

I have tweed vests made up with my jackets. When you're wearing a 20 oz. jacket over a 20 oz. vest you're dressed for most weather without an overcoat.

After some contemplation, I must confess to being at a loss as to what "intense picnicking" entails?

It is perhaps like an extreme sport, picnicking on the south face of K2 or some such...

Cheers,

Eden

You can do it here near the DMZ, although I doubt even the heaviest tweed will protect you from land mines.

In this thread: http://thelondonlounge.net/gl/forum/vie ... 0&start=15
I made the following comment:

I saw some other beautiful tweed suiting options from that same book and in some of the slightly lighter weight Alsport and Dormeil books that members might consider. In particular, I saw some great glen checks and herringbones that, If I were not set on an action back, would have been a perfect choices for a tweed city suit. For those considering something fuzzier than a worsted, please add tweeds to the list of possibilities.

The fourth swatch Alden posted - the glen check - is precisely one of the glen checks I had in mind when I made the post quoted above. That cloth would make a spectacular suit and, in contrast to the more citified worsted versions we are used to seeing, is the real thing as far as glen checks go. I could not envision it with the details and for the purpose I was investigating at the time, but I momentarily come close to dropping my action back suit in favor of this.