Dressing a Donegal Tweed Jacket

[BirdofSydney]

Gentlemen,

I have recently inherited a fine Tweed jacket from my grandfather (who is still alive, I may happily add!). I believe it is a Donegal - a sort of brownish and ivory salt-and-pepper pattern.

With a little alteration it should fit me very well, we are about the same size in the chest, but I am slimmer around the middle. It is a two button, and has an ordinary breast pocket, and patch side pockets.

I really like it by haven't ventured to wear it out yet. The British convention about not wearing tweed in the city does not prevail here, nonetheless I remain hesitant. Even if I am to save it for the country, I haven't really much of a country wardrobe. Nor do I like the shepard-check (or any check) that one expects of country shirtings.

Is there any way I can wear this fine garment on the weekend in the city, or to the country, but in combination with "city" type clothes? What colours are ideal to wear with it?

As ever, I'm most grateful for any advice.

Regards,

Eden

[Concordia]

Do what we do in Boston-- wear it anyway. Couple with khaki twills or grey flannel (maybe charcoal). Suede or cordovan shoes. A simple poplin shirt, or maybe punt on the collar/tie thing and go with a long-sleeved polo shirt. Try it out on a weekend afternoon at the museum or a concert.

[rip]

Do what we do in Boston-- wear it anyway. Couple with khaki twills or grey flannel (maybe charcoal). Suede or cordovan shoes. A simple poplin shirt, or maybe punt on the collar/tie thing and go with a long-sleeved polo shirt. Try it out on a weekend afternoon at the museum or a concert.

I'd do the khakis with a buttondown oxford shirt and an ascot (if you're bold enough), perhaps in a forest green.

[RWS]

Last month in Argentina -- southern mid-winter -- I not infrequently saw well-dressed, mostly older men in Buenos Aires wear tweed odd jackets with dark trousers (flannel, usually), tastefully patterned shirts, and ascots. It looked quite dashing, even on the one tall young man I saw wearing the combination, and even in the city. The old prohibitions are just about gone and (save for formal and informal dress) I think we may be the better for that.

[rip]

Just got the Fall Ben Silver catalog... you could dress yourself wonderfully from that. I suggest the tattersall shirt on the right side of page 20, any one of the ties on page 29 atop either khaki English drills (page 43) or cavalry twills (page 60), bottomed out with with either Crockett & Jones Brogues in antique tan (page 9) or, for a more citified look, C&J monkstraps (page 56). All topped off, of course, with a caramel Borsalino fedora ( page 105). However, as I write this, it is 85 in NY and the mere thought of autumn clothes makes me sweat!