Tweed suit

[Tailor]

All

I an considering a two piece harris tweed suit, double vents, one button, two patch pockets. My desire is to have a casual but tailored suit that will cover lunches and early dinners
My preference is towards a solid colour, possibly flecked, but where I'm withering is the weight of the material.

Over the last 50 plus years I've had a number of harris, shetland and donegal tweed suits, but today I want one with a twist to it, I will be trying a new tailor whose house style is Huntsman like but with a few softer touches, any suggestions would be appreciated.

Incidentally, the new tailor has several examples which are top notch so I am confident that he can deliver my requests.

John

[Screaminmarlon]

If you’re not strict about solid colour, I’d consider something along the Prince tweed suiting cloth which is phenomenal and has a ton of character

[alden]

Virtually all modern, currently produced Harris (and Shetland) tweed is unsuitable for trousers (or jackets.). Trousers will bag badly in short order. I would suggest you use LL Shetland or Cheviot tweed available by subscription here.

I would also say that a tweed suit looks best as a 3 pc suit.

Cheers

[davidhuh]

Dear John,

your plan sounds great, but not with a Harris tweed. You can do this with a cheviot or a donegal. The only trouser I could imagine being made using a Harris tweed are plus fours...

Cheers, David

[sartorczar]

Virtually all modern, currently produced Harris (and Shetland) tweed is unsuitable for trousers (or jackets.). Trousers will bag badly in short order. I would suggest you use LL Shetland or Cheviot tweed available by subscription here.

I would also say that a tweed suit looks best as a 3 pc suit.

Cheers

What precisely is it about the current production Harris tweed that makes it unsuitable for trousers? Is this an issue with the quality of the weave? By "currently produced". how far back are we talking ?

Certainly agree with the idea of going for a 3 pc suit with a tweed.

Many thanks

[davidhuh]

Dear Sartorczar,

I would not call this a "problem of current production". Harris tweed is mostly home spun on small looms. The weave is as dense as they can make it, but this is not a machine weaving, as used for a cheviot or a thornproof tweed. A good Harris tweed will make a great coat or overcoat. The cloth works also well for waist coats. There is no reason to complain. Cashmere is very similar - great cloth for coating and overcoating, but not suitable for trousers... The same applies to shetland tweeds.

I mentioned plus fours as an exception. You would need a rather heavy quality. This works for this type of trousers because the cut is different. I hope that makes sense.

Best regards,
David

[alden]

What precisely is it about the current production Harris tweed that makes it unsuitable for trousers? Is this an issue with the quality of the weave? By "currently produced". how far back are we talking ?

Twenty years ago my SR tailor patently refused to make me a jacket of Harris tweed. When I asked why, he picked a piece up, held it in front of my face and said, “see for yourself.” And see I could …...right through the cloth. “If you want to throw your money away, Harris is as good a way as any”, he said,

Harris tweed has a very open, loose weave. That gives the cloth a certain character that some people love; clothing made from Harris tweed tends to bag and loose shape over time. All the wonderful fitting you paid for goes up in smoke in the process, but the clothes become very sweater-like. And while that is ok for a jacket, it is holy sacrilege for a trouser…and I mean hole-y!

We made an LL Shetland quality that mimics Harris tweed and it has sold very well. In fact the Corn tweed and the original Brown herringbone tweed were made in that quality; and when we remade the Brown Herringbone a dozen years later, everyone wanted that same quality again. For jackets, not for suits.

My current Italian tailor frowned on that Harris-like Shetland quality, and he loves the latest LL Shetland for its density and strength. But to be fair, not all Harris tweeds are to be tossed into the briny depths. I have a vintage Harris jacket that is stunning, very old (the 70s) and very very heavy. It drapes beautifully and has held its shape for ten years so far, but it is overcoat weight tweed.

So to summarize, I can make an excellent quality Harris-like cloth but I would not suggest doing so, unless someone absolutely had to have it, because a good traditional Shetland or Cheviot is so much better. Of course, people who only make Harris will say “bollocks” to what I have just written.

NOTE: Fifteen years ago I suggested LL members learn how to judge cloth for themselves, with their own hands. I taught the technique I learned from the owner of Smith Woolens. "Why listen to me, tailors, Harris tweed makers or anyone for that matter, when you can feel and judge the quality of cloth for yourself?", I maintained. To say the very least, and especially in this era of the informercial blog-o-absurdity, the idea of taking personal responsibility for something (anything) seemed an arcane and quaint notion, bordering on reactionary. Nevertheless, once again, I urge all of you to learn how to accurately judge the quality of cloth before you spend anymore of your children's college fund to have clothing made by talented tailors. You will appreciate LL cloth all the more!


Cheers

[davidhuh]

Twenty years ago my SR tailor patently refused to make me a jacket of Harris tweed. When I asked why, he picked a piece up, held it in front of my face and said, “see for yourself.” And see I could …...right through the cloth. “If you want to throw your money away, Harris is as good a way as any”, he said,

Dear Michael,

Actually, I found the LL hunting for Harris tweed . Ten, fifteen years ago, the cloth was dead. I was in Vienna, where I was looking for a coat length of Harris at my favourite cloth shop. The shop assistant told me they had nothing left and the cloth was gone forever. Instead, she pointed me at some Lovat mill cloth they had in store, and I bought a beautiful one. Those who know me here will rightly guess it was a dark green tweed, with a daring red window pane. Beautiful stuff indeed.

Still, I could not believe what I heard from the shop assistant, and I started searching and learned about the sad story that almost killed Harris tweed. During this search, I found the London Lounge, where I found the cloth quality I was looking for. Regarding Harris - there is some great quality left, but it is definitely not easy to find. I would not buy anything without seeing and feeling it in my hands.

Cheers, David

[andy57]

I think it's worth pointing out that Harris tweed weaving is going through a small renaissance at the moment. There are at least a couple of individual weavers producing high quality, robust Harris tweed. I have purchased lengths from two such weavers directly from their individual websites. Arguably, two Harris tweed jackets is one too many, but I'm sad that I have no need to buy additional cloth. This is also another example of how we can support small artisans during this pandemic.

I still wouldn't make a pair of trousers from Harris tweed, however.

[alden]

Actually, I found the LL hunting for Harris tweed

Great story David.

If a fabric has "London Lounge Limited Edition" on the selvedge you know that it is the highest quality a mill makes today (and made in their glorious past.) I worry about the details so LL members don't have to.

And I am continuing to go back into the archives to bring forward the most exceptional qualities I can find. There are some real treasures in the old books and I hope to bring some of them back to life. It's a lot of fun and I could not do it without the support of our enlightened and well educated membership. Great cloth and great tailoring make great clothing. The one requires the other. A defect on either side of that quotient spells sartorial doom. or at least a waste of hard earned cash.

Cheers

[sartorczar]

Many thanks to Michael and David for your responses to my question. I must have gotten some of the material that Andy is referencing, as I had several three piece suits made of Harris Tweed with which I could not be happier. They are perfect for our mountain top weather, and worn frequently. For whatever reason, the trousers have held up very well with a fantastic drape. My tailor commented upon their significant weight at the time of delivery. Hoisting them onto hangers has pretty much obviated the need for weight lifting...........

-James

[davidhuh]

Dear James,

good to hear from you. I have also read what Andy is saying, and I'm quite sure that there must be one or two weavers left doing a great Harris. I should probably visit the islands once things turn normal again.

Regarding your trouser experience: it may well be that you have been a very lucky man, finding a dense enough cloth that would be suitable as trousers. But this is a rare exception, not the rule - I have not had a Harris tweed in my hands that I would have used for trousering. On the other hand, I took the liberty to use the recent heavy LL herringbone linen for trousering against Michael's advice, and the result is great for relaxed 1930 style trousers to be worn at home over the weekend

Cheers, David

[sartorczar]

Hello David,
Good to hear from you!

Yes, the 1930's Trouser is a classic look, one I'm partial to as well.

'Interesting to hear you mention thoughts of a trip to Harris and Lewis. At the top of my travel plans for when it is finally safe again is the Outer Hebrides. I'm thinking of next Fall/Winter, in hopes of seeing the Aurora Borealis . Perhaps we have the makings for a LL field trip.......

Regards,
James