Tweed Suits

Tweed suits can bring up a bunch of different visions for people.  If you can pull it off, you can definitely give off a very distinctive air of style.  It’s not an easy look to pull off though!

From a technical perspective, tweed is nothing more than a form of wool.  However, it is made to be much more heavy and thick.  Several unique yarn colors are grouped and “twilled”, hence the name.  It is a very different feel from the standard wool suit.  You may also see the tweed labeled by variety, such as Lovat or Donegal.  Harris tweed is also a pretty big maker in the UK.

From a climate perspective, they are terrific for cold weather areas, hence the popularity in Scotland and other areas of the northern UK.  On the other hand, this is a tough fabric for a hot summer day for sure!  It usually hold up well to wear and tear and the elements.  In fact, years ago in the UK, it was specifically used as a suit for outdoor wear and sport, such as hunting or walking.  It was often used for the “Sunday hunt”  in olden times.

In the US, its usually looked at as a required wear for a college professor.  It does give an air of academic respectability.  Throw a pair of glasses and an important sounding book or two in hand and you are good to go!  For a regular guy going to the office or the nightspot, it’s a tough fabric to wear and look cool.  However, tweed jackets are a little more mainstream, especially in some urban areas.  In the UK, rumors are that it coming back into more of a hot style for a younger trendier throwback look.  Topmans, for example, is coming out with some new tweed styles.