It may have been the most significant mislabeling in history.

In 1826, the Scottish weaver William Watson & Sons forwarded a bundle of woolen fabric to a London merchant. The merchandise was labeled “tweels,” which simply meant “twill” in the local Scotch dialect. But in a fateful mix up, the word was misread as “tweeds,” assumingly in reference to the nearby River Tweed. After all, the hearty, earth-colored woolens were precisely what a gentleman might opt to wear for country pursuits like fishing or hunting.

Nearly 200 years later, it’s safe to say that the name has stuck. And tweed might even compete with thespians and tea as a top UK export.  

Perhaps owing to its accidental origins, there’s no precise definition for just what a tweed is. That being said, you’ll certainly know it when you see or feel it. Most (but not all) tweeds are woolens. Unlike a more densely woven (and thus businesslike) worsted wool, woolens are composed of more loosely spun, shorter fibers, which give tweed its characteristically “fuzzy” look and feel and also act as insulators by trapping warmth. 

In addition, tweeds typically come in earthy colors that once helped them blend into the countryside in the days before camouflage. Many patterns are prominently associated with tweed, including herringbone, Donegal, houndstooth and gun club (Scottish Estate tweeds, meanwhile, are a whole other subject). They may also feature in heavier weights than the fine wools used for business suiting and prove more effective at resisting rainy or windy conditions. 

Now, before we get too carried away praising the countryside’s favorite fabric, we’re going to break down some of its current applications below, from traditional sporting ware to casual separates and even special occasions. 

Tweeds for Sporting

Fishing, shooting, riding, all of these country activities were traditionally performed in tweed (hence, “sport jacket”). And all can continue to be pursed in tweed, with deference to a few practical matters of design.

You may want to have a tweed sporting suit made from a particularly dense and robust, sometimes called “thornproof", tweed to handle the rigors of an outdoor pursuit. Details should be both casual and practical, with features like bellows pockets that can comfortably carry shells, action backs for greater ease of movement, and throat latches that close the jacket across the collar to provide greater coverage in inclement weather. 

Of course, it’s also possible to commission a tweed suit that has more of a “country look” rather than a precise sporting purpose. In that instance, you might consider a three-piece with slanted pockets for maximal landed gentry chic.

Tweeds as Separates 

The marvelous thing about tweed, and no doubt a force behind its resurgent popularity, is how seamlessly the fabric pairs with casual clothing. Thanks to tweed’s rougher (though not necessarily scratchy) texture, it’s equally at home with a pair of odd flannel trousers or your favorite jeans below. 

In fact, that may be the easiest way to bring the characteristic country fabric into town. For a dressed down work outing, a first date or simply a dash to the pub, pull on a tweed jacket with a button down shirt and dark denim. Laidback but loaded with texture and visual interest, it’s the sort of get up that communicates a care for dress without overdressing. 

While the jacket of a tweed suit might be most readily incorporated into other outfits, its vest and trousers can pull double duty, too.

Continued...

Tweeds for Weddings (Aka “City Tweeds”)

So far, we’ve been leaning into tweed’s rusticity, but we’d be remiss not to address the more recent development of what some call “city tweed.” In comparison to their country cousins, so called city tweeds are worsted for a finer appearance and texture, and more lightly weighted.

As a result, they won’t have the same heft and hand as a “true” country tweed. But they will be much more comfortable to wear in warmer environments (not to mention indoor heating) and appear more formal thanks to their hard finishing. 

What keeps them tethered to the tweed name is a reliance on classic country colors and patterns, including windowpanes, glen checks, herringbones and more. They’re a fabulous choice for a casual sport jacket, perhaps with patch pockets. But they also work wonders as less orthodox wedding garb, should you wish to wear your love of tweed down the aisle.  

Fabrics 

There’s a feast of worthy tweeds on the market. For true country fare, some of our favorites come from Lovat, particularly the Scottish maker’s Teviot bunch. Composed of both worsted and woolen yarns and weighted at a healthy 13 to 14oz, it manages to capture much of the fabric’s charms without overheating the wearer anywhere south of the Highlands. 

Meanwhile, a need for city tweeds can be satisfied with the Glorious Twelfth book from Porter & Harding, a collection or richly colored and patterned worsteds weighing in at about 11oz. Comparable results can be found in Huddersfield Fine Worsteds’ Alsport II bunch, which comes in at 12oz and manages to be substantial without becoming impractical.