“I’ve got the need, the need, for tweed”… Something like that right? Maybe not, but in the autumn and winter months, there is a need for tweed.
The most iconic of all tweeds is Harris tweed, as it is from the isle of Harris, located in the far north west of Scotland. The word tweed is from an old Scottish word “Tweel” which means, “twill” – which is the type of weave used to create tweed. The twill used makes for a great sturdy, heavy fabric that will well insulate the wearer in colder climates. Due to the tightness of the weave, the cloth is also water resistant to a degree, making it an incredible garment to be wearing in the country.
Tweeds normally come in a range of earthy colours; greens, browns and oranges being the most common. Pair these colours with the cloths rugged properties and you have a garment ideal for camouflaging yourself against country terrain and harsh weather – this is why many hunters opt for a tweed jacket or even full suit. Saying that, never have any of the Fielding and Nicholson team seen deer galloping around the city, so why buy tweed in the concrete jungle if there’s nothing to hunt?
The City still gets cold and luckily tweed isn’t selective with which environment it works best in. On a day too cold for a normal suit jacket but too warm for a coat, a tweed will keep you at a perfect comfortable temperature. The colours in tweeds will help you stand out in an otherwise greying environment too, so you can be warm and stylish all at once. You may not be able to see the beautiful colours on the trees, but that doesn’t mean you can’t wear them. Every year in autumn all the colours of tweed come back, meaning the stylish look will never fade.
Nothing will last quite as long as a bespoke overcoat or a tweed garment. A thicker fabric will hold up against general wear much better than a thinner fabric will and tighter weaves like tweed will act very much like a thick coat. Most all year round suits will wear through or shine after a few years, even the best quality suit will fade after years of wear. But tweed refuses to wither. Ever wondered why every charity shop is littered with tweed jackets from years ago? Well they’re likely the only survivors from the suits of days gone by. Buy a bespoke coat or tweed garment now, and you’ll likely be wearing it proudly 20 years from now, gliding around on your hover-board – stylish as ever.
