The course, heavy wool heritage fabric is making a big comeback...
Tweed or as it was originally known... Tweel (the Scottish word for Twill. A little misunderstanding resulted in its current name), has been a longstanding go to cloth for those seeking a strong, warm, durable cloth. It's also a cloth of great heritage & history, which has stood the test of time. The name does not in fact come from the River Tweed in Scotland.
The cloth itself, which is made up of shorter fiber course wool has been a staple of gentleman's wardrobes for hundreds of years. Often used for traditional hunting, sport shooting or 'country wear,' tweed is a more casual cloth style by its nature & purpose. It is a cloth built to take some punishment.
Today one can find tweed made up in various styles... From jackets to vests to full suits & the increasingly popular shirt jacket or over-shirt. Such as this model from Italian shirt maker Finamore of Fox Bros. famous & limited edition Negroni Tweed...
There is a certain natural water resistant quality to the cloth as well (though not necessarily 100% waterproof). Yet another example of the durability of the cloth. The fiber naturally expands when exposed to water & helps block out the infestation of H20 into the garment itself. It can also be reinforced, particularly common in hunting garments which require a great deal of movement, with leather. Which helps cut down on the fraying of the wool from often repeated movements.
As we mentioned Fox Bros. is one mill crafting luxurious & durable & may we say very interesting tweed variations. Another that many have no doubt heard of is Harris Tweed. Harris Tweed is actually a legally protected mill which weaves n the Outer Hebrides off the north coast of Scotland. Tweed cloth itself draws its routes from Ireland & Scotland. Donegal Tweed is another offering which is distinctive in its solid tweed appearance peppered with varying small color "dots" throughout.
We suggest pairing tweed with other seasonal cloths such as corduroy, denim (not just jeans but shirts as well) & heavy weight brushed cotton twills.
A good dram or two of scotch also makes a fine pairing. Cheers!
