Fast Fashion Rules: Tweed Suits

There’s no arguing that wool is the gold standard of suits in men’s fashion, every tailor’s bread and butter. It’s what your dad and his dad and his dad before him most likely wore. So when a new fabric like tweed offers a refreshing alternative to the establishment, it’s much too good a style opportunity for any modern guy to pass up.

Modern tweed is lighter and sleeker than the stuffy, scratchy stuff your old man probably saw in his time. The fabric’s British provenance and association with upper crust pursuits lend it an air of refinement and sophistication, no matter what necktie you wear with it.

Keep It Trim
Like any good suit today, you don’t want a tweed set that hangs off you; baggy, saggy suits do nobody any favors. Since tweed has less drape and more structure than wool, you have much to gain from a tailor’s service and a more precise fit.

A slim, trim cut is also a big part of the whole package that updates tweed from its fusty reputation of the sixties and seventies. When you lose the extra weight, you lose the age. Sharp tailoring also maximizes the structure that’s built into the textile. Strong shoulder seams and a slight taper will emphasize your chest much more than had you done the same with wool.

It’s a good idea to opt for abbreviated fits and no break when it comes to tweed. Chalk it up to the fabric’s lack of draping ability; you can’t rely on it to fall or pool in a nice way. Better to show a little ankle and a little rear than to look all awkward.

Turn It Up
Neckties and shirts usually involve a complex process of coordinating and matching with the rest of your outfit. Erring on the side of caution is the usual strategy here, especially if you’re going somewhere dressy like the office. Tweed gives you the rare chance to really play up the colors and patterns of your neckties and shirts.

Get out all of those large check shirts and wide stripe neckties that have been relegated to the back of your closet. Because of the depth and richness of the fabric, tweed is almost impossible to overpower. Remember, though, that the most basic rules of balancing ties and shirts still apply. It’s still a good idea to let one piece have the spotlight while the other takes on a supporting role in the background.

For an even more impressive effect, you may want to coordinate shirt, necktie, pocket square and even socks (which should be visible with the no-break trousers). Consistency in the color scheme makes the outfit seem more deliberate and put together.

Spend On It
Any style-aware guy knows that the value of a good suit doesn’t diminish over time. Invest in the tweed suit, preferably via a tailor who knows how to make clothes for your body. Not only will the suit itself look better, but you’re also more likely to end up wearing it even when the fad is done and faded.

Tailoring is so much more crucial with tweed because the textile isn’t very forgiving when it comes to fit and construction. Also, it’s easy for the suit to fall back into the frumpy seventies vibe that designers today desperately want to avoid. While you’re at it, pick up the other details a gentleman should have: the pocket square, the cuff links, the smart tie. You’ve already begun dressing the part, after all.

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Your Tie-Knots.org Team