How to Style a Tweed Suit
Tweed is a unique fabric, produced by raw wool being dyed before being spun. The result is a thick and fuzzy texture, offering a classic look full of depth. A lot of ink has been spilled on how to wear a tweed suit. It’s a traditional style that keeps inspiring modern twists. Think country estates, tranquil fishing spots and tea-on-the-lawn.
But with tradition comes a few rules. Anyone wondering how to style a tweed suit will have enough questions to make their head spin. Here are our dos and don’ts to avoid a sartorial faux pas.
Are tweed suits formal?
Tweed suits are so distinctive that it’s hard to know if they’re right for formal occasions. Whilst tweed looks more rough-and-ready than other fabrics, you can make a tweed suit more formal with smart styling decisions.
Shirt – Gentle pastels suit tweed well. Tweed is full of colour and pattern, so your shirt should be gentler. Wear a crisp white shirt to achieve a more formal look.
Tie – A good tie can set off your suit, instantly making it more formal. Remember, your tie should work in combination with your suit. Tweed rewards boldness, but punishes gaudiness.
Waistcoat – Matching tweed waistcoats can elevate your suit, showing you mean business. If you have an eye for colour and texture, why not mix in a different waistcoat?
Pocket watch – As a fabric steeped in tradition, why not lean into this, and complement your look with a historic-looking timepiece?
When to wear a tweed suit
Tweed is a versatile fabric, finding a home on many occasions. However, its countryside vibes might not gel with every event.
- Tweed suits at weddings – Tweed is a thick, warm fabric, which makes it ideally suited for autumn and winter weddings. If it’s a country wedding or is quite contemporary, a tweed suit is a perfect choice.
It even works for your own wedding. Whilst perhaps not as formal as most traditional wedding suits, tweed can set a relaxed, but smart tone to your day.
- Sporting events – Tweed’s heritage is in rural sports, such as golf, shooting and fishing. Its rustic durability means the wearer looks ready for action, even if they’re just wining and dining! Pay tribute to this by wearing your tweed suit to presentation evenings, socials and ceremonies.
- Work – If you’re dressing to impress at work, tweed radiates easy confidence, without being too ‘corporate’. That in mind, it might look a little out of place for more serious meetings, and makes better ‘everyday’ office wear.
The golden rule is that a tweed suit is a statement piece. It’s smart, and sophisticated, but has a rustic edge that might not always be suitable.
Is a tweed suit hot?
Lots of potential buyers worry about overheating in a tweed suit – it’s designed for outdoor activity, after all. It’s fair to say that it’s warmer than the average suit, and is good for autumn and winter wear.
That said, much depends on the specific fabric’s weight. Lighter tweeds allow for more exertion. You wouldn’t be out of place cycling or walking in a light tweed suit without the need to take the jacket off.
Tweed’s thick, durable qualities also mean that it does better in wet weather. The natural wool’s waterproofing qualities will help keep you dry on more miserable days.
Is tweed a good fabric for a suit?
With rich, deep textures, tweed offers endless variation from piece to piece. However, its multiple colours make it hard to know how to wear a tweed suit. Here are tips for pairing tweed’s most popular colours.
Dark tweed
Dark grey or navy are especially good for formal occasions. Light blue shirts complement them, contrasting with the neutral tones. Be careful of overly mixing colours; dark tweed is for the composed, professional gentleman, not the experimentalist.
Brown and green tweed
Earthy brown and green tones provide perhaps the most iconic, ‘professorial’ tweed look. It’s the least formal tweed on the face of things, but a white shirt can really sharpen up the look.
Blue and grey tweed
Blue and light grey tweed can help you stand out – in a good way. Just be careful of patterns. A lot of blue tweed is patterned, which demands a plain shirt.
The tweed suit might seem straight out of Peaky Blinders, but is becoming more of a staple of the red carpet. The fabric is versatile and full of depth, allowing you to pay tribute to decades of different styles. Begin your own adventure in tweed suits with our full range.
