Men's Tweed Coats

Buying A Tweed Coat: How To Choose the Best One

Wearing a tweed coat is the perfect way to demonstrate your sense of style, who knew that a single garment could be used in such a multitude of ways?! Whether you want to make a fashion statement or give off a certain impression - tweed is the way to go!

Tweed coats come in a vast array of styles: patterning, weight, fit, and weave all determine the overall effect. The first step is determining your sense of style - once you pinpoint that - finding a suitable tweed coat will be easy peasy.

Another major consideration is the activities you’ll be doing while wearing your tweed coat. If you’re a city-slicker looking for a summer tweed, you can opt for a lightweight coat with a playful hue. If you’re more of a sporting chap or live in a cold area, you’ll want a more durable option.

Lastly, the comfort factor is an important determinant of how often you wear your coat. A good fit and a season-appropriate fabric will translate into a cosy tweed coat that will become a staple in your closet. High-quality tweed coats can last a lifetime, if well-maintained and stored in a cool, dry place.

Figuring Out Your Style

If eyes are the window to your soul, clothes are the window to your personality. Your garments offer a glimpse into your persona long before you open your mouth to introduce yourself. Nailing a signature look is thus a powerful tool you can use to express yourself. Here, we’re going to run through a few “styles”, and if one happens to jumps off of the page at you, that might just mean that we just helped you figure out your look!

Remember, you will inevitably have your own spin on these looks, and are encouraged to mix and match them to create your own unique style.

Fashionista

Outfit Example - Black ripped jeans, loafers, knitted sweater, and an oversized tweed coat
How to Tell If This Is You - A fashionista is always looking at the latest trends. As a trendsetter, he wants to be ahead of the curve and draws inspiration from avant-garde catwalks, Japan, and Pinterest.

Rebel

Outfit Example - Leather belt, skinny jeans, lace-up boots, and a black tweed jacket
How to Tell If This Is You - A rebel is consistently moving against the grain...but in the most stylish way possible. Appearing slightly dishevelled and always indifferent, he beats to his own drum and does not follow the latest fashions in an overt way. 

Country Gent

Outfit Example - Corduroy trousers, waistcoat, bowtie, flat cap, and a semi-fitted tweed coat
How to Tell If This Is You - Having mastered the fine line between polished and practical; a country gent is well put together in a refined, yet laid-back way. His clothes are as well-tailored as those of a city-dweller, but he gravitates towards hearty fabrics like wool, cords, and of course - tweed.

Hipster

Outfit Example - Glasses, tightly-fitted trousers, suspenders, ankle boots, and a tweed blazer
How to Tell If This Is You - A hipster knows the value of his grandfather’s closet, yet refreshes vintage clothing with modern twists and chic, bold patterns. Perfecting the ‘intellectually cool’ look, he aspires to look cultural, nerdy, and cutting-edge all at once. 

Casual Chap

Outfit Example - Blue jeans, sneakers, a jumper, and a semi-fitted tweed trench coat.
How to Tell If This Is You - A casual chap gravitates towards comfort, but his sense of style never leaves: you’ll find yourself wondering if he put painstaking effort into his look or none at all. Pairing fresh kicks with his half-smile and baseball cap, he appears to have walked off the catwalk straight into his lounge.

Quality Fabrics

Tweed is a woollen fabric, tightly woven from the dyed wool of various breeds of sheep. It is thought to have originated in 18th century Scotland and Ireland, where workers needed cheap material that was tough enough to combat the blustery, chilly winters.

Although it was initially created as a hand-woven fabric, rugged and muted in nature, tweed quickly became linked to social standing and wealth when estate tweeds, or tweeds signifying what estate a person belonged to, were born. But these tweeds still weren’t entirely based on fashion to the neglect of function: their colours were borrowed from the land to ensure the wearers would blend in while hunting.

Tweed started making appearances in British aristocracy and by the mid-1800s had become the go-to performance fabric for all kinds of leisurely pastimes, including golf, fishing, tennis, and of course, equestrian pursuits.

Modern-day tweed is still a go-to style for all kinds of sporting activities, and also makes many an appearance in the long coats of city streets and the fitted blazers of university campuses. A variety of different weaves can be used to comprise its pattern structure, twill and herringbone being the most well-known.

Although wool is no longer necessarily hand-woven, today’s tweed maintains its excellent insulating properties: it is naturally water and wind resistant.

It is, therefore, a perfect material to use for coverage from head to toe. Caps, socks, and everything in between - ties, trousers, women’s suits, gloves, and the biggest staple of all, coats - all make popular and functional use of this highly adaptable fabric.

Perfect Fit

Finding the perfect fit means striking gold in terms of both comfort and utility: like jeans, the more comfortable and durable a tweed coat is, the more you’ll slip into it. Short, ¾ length and long coats are readily available, so consider the time of year and activities you’ll partake in while choosing a length.

Another big factor in deciding on a coat is how close of a hug you want from it. While tailored coats are prevalent, there is no shortage of oversize and plus-size coats on the market. Here we’ll run through various fits so you can determine which one is best for you.

Loose Fit

This tweed coat is the epitome of relaxed cool in the summer - you can wear it over a shirt for an easy-going vibe - while in the winter it provides plenty of space for layers underneath. This kind of fit has more room in the body and sleeves and permits a full range of motion.

Fitted

This is a tailored look perfect for city gentlemen or those who expect to pull off a refined look. It is also the ideal fit for those looking for sporting wear, as the streamlined tailoring allows for a wide range of motion without excess fabric getting in your way as you swing that golf club or jump on your horse.

Semi-Fitted

This type of fit is the most versatile: it allows for a couple of layers underneath in the colder months but still promotes a refined look when you choose it as your solo outer garment. Ideal as outerwear for going to the office, the university hall, or on a date, the semi-fitted tweed coat is the king of well-rounded polish.

For The Season

Although tweed was initially intended to act as a shield against blistery winters, its versatile nature and in-demand status mean that it’s widely available in varying weights, lengths, and tones.

Resilient features make tweed coats ideal for the stormier seasons, but lightweight options are also enticing offers for breezy summer months and cool, dry spells.

Because tweed is one of the most adaptable fabrics on the market, it’s hard to go wrong with such a coat at any time of the year. Here are some tips on what to look for each season.

Spring

As the weather warms, look for shorter tweed coats that are still dense with wool for the occasional storm, but with lighter lining. The end of winter marks a celebration of colour, so play with pastel shades, all shades of green, and even bright hues like purple and yellow for you fashionistas.

Summer

"Lightweight tweed" refers to a modernised twist on the traditionally heavy fabric. Look for cream, light brown, or pastel coloured coats with a higher cotton content. Tweed which has been woven with combed or carded cotton, in particular, will give your coat a soft, lighter feel, and it will quickly become a staple in your summer closet.

Autumn

While tweed coats of all lengths are appropriate in this versatile season, start considering your lengthier options. Both outer and inner pockets will keep your essentials close and your hands toasty as the temperature drops. Look for warm, dark hues like burgundy and deep brown and to acknowledge the arrival of falling leaves and lit fireplaces.

Winter

Look for thick, heavy tweeds with a high or pure wool content - this will keep you warm and water-resistant throughout the season, while inner quilted lining will give you an extra bundle boost. Maroons, navy blues, forest greens, varying shades of grey are all appropriate colours to don this season, as are most darker hues.

How to Style a Tweed Coat

Styling your coat depends on both your own personal style, what you already have in your closet, and what you plan on doing while wearing it. Because tweed is often earthy and muted in tone, the same coat can be used to complement and top off several different looks, so experiment away!

Matching Your Style

Fashionista

• Outfit Example - Black ripped jeans, loafers, knitted sweater - throw on an oversized tweed coat to finish the look! Since you likely won’t be doing anything too heavy duty, you can play with lighter fabrics and delicate colours.
• Other Accessories - Try adding a contrasting flat cap.

Rebel

• Outfit Example - Dark wash skinny jeans, lace-up combat boots, black cotton shirt, and semi-fitted tweed coat. If in doubt, go dark, but you can play with shades other than black: maroon, deep browns, greys, and navy will add to your brooding mystique.
• Other Accessories - Slap on a classic leather belt. 

Country Gent

• Outfit Example - Cord trousers, flat cap, and semi-fitted tweed coat. Layer and combine rugged textures like denim, wool, and leather to complement the tweed. You can experiment with polished but more purpose-driven coats to lock in that fresh-from-the-country charm.
• Other Accessories - A waistcoat and tie will polish off your charismatic look.

Hipster

• Outfit Example - Glasses, tightly-fitted trousers, short-sleeve button-up, suspenders, ankle boots, and a fitted tweed coat. A book carefully poised in your man bag will work wonders. Bright colours and bold patterns are your friends, but keep some simple elements for maximum sophistication.
• Other Accessories - Slip on a pair of shooting socks and a cardigan to top off your edge.

Casual Chap

• Outfit Example - Blue jeans, crisp sneakers, cotton jumper or cardigan, and semi-fitted tweed coat. Pair the tweed with comfortable, inviting textures to embody the relaxed look.
• Other Accessories - A country baseball cap will seal in your laid-back vibe.

Choosing Colours

There are so many colours to choose from, including various tones of sage, red stripes, forest green, and assorted hues of beige and brown.

Make sure to pick a colour that goes with most articles in your current wardrobe so that you can wear your new coat with everything!