What Is A Tweed Coat?

When you were a child, were you fascinated by the British gentlemen and ladies wearing tweed coats in movies and TV dramas? Indeed, tweed coats have such a magic: they can make those who wear them look elegant, noble and stylish. From a practical point of view, a tweed coats is also a good choice for autumn. They tend to be warmer than a trench coat without being as bulky as a cotton-padded jacket. So in mid or late autumn, you can consider buying a tweed coat.

Even though you are not familiar with tweed coats and do not know how to choose one that is suitable for you, it does not matter. In this passage, we will satisfy all your needs. Firstly, we will tell you the origin of the fabric tweed. Later, suggestions on choosing, accessorizing and matching a tweed coat will be provided for you.

Tweed is a fabric that originated in Scotland. Originally, tweed was made entirely of wool. As a result, coats made from tweed were very warm but also heavy and rough. Therefore, people who would like to wear a tweed coat hundreds of years ago were mostly males. For slim ladies, a tweed coat would hinder their movements and chafe their delicate skin to some extent.

In the 19th century, workers would soak tweed in soapy water and beat the fabric with sticks to make it less rough. With the improvement of industrialization, wool textile technology has also been improved and upgraded. In addition, cotton threads were also added to tweed. In that era, tweed was no longer made of pure wool, which greatly changed the properties of tweed, making it softer and more colorful. Although some lighter tweed fabrics had begun to be used in the production of women's clothing, in the Victorian era, the most mainstream use of tweed was still to make men's clothing. When Sherlock Holmes is mentioned, the image that comes to your mind is probably a gentleman in a tweed coat and a deerstalker hat, with a cane and a pipe, and that is enough to show that tweed coats were very commonly seen among Victorian gentlemen.

It was after entering the 20th century that women's coats made of tweed became more fashionable. The improved tweed also became softer, more elastic and less prone to wrinkling. As more and more women started to work, they also have a demand for blazers. Tweed, a fabric that is not easily deformed is perfect for making blazers. Therefore, in the 20th century, tweed coats became increasingly popular among women.

Today, there are many tweed coats designed and made specifically for women. The days when tweed coats were only worn by men are long gone. However, since tweed is a relatively delicate fabric, special care needs to be taken when cleaning and washing it. If you can wash it by hand, it is better not to use a washing machine to wash your tweed coat. In addition, the temperature of the water used when washing a tweed coat should also not be too high. When drying a tweed coat, it is better to lay it flat on a table rather than hanging it. Otherwise, the tweed coat might be stretched.

It could be said that a tweed coat is one of the symbols of classic British style. Now with the rise of retro style, tweed coats have come back to people’s views. But like any other ancient clothing, in the long process of development, tweed coats have also evolved into many different types. So how can you find the tweed coat that suits you best?

The first and most intuitive difference is the length. You must know that the most classic style is a long coat that goes over the knee. This is true not only for men's coats, but also for women's coats. So if you are a big fan of the retro style, then do not hesitate to choose a longer tweed coat that exceeds your knees. But if you prefer a simple and tidy style and think that a long coat is of little use except hindering your movement, then you can of course choose a cropped tweed coat.

The choice of fabric also matters. People who do not know about tweed may be confused. Tweed is exactly tweed. How can we comprehend the “choice of fabric”? Actually, tweed can be further divided into several different subbranches. For example, “Shepfords” is a kind of tweed with square texture, while “Haring” is with Fish bone shaped texture. Among all the subbranches, “Harriss” is purely handmade, so this fabric is more expensive. You can choose fabrics with different textures and characteristics according to your own preferences.

Moreover, the style and shape of the tweed coat should go well with your figure shape. To increase the volume of shoulders, ladies with “pear shape” figures can choose a tweed coat with wider sleeves and shoulder pads. It is better for petite ladies not to choose too long tweed coats. Otherwise, their defect of figure will be further emphasized. There is no doubt that a mid-length or cropped tweed coat is more suitable for them.

Last but not least, even today, most of the tweed coats we can see on the streets are in black or brown. Indeed, these colors are more compatible for autumn and winter seasons. But that does not mean it is wrong to try bright colors. If you choose brighter colors, you will bring more energy to your surroundings.

In autumn and winter, a tweed coat is not only your weapon against the cold, but also your magic too for being a stylish lady. But a tweed coat alone is not enough to make you a fashion expert. You need some accessories to pair with it.

First of all, you need a pair of high heels or leather shoes to combine with a tweed coat. They go quite well with the elegance of a tweed coat. On the contrary, a pair of sneakers is not compatible with the tweed coat. Besides, a pair of sandals looks a little bit sloppy in contrast with the tweed coat. The jewelry that goes with a tweed coat does not have to be flashy, but it should be sophisticated. Since tweed is a relatively luxurious fabric, the jewelry that goes with it should not be tacky. So, it does not matter if your earrings and necklace are not eye-catching enough. As long as their combination with the tweed coat is harmonious, then they are right.

A tweed coat is relatively picky about the hats that combined with it. Because except a beret, other types of hats hardly go well with it. Can you imagine the scene that you are wearing a tweed coat with a bucket hat, a peaked cap, or even a straw hat? These combinations are really strange, right? Although Sherlock Holmes always paired his tweed coat with a deerstalker hat, it is better for you to ignore this combination unless you would like to cosplay a detective.

A belt is a must-have to pair with the tweed coat. Even if you do not actually wear this belt, you can tie it on the back of your coat as a decoration. Especially for ladies with the rectangular figure shape, a belt is a good choice to show your curve. Nowadays, most tweed coats come with belts themselves just like trench coats. So you do not need to choose a belt on your own.

As for your choice of bags, both a clutch and a tote bag can be compatible with a tweed coat. But remember that do not take a backpack or a messenger with you when wearing a tweed coat. If so, the whole outfit will look nondescript.

Now let us come to the last step: choose other clothes to pair with the tweed coat. In most cases, the colors of tweed coats are relatively monotonous. So it can be paired with more colorful sweaters, pants, dresses or other garments to create different feelings.

A long tweed coat+ a dress + a pair of boots
This outfit will create a sense of laying. Meanwhile, a pair of long boots can ensure that your legs are not exposed over a large area, thus ensuring warmth. This outfit is very versatile, suitable for both commuting and street photography. It makes you look both elegant and capable. But as mentioned above, petite ladies can just ignore this outfit.

A cropped tweed coat + a pair of wide leg pants
Generally speaking, longer tweed coats tend to be looser, while shorter ones tend to be tighter. Therefore, the combination of a cropped tweed coat and a pair of wide leg pants will create a contrast between tight on top and loose on the bottom. Compared with the above one, this outfit is more suitable for petite ladies of course.

A long tweed coat + a dress longer than the coat
Making the dress inside longer than the tweed coat outside is also a good way to create a layered sense. At the same time, an ankle-length skirt can also effectively keep you warm. You can choose a dress with ruffles on the hem, so that as you walk, your dress and coat will sway beautifully.

A cropped tweed coat +a mock neck sweater+ a pair of jeans
This outfit is relatively casual. And this may also be the most everyday combination. This outfit will not make you look out of place no matter where you are. If your neck is relatively short, you can change your mock neck sweater to a round neck one, but it is better not to wear a shirt under a lapel tweed coat, otherwise the lapels of the two will conflict with each other.