TAKE THE COUNTRY TO THE CITY... AND BEYOND!
TARTAN, TWEED AND CHECK – traditionally all available in heavyduty, robust fabrics desired by posh country folk or the horsey set. Immediately I think of Kate Middleton, Downton Abbey and my grandma. I remember her going to Mass in musty oversized jackets, sometimes she wore a matching pinafore with a silky peep-collar blouse or a pleated skirt. Back then it made you look smart and regal and it was lined with satin (how fancy) so fine you’d be afraid to wash it.
Fast forward 20 years and designers have lovingly spun all three into much softer, slouchy renditions with slivers of poppy neon thread, cool mismatched buttons and double breast pockets. Take Raf Simons’ boxy old man tweed coats slung over floor-grazing prairie dresses at Calvin Klein or Phoebe Philo’s orange tweed coats with chunky clashing knits at Prada. Marc Jacobs played with exaggerated proportions that hark back to the 1980s – voluminous silk floral ruffles layered with oversized tweed coats. Then there’s Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel – no one has done more to elevate the fashion status of tweed.
On the high street, there are always some hefty discounts on old-season jackets in Kildare Village and TK Maxx. Jaeger and Hobbs are always a good place to root for fusty wool-blend styles – chocolate, camel and butterscotch shades are all extremely wearable. One of my new discoveries is Parisian brand Iro (iroparis.com). Pieces are on the pricier side but they offers both structured and slouchier cuts in cool textures – I have my eye on an oversized blazer coat for winter they’ve named ‘Trouble’, which comes in a smoky and grey wool mix. Alternatively, if you’re thinking of shaking off an old reliable from the back of the wardrobe, it’s worth looking into a good wool shampoo or having it re-lined to freshen it up.
How to wear the fabrics now? The best way to keep tweed or tartan modern is to pair them with something unexpected – a leather skirt, biker boots and a swishy tunic dress or a sporty turtleneck. Think vibrant, unexpected colour combinations like burnt orange, teal green and turquoise, which go wonderfully with all those fusty, grandma coats. I also think a tweed midi-skirt with an oversized knit or tailored blazer-style jacket that cradles your hips are your best bets. Wear the balzer with skinny jeans, silky printed blouses and T-shirts.
I am already imagining my Trouble coat with high-waist frayed jeans and kitten heels – there’s something about the bulk of the coat that makes for a flattering silhouette with softer denim.
The pitfalls? Chunky heritage fabrics are always the focal point of an outfit so keep your bottom half simple and avoid more literal looks like matching jackets and skirts. Lagerfeld can match a chunky embellished tweed twin-set down a runway but in real life it holds far less possibility.