tweed plus-fours and vest

Plus-fours allow shooting stockings to be worn easily over them and obviate any nasty gaps. Plus-sixes (falling six inches below the knee) allow enough overhang for rain to drip over boots rather than into them. Many people stock good ones, including Oliver Brown, Farlow’s,

William Evans, Cordings, Purdey and Holland & Holland.

I have mine made by Jeremy Shaw of Carters Countrywear, who builds them with matching tweed shooting vests. These are very useful on dry days, as they incorporate a recoil absorption patch and have good loading pockets for single-gun days. He also makes them with matching tweed jackets. These look smart when you arrive at the shoot but few actually shoot in them. The exceptions are those who have Norfolk shooting jackets with small lapels that don’t fall over the shoulder when you mount the gun. Anything that protrudes over this area is to be avoided.