honestly, it never even occurred to me that someone can look like a dork in tweed. i recognize that you can look like an old man. but it's easily my favorite fabric and I've always found it super charming.
if you're getting your first tweed sport coat, get a mid- or dark brown sport coat. this will be easier to wear with grey pants, which are a staple in a tailored wardrobe. they can also be worn with other things.
a brown tweed can be worn with blue jeans, tan chinos, taupe whipcords, cream cavalry twills, and grey flannel trousers. pair with light blue oxford cloth button downs, crewneck sweaters, turtlenecks, or long-sleeve polos. can be worn with or without a tie.
a grey tweed is also very nice, especially if you plan to primarily wear it with jeans. but depending on the specifics of the two garments, you may find it harder to wear with grey trousers (a staple of a tailored wardrobe).
i think grey tweeds work especially well in the evening because it's a more elegant color than brown. nice for getting dinner, if you can round up friends who also like to dress up.
a third or fourth tweed down the line can be in sage green or blue (i think blue tweeds are easier to wear when they have a grey undertone. this makes the color cooler, rather than warmer, and will pair easier with cool colors that likely dominate your wardrobe)
tweed can be whatever you want it to be: sporty or academic, semi-formal with a tie, or very casual with a Shetland sweater.
when in doubt, know that it's a rustic material, so it pairs better with colors like brown instead of navy, materials like whipcord and corduroy instead of worsted wool, and semi-casual leathers like suede or county grain instead of polished calfskin
some tweeds come off as a bit old fashioned. i love the look but recognize not everyone does. toothy checks like gun clubs can come off like this. if you're worried about it, try herringbones, glen plaids, or donegals, which are more neutral.
if a sport coat feels too formal for your lifestyle, try a tweed overcoat. these can be worn with tailored trousers or jeans. you will likely need some kind of knit underneath to balance out the visual weight of the coat. try Arans, Shetlands, turtlenecks, and such.
anyway, tweeds are great and you should try them. here are some tweeds with a dog.
to answer the question I know is coming: "where can i buy one?" here are some stores that i like for ready-to-wear tailoring. it's early in the season, so fall stock is still coming in.
If you're just dipping your toes into tailored clothing, start with a navy sport coat. This is something you can wear with a button-up shirt and pair of trousers, or something as casual as a t-shirt and some jeans. It's easily the most versatile jacket.
Key is to get something with texture so it doesn't look like an orphaned suit jacket. Spier & Mackay has great semi-affordable tailoring. Their navy hopsack Moro is made from pure wool and a half-canvas to give it shape. Classic proportions and soft natural shoulder
There's a pervasive belief that we no longer produce clothes in the United States. This is not true. In this thread, I will tell you about some great made-in-USA brands — some that run their own factories, while others are US brands contracting with US factories. 🧵
I should first note this thread focuses on well-made, stylish clothes produced in ethical conditions. For me, producing in the US is not enough. It means nothing if the clothes are ugly, crappy, or produced in sweatshop conditions. My article for The Nation below.
JEANS
Gustin produces MiUSA jeans using raw Japanese denim. "Raw" means the fabric hasn't been pre-distressed, allowing it to naturally fade with use, reflecting your actual body and lifestyle. I like their fuller 1968 Vintage Straight fit. They also do lots of other stuff.
Let's first establish good vs bad ways to think about style. The first pic is correct — style is a kind of social language and you have to figure out what type of person you are. The second pic is stupid bc it takes style as disconnected objects ("this is in" vs "this is out").
I should also note here that I'm only talking about style. I'm not here to argue with you about ergonomics, water bottle holders, or whether something accommodates your Dell laptop. I'm am talking about aesthetics.
Watch these two videos. Then answer these two questions:
— Which of the two men is better dressed?
— How does each come off?
I think Carney is better dressed, partly because his clothes fit better. Notice that his jacket collar always hugs his neck, while Pierre Poilievre's jacket collar never touches him.
The level of craftsmanship that goes into a lot of Japanese menswear simply doesn't exist in the United States. You can do this for many categories — suits, jeans, hats, etc.
In this thread, I will show you just one category: men's shoes 🧵
For this comparison, I will focus on Japanese bespoke shoemaking vs. US ready-to-wear. The level of bespoke craftsmanship shown here simply doesn't exist in the US, so a Japanese bespoke vs. US bespoke comparison would be unfair. US bespoke is mostly about orthopedic work.
So instead, I will focus on the best that the US has to offer: ready-to-wear Alden.
On a basic level, top-end Japanese shoes are better because they are handwelted, whereas Alden shoes are Goodyear welted. The first involves more handwork and can be resoled more often.
In 1999, a group of Haitians were tired of political disorder and dreamed of a better life in the United States. So they built a small, 23-foot boat by hand using pine trees, scrap wood, and used nails. They called the boat "Believe in God." 🧵
In a boat powered by nothing but a sail, they somehow made it from Tortuga Island to the Bahamas (about a 90 mile distance). Then from the Bahamas, they set sail again. But a few days and some hundred miles later, their makeshift boat began to sink.
The men on the boat were so dehydrated this point, one slipped in and out of consciousness, unable to stand. They were all resigned to their death.
Luckily, they were rescued at the last minute by the US Coast Guard.