The timeless texture of tweed

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 02/10/2004 (7840 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MOVE over, Sherlock Holmes — there’s a new detective in town. OK, maybe not a new crime solver, but an updated version of the ficitional super sleuth’s trademark tweed cape is front and centre when it comes to hot fabrics and textures for fall 2004. This tweedy trend may be particularly popular this season, but the fabric has always been in fashion. Since the early 17th century, tweed has been a staple — whether it was to warm up shepherds on the foggy Scottish Highlands or to cover the chic handbag collection from Burberry of London. And any fabric that has stood the test of time — through the basic necessities of the 1800s to the high fashion of the early ’20s to the debonair jacket your English professor wore — deserves a little shout-out.

This season, those same woven textile in hues of warm gold, soft brown, coal black and creamy white are being reshaped and restructured into some of the fall’s most desirable frocks.

By far my favourite tweed item so far is a pair of pants I saw at Aritzia in Vancouver last month. In both brown and grey tones, fitted at the waist with a boy-pant button, slender to hug the hips then cuffed and flared out at the bottom, these Marlene Dietrich-inspired pants were the epitome of sophistication.

A similar pair was spotted by my wandering eye at Zara on Robson Street. The difference? The Zara pair came with a cute thin brown leather belt with rectangular clasp that was to be worn around the hips.

I know Winnipeg has not yet been blessed with an Aritzia or a Zara, but it’s not hard to find a pair of stylish tweeds here in the ‘Peg. All you have to do is be patient, visit some higher-end stores and don’t be fooled by tweed pants that may look similar at a discounted price. Odds are they will be really rough inside, and no one likes walking around with a burlap sack rubbing against their thighs.

Tweed jackets are also a great way to incorporate this versatile fabric into your wardrobe. I’m not sure if I’m entirely fond of tweed trim or tweed patches, but what I do recommend is either a long trench style or short blazer in tweed with a double breast.

If you’re going for a more casual look, try to find a jacket that goes no longer than just above your hips — the area where a low-rise pant might start — and funk it up a bit with some vintage brooches. Belted tweed jackets, trench style or waist cut, are also a great way to wear tweed.

I recently spotted a tweed waist-length jacket that was fur-trimmed around the collar and had a pretty brown satin ribbon for a belt. This would look great as a dressier piece to wear out for dinner, teamed up with a pencil skirt and pair of sleek stilettos.

If you’re not ready to wear your tweeds, try accessorizing with them.

Aldo has a great pair of kitten-heel brown and pink tweed pumps with a pink bow detail that would match so well with a pair of jeans and an off-the-shoulder pink sweater. You can also pick up a Burberry-inspired purse from just about any bag store. For the real thing, shop online.