Worn together, a tweed jacket and sweater is a classic combination that has been around for a long time. Many traditional tweeds lend themselves to being worn with a variety of sweaters, and it's a perfect way to beat the cold. It's a highly flexible combination; the jacket can be removed if one gets too warm, and outdoors the jacket can function in place of an coat. However, in some modern indoor settings, this combination of tweed and sweaters can also be too warm. It works best in colder climates, or if one is going to be outdoors. Some people might think that it's an old-fashioned style, but nothing could be further from the truth.
Dirty Harry (1971). Tough guy cop Harry Callahan, played by Clint Eastwood, was cast in this sort of straight edge style.
Three Days of the Condor (1975). Robert Redford also wore tweed and a sweater in this classic thriller.
Cambridge, England, 1980. Favored by university students in Britain,
College Campus, 1979. And, of course, also by academic sorts.
Ships in Tokyo has that Shaggy Dog thing going.
I suppose I often give old catalogs and magazines a nod for the inspiration, discoveries and connection to the past that they often contain. However, while the past can inform the present, it is also worthwhile observing the how traditional style is being interpreted in the contemporary press of today. The Japanese magazine, Leon, is one of my favorite monthly reference points. It's a magazine with a fun perspective that doesn't take itself too seriously. I enjoy that. The images below, from Snap Leon (Vol. 2, 6, 8), and show a variety of tweed & sweater combinations.
When the weather gets cold and stays cold, a tweed jacket and a sweater is an everyday combination that works hard at keeping one warm. Shetlands and lighter weight sweaters like Merino wool cardigans and v-necks pair well with tweed.
