3 Ways to Wear
a Tweed Blazer
A smart, seasonal way
to dress up this winter
It’s hard to beat the form and function of tweed this time of year—even with stiff competition from seasonal heavyweights like corduroy or moleskin. A tweed blazer is a menswear staple that is rugged yet refined, not to mention warm and comfortable. You can get lost in the “need for tweed” because there are many versions of the hardwearing fabric, but one of the most notable is herringbone. The material was long embraced by outdoorsy British gentlemen for such endeavors as hunting and shooting, but soon found its way into more formal and casual wardrobes of Americans.
The preppy set, characterized by a classic and conservative look associated with Ivy League and East Coast American collegiate fashion, adopted tweed as part of their signature look. Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate gave a textbook look on how to pull off a collegiate look, while Robert Redford pulled off a similar outfit in a more professional (espionage) way in his film Spy Game. Both looks are timeless, but the man who showed there's no one way to wear it was Jean-Michel Basquiat.
The downtown artist exuded the duality of the jacket, so much so that the modern Savile Row tailor Cad & The Dandy replicated a tweed blazer from a portrait taken in 1984 by Richard Corman for a feature in Uomo Vogue. Tailoring consultant Chuck Pollard and Managing Director Steve Knorsch said that Corman wore a tweed jacket to the studio that day and Basquiat just grabbed it and threw it on with what he had been wearing. It worked beautifully, pairing a light gray oxford stripe shirt and casual ivory khaki trousers in perfect slouchy simplicity. The resulting images show the power of personal style married with timeless elegance. Want to toe the line of business-professional and a laid-back nonchalance? Grab a tweed blazer and revel in its versatility. We tapped the team from Cad & The Dandy to style the brand's bespoke blazer three different ways for the modern-day gentleman.
3 Ways to Wear
a Tweed Blazer
1
A Basquiat-Inspired Fit
The replica jacket featured is fully bespoke from Cad & The Dandy in a black and white herringbone tweed cloth by Moon. It's styled similarly to Jean-Michel Basquiat with cotton trousers in cloth by Fox Brothers and a striped oxford cloth button-down shirt cut from Thomas Mason fabric.
1) Bespoke tweed blazer,
from $1,800 by Cad & The Dandy
2) Bespoke dress shirt,
$260 by Cad & The Dandy
3) Bespoke dress trouser,
from $500 by Cad & The Dandy
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2
Cocktail
Hour
Gallery opening, or headed out for cocktails? Adding a bit of sophistication, pair the tweed jacket with corduroy trousers and a simple black cashmere rollneck sweater. Finish it off with a wool pocket square and some Belgian shoes.
1) Bespoke tweed blazer,
from $1,800 by Cad & The Dandy
2) Hanalei sunglasses, $590 by Mr. Leight
3) Cashmere turtleneck sweater,
$99.90 by UNIQLO
4) Printed wool and silk-blend
voile pocket square,
$80 by Mr P.
5) Madison corduroy suit pant,
$298 by Todd Snyder
6) Henri all calf shoe, $675 by Belgian Shoes
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3
A Style Lesson
in Tweed
For a more relaxed “professorial” look, layer the same herringbone tweed jacket over a classic white button-down and a black tie. Pair it with some wide-leg jeans and classic suede desert boots.
1) Bespoke tweed blazer,
from $1,800 by Cad & The Dandy
2) Zolman glasses, $320 by Moscot
3) Original polo
button-down oxford shirt,
$98.50 / $68.95 by Brooks Brothers
4) Grenadine necktie, $180 by Cad & The Dandy
5) Brakeman jean, $187 by Cathcart
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Brush your tweed.
Tweed can attract dust and lint, so use a soft-bristled clothing brush that gently removes surface dirt. Brush in the direction of the fabric weave to avoid damaging the fibers.
Delicates clothing brush,
$40 by Housework
More Affordable Options
If you don’t have the time (or cash) to go fully custom, there are more affordable off-the-rack options from brands like Todd Snyder and Buck Mason—both of whom made solid jackets that retail for less than $800.
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