Tweed

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This article is about the cloth. For the river in Scotland and England, see River Tweed. For other uses, see Tweed (disambiguation).
Harris Tweed woven in a herringbone twill pattern, mid-20th century

Tweed is a rough, woolen fabric, of a soft, open, flexible texture, resembling cheviot or homespun, but more closely woven. It is usually woven with a plain weave, twill or herringbone structure. Colour effects in the yarn may be obtained by mixing dyed wool before it is spun.[1]

Tweeds are an icon of traditional Scottish and Irish clothing, being desirable for informal outerwear,[2] due to the material being moisture-resistant and durable. Tweeds are made to withstand harsh climates[3] and are commonly worn for outdoor activities such as shooting and hunting, in both Ireland and Scotland. In Ireland, tweed manufacturing is most associated with County Donegal.

Etymology

The original name of the cloth was tweel, Scots for twill, the material being woven in a twilled rather than a plain pattern. A traditional story has the name coming about almost by chance. Around 1831, a London merchant received a letter from a Hawick firm, Wm. Watson & Sons, Dangerfield Mills about some "tweels". The merchant misinterpreted the handwriting, understanding it to be a trade-name taken from the river Tweed that flows through the Scottish Borders textile area. The goods were subsequently advertised as Tweed and the name has remained since.[4]

Associations

Tweed making at a mill in Wales, 1940

Traditionally used for upper-class country clothing like shooting jackets, tweed became popular among the Edwardian middle classes who associated it with the leisurely pursuits of the elite.[5] Due to their durability tweed Norfolk jackets and plus-fours were a popular choice[6] for hunters, cyclists, golfers and early motorists, hence Kenneth Grahame's depiction of Mr. Toad in a Harris tweed suit.[7] Popular patterns include houndstooth,[8] associated with 1960s fashion, Windowpane, gamekeeper's tweed worn by academics, Prince of Wales check, originally commissioned by Edward VII, and herringbone.[9]

During the 2000s and 2010s, it was not uncommon for members of long-established British and American land-owning families to wear high quality heirloom tweed inherited from their grandparents, some of which pre-dated the Second World War.[10][11]

In modern times, cyclists may wear tweed when they ride vintage bicycles on a Tweed Run.[12] This practice has its roots in the British young fogey and hipster subcultures of the late 2000s and early 2010s, whose adherents appreciate both vintage tweed, and bicycles.[13]

Bike in Tweed, Stockholm 2013

Musical instruments

Some vintage Danemann upright pianos have a tweed cloth backing to protect the internal mechanism. Occasionally, Scottish bagpipes were covered in tweed as an alternative to tartan wool.[14]

The term "tweed" is used to describe coverings on instrument cables and vintage or retro guitar amplifiers, such as the Fender tweed and Fender Tweed Deluxe.[15] Despite the common terminology, these coverings were cotton twill, and not actually tweed.

In fiction

Tweed was worn by many fictional characters from the Victorian and Edwardian periods, including the detective Sherlock Holmes. Basil Rathbone and Jeremy Brett both wore keeper's tweed deerstalkers and Inverness capes, but more recent portrayals of Sherlock have abandoned the hat. Although Robert Downey Jr.'s character wore a fedora, both he and Doctor Watson wore tweed overcoats, as was then fashionable in Victorian England. Due to the popularity of Benedict Cumberbatch's portrayal of Sherlock, the tweed overcoat entered high fashion in the 2010s.[16]

Television actors playing intellectuals or older men often wear Harris tweed, including Anthony Head in Buffy the Vampire Slayer[17] and Mads Mikkelsen as Hannibal Lecter. Notable movie characters who have worn tweed include Sean Connery in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and Harrison Ford himself in the opening scenes of Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull.

Additionally, windowpane tweed suits are frequently worn by actors portraying members of the English upper classes, such as Hugh Fraser in Agatha Christie's Poirot, Peter Davison as Campion, or the male cast of Downton Abbey.[18]

Tweed sportcoats were also worn by several incarnations of The Doctor from Doctor Who, including the Second Doctor, Seventh Doctor and Eleventh Doctor. For Matt Smith's Doctor, the BBC used cloth sourced from China rather than genuine Harris Tweed.[19]

Types of tweed

  • Harris Tweed: A handwoven tweed, defined in the Harris Tweed Act of 1993 as cloth that is "Handwoven by the islanders at their homes in the Outer Hebrides, finished in the Outer Hebrides, and made from pure virgin wool dyed and spun in the Outer Hebrides".[20]
  • Donegal tweed: A handwoven tweed manufactured in County Donegal, Ireland. Donegal has for centuries been producing tweed from local materials. Sheep thrive in the hills and bogs of Donegal, and indigenous plants such as blackberries, gorse (whins), and moss provide dyes.
  • Silk tweed: A fabric made of raw silk with flecks of colour typical of woollen tweeds.

Gallery

  • Logo of the Harris Tweed authority
    Logo of the Harris Tweed authority
  • Prince of Wales check, frequently used to make overcoats and sportcoats in the 1950s
    Prince of Wales check, frequently used to make overcoats and sportcoats in the 1950s
  • Example of the herringbone pattern, a popular choice for suits and outerwear
    Example of the herringbone pattern, a popular choice for suits and outerwear
  • Houndstooth, the basis of the keeper's tweed popular among the upper classes from the 1860s until the 1930s
    Houndstooth, the basis of the keeper's tweed popular among the upper classes from the 1860s until the 1930s
  • Grey Donegal Tweed sportcoat
    Grey Donegal Tweed sportcoat
  • A deerstalker hat made of district or gamekeeper's tweed (contrasting mustard, green and brown checks)
    A deerstalker hat made of district or gamekeeper's tweed (contrasting mustard, green and brown checks)
  • Windowpane tweed popular in the late 19th century and again in the 1970s
    Windowpane tweed popular in the late 19th century and again in the 1970s
  • Frederick III with his young son Wilhelm wearing highland dress including tweed kilt jacket
    Frederick III with his young son Wilhelm wearing highland dress including tweed kilt jacket
  • Hunting apparel belonging to Gustaf V of Sweden, 1930s.
    Hunting apparel belonging to Gustaf V of Sweden, 1930s.
  • Harris Tweed Nike
    Harris Tweed Nike
  • Tweed Fender guitar amplifier (actually cotton twill and not tweed)
    Tweed Fender guitar amplifier (actually cotton twill and not tweed)
  • Charlie Hunter (left) watches as Old Tom Morris plays a shot in 1863 at Prestwick. Both of the players are wearing the traditional tweeds.
    Charlie Hunter (left) watches as Old Tom Morris plays a shot in 1863 at Prestwick. Both of the players are wearing the traditional tweeds.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "Harris Tweed - The Cloth". The Harris Tweed Authority. Archived from the original on 15 August 2015. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  2. ^ Fashion Institute of Technology (2006). ""The Tailor's Art" | Menswear Fabrics - A Glossary". The Museum at FIT. Archived from the original on 2 June 2007. Retrieved 24 November 2008.
  3. ^ "Tweed Jackets | A Closely Woven Thing". Cad & the Dandy. 20 November 2015. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  4. ^ Kirkpatrick, Betty (2015). Treacle, Toast and Tweed ... English Word Origins for Language Lovers. Crombie Jardine Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1326384066.
  5. ^ Edward Minister and Son (August 1872). "The Norfolk Jacket". Gazette of fashion, and cutting-room companion. 27 (316). Simpkin, Marshall & Co: 31.
  6. ^ Dutton, Edward (22 August 2014). "How to wear a tweed suit in the 21st century". A Suit That Fits. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  7. ^ loopy_lucy14 (31 October 1997). "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride (1996)". IMDb. Retrieved 27 July 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ Dunbar, John Telfer (1984). The Costume of Scotland. London: Batsford. ISBN 0-7134-2534-2.
  9. ^ "The RL Style Guide | Glossary | Herringbone". Ralph Lauren. Archived from the original on 19 September 2008. Retrieved 24 November 2008.
  10. ^ "Nigel Cabourn DB Tweed Jacket - Rare Classic Quality?". Grey Fox. 5 September 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  11. ^ Bath, Richard (25 July 2009). "Richard Bath: In defence of tweed". The Scotsman. JPIMedia Ltd. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  12. ^ Hutchinson, John (13 April 2013). "Doff your cap for the cyclists in tweed! Race celebrating everything British takes place in London for fifth anniversary". Daily Mail. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  13. ^ "#TheChapMag Vintage Garments". The Chap Magazine. 11 September 2012. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  14. ^ Price, Richard (16 March 2013). "Harris Tweed Bagpipe Covers". The Big Cloth and Me. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  15. ^ Hunter, Dave (July 2012). "The Fender 5F4 Super Amp". Vintage Guitar. pp. 50–52.
  16. ^ Armstrong, Lisa (20 January 2012). "It's elementary – let's have Holmes's coat". Telegraph.co.uk. Telegraph Media Group Limited. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  17. ^ "Rupert Giles (Character)". IMDb. Archived from the original on 25 February 2011. Retrieved 22 August 2011.
  18. ^ Larisa, Brown (8 January 2013). "How to dress like Downton Abbey: Savile Row tailors showcase outfits of the 1920s at London Menswear Fashion Week". Daily Mail Online. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  19. ^ "BBC infuriates Scots by sourcing Doctor Who's 'Harris Tweed' jackets in China". Daily Mail Online. 23 May 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  20. ^ "About Us - Guardians of the Orb". The Harris Tweed Authority. Archived from the original on 8 March 2013. Retrieved 1 August 2015.

References

External links

  • Media related to Tweed at Wikimedia Commons
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