Dressing Up The Tweed Sport Coat

Tweeds hail from the leisure traditions of the English countryside, and offer you a more relaxed look than your workday suit—but that doesn’t mean your tailored tweed sport coat can’t look fantastic. Tweeds are a perfect bridge between dressy and casual options in your wardrobe: it’s all in the pairings you create.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Consider adding a light-gauge sweater under the jacket. A vest offers another great opportunity to add a splash of color without overwhelming the eye.
• If you’re looking for a lighter option, skip the sweater or vest, and bring in one of your more casual ties. A tweed sport coat looks great over a checked shirt with a plaid tie.
• Don’t forget to accessorize—a pocket square can work with a tweed jacket. Be sure to choose colors for your square that work well with the jacket. Matte fabrics will often harmonize better with tweed than will shiny ones.
• Jeans, corduroy or cotton trousers, and wool gabardine or flannel trousers can all work well with a tweed jacket. Try pairing your tweed jacket with a variety of items from your wardrobe to get the most value out of this comfortable—yet stylish—option.