The short answer: a tweed blazer is a jacket made from tweed, a rough-textured woven wool with flecks of colour, originally from Scotland. It is warm, hard-wearing and naturally casual, so it works over jeans, a knit and boots as well as with tailored trousers. Choose a fitted single-breasted cut for a classic look and a boxier cut for a modern one, and keep the rest of the outfit plain so the texture stands out.
Tweed is the most searched blazer fabric of autumn, and it is one of the few cloths that looks better with age. This guide explains what tweed is, how it differs from bouclé, check and herringbone, and how to wear it now.
What is tweed?
Tweed is a woollen fabric woven from yarns that are often dyed in several colours before spinning, which gives it its characteristic fleck. It was developed for outdoor wear in Scotland and Ireland, so it is dense, a little coarse to the touch and very durable. Weaves vary: a plain tweed, a twill, a herringbone and a check can all be tweeds if the yarn has that rugged, flecked character.
Tweed, bouclé, herringbone and check: the difference
| Fabric | What it is | Feels |
|---|---|---|
| Tweed | A rough, flecked woollen cloth | Dense, rugged, countryside |
| Bouclé | A cloth woven from looped yarn, often associated with Parisian couture jackets | Nubbly, soft, dressier |
| Herringbone | A weave that forms a broken zigzag; can be tweed, can be fine worsted | Textured but sleek |
| Check | A pattern of crossing stripes; can be woven in tweed, in fine wool, in cashmere | Depends on the cloth |
In other words, herringbone and check describe the pattern; tweed and bouclé describe the cloth. Our guides to the herringbone blazer and the check blazer cover those in detail.
How to choose a tweed blazer
Weight. Traditional tweed is heavy and warm, a jacket you wear instead of a coat on a mild autumn day. Lighter tweeds and wool blends are easier to wear indoors.
Cut. A fitted single-breasted cut is the classic, the jacket of a country weekend. A boxy cut feels more modern. A double-breasted tweed has a lot of presence; keep everything else very simple.
Colour. Grey and brown are the most versatile. Green and heather tones are more traditional and look wonderful with denim.
Lining. Tweed can be scratchy. A full lining makes it comfortable over a T-shirt.
The best tweed blazers to buy now
- Max Mara Martora Single-Breasted Wool Tweed Jacket in Medium Grey: a single-breasted wool tweed jacket, also in brown.
- Erdem Tweed Fitted Single Breasted Blazer: a fitted, single-breasted cut.
- Leo Lin Lisa Appliqué Tweed Blazer in Midnight: tweed with applied decoration, the dressier option.
- Simkhai Claudina Tweed Blazer Dress: the tweed blazer worn as a dress.
For a full tweed suit, read our guide to Safiyaa tweed suits.
The tweed look without the tweed: textured wool checks
If you like the countryside character of tweed but want a softer, smarter cloth, look at textured wool checks. Blazé Milano, the Milan label known for its double-breasted blazers, does not describe any of its current cloths as tweed, but several of its checks deliver the same mood in finer wool and cashmere blends:
- Everyday Blazer in Olmida Green Mix: a green check in wool and cashmere with amber tortoiseshell-effect buttons, double-breasted and true to size.
- Everynight Blazer in Amandira Green and Red Mix: a green, blue and red check in virgin wool, oversized.
- Shelley Blazer in Amandira Green and Red Mix: the same cloth in a cropped single-breasted cut with a brown corduroy collar, which the brand describes as having a country feel.
- Hackney Jacket in Olmida Green Mix: a parka-inspired jacket in the Olmida wool and cashmere, with a removable hood.
How to wear a tweed blazer
Weekend: with jeans
The natural home of tweed. A tweed blazer, a white T-shirt and straight jeans, with flat boots, is one of the most reliable outfits in a wardrobe. For more ideas, read how to wear a blazer with jeans.
Office: with tailored trousers
Pair a tweed jacket with plain trousers in a solid colour picked from the fleck, grey with grey tweed, brown with brown, and a fine roll neck.
Evening: with silk
A tweed blazer over a silk slip skirt and a camisole plays rough against smooth, which is the most modern way to wear the fabric.
With a skirt
A tweed blazer with a matching skirt is the classic suit. A tweed jacket with a plain knee-length skirt in wool is a softer version.
What to avoid
Too much texture. A tweed jacket, a cable knit and a corduroy trouser can feel like a costume. Choose one textured piece and keep the others smooth.
Too heavy a jacket indoors. A thick tweed in a heated office is uncomfortable; save the heaviest tweeds for outdoors.
Ignoring the fit. Because tweed is stiff, a poor fit shows. The shoulder seam should end at your shoulder; see how a blazer should fit.
Tweed through the seasons
Tweed is an autumn and winter cloth first, at its best from September to March. In early autumn, wear a lighter tweed jacket as outerwear over a fine knit. In deep winter, layer it under a long coat, and choose a tweed with a full lining. Lightweight tweeds and wool blends can carry into a cool spring, worn with white denim and loafers.
Caring for tweed
Tweed is tough. Brush it after wearing to lift dust and keep the surface fresh, air it rather than washing it, and have it professionally cleaned only when it really needs it. Store it on a broad hanger. Always follow the care label.
Frequently asked questions
What is a tweed blazer?
A jacket made from tweed, a rough-textured, flecked woollen cloth that originated in Scotland and Ireland. It is warm and durable and has a naturally relaxed, countryside character.
How do you wear a tweed blazer?
Over jeans and a T-shirt for the weekend, with plain tailored trousers and a fine knit for the office, and over silk for evening. Keep the other pieces smooth so the texture stands out.
What is the difference between tweed and bouclé?
Tweed is a rough, flecked woollen cloth. Bouclé is woven from looped yarn, so it is nubbly and softer, and it is often associated with couture jackets.
Is tweed too warm for indoors?
Traditional heavy tweed can be. Lighter tweeds and wool blends are comfortable indoors.
Is herringbone the same as tweed?
No. Herringbone is a weave pattern. It can be woven in tweed, and it can be woven in fine smooth wool.
What colour tweed blazer is most versatile?
Grey and brown tweed go with the most colours. Green tweed is wonderful with denim.
Keep reading
The herringbone blazer. How to wear a check blazer. How to wear a double-breasted blazer. Browse all designer blazers.
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