It’s like Barrow Alaska cold today in New York. Fun Fact: Barrow Alaska is one of the coldest places in the world. Not even my UGGs or my full length down coat could keep me warm enough. The only solution was to stay inside as much as possible. If I had to commute to work tomorrow in weather like this it would be nearly impossible to get me out of bed. Yes, it’s time to break out those cold weather winter work fabrics like flannel, tweed and cashmere.
I want to talk about tweed in this post in this series because not only is it a trendy fabric right now but it’s a warm one– perfect for cold weather. However, tweed is also very traditional and, if you’re not careful, tweed worn in the wrong way can make you look like an old fart and not a chic savvy sophisticated professional. Looking to learn how to wear tweed in a cool, hip way? Well, I have some suggestions.
Who does tweed flatter?
Tweed fabrics have surface interest and texture. People who look best in tweed are people who have texture in their hair and skin. Why, you ask? Well, especially in the workplace, the goal is to be noticed over your clothing. When your clothing mimics what is going on in your hair and face a seamless quality is created– people notice you, not your clothing. The more texture in your hair and/or skin the more nubbiness or texture you can wear. Conversely, if you have very smooth skin and hair you run the risk of being overpowered in fabrics with a lot of surface interest. This is not to say that if you have smooth skin and hair that you cannot wear tweeds and textured fabrics, just keep the surface interest on the less bulky side.
Tweed and textured fabrics are like Botox
Here’s a little tip for hiding wrinkles that is a lot more cost effective than Botox. If you have wrinkled skin, try textured fabrics. As stated earlier, the more texture you have in your skin and/or hair the better textured fabric will look on you because it mimics your facial features and actually can camouflage wrinkles. This is why older women look great in bouclé jackets. Unlike shiny fabrics that cast a reflection and enhance wrinkles, textured fabrics do the opposite. That’s right, forget the needle and buy some tweed.
How to wear tweed and look chic at the same time
Here are some outfits I put together to further explain how to wear tweed and textured fabrics.
Look #1
When choosing tweed, to look youthful, the first tip is to choose modern or timeless silhouettes, like this classic dress by J. Crew and then add modern components. To add some edge, instead of pairing the dress with black or gray tights, I stepped out and added an unexpected pair of burgundy tights. Certainly, a neutral pair of tights would be just fine but with the classic nature of the dress, doing something different seemed fitting. Next, I chose a drapey, cashmere cardigan by Tahari and was also thinking that a slim, black turtleneck would also work underneath the dress to not only winterize the dress but make it look updated. To finish the outfit, I styled the look with a trendier pair of grey, suede Stuart Weitzman booties, burgundy earrings, a simple necklace and a metallic tote bag. With these subtle little accents the dress looks modern instead of too traditional.
Look #2
Tweed often comes in colorful combinations. Take this Boden skirt, for example. The colors found in this skirt are navy, teal, fuchsia, yellow, brown and gold. Like a colorful print, you can look at the colors in a tweed to choose your outfit’s accent colors. While a classic J. Crew turtleneck sweater may be a bit traditional in look when worn with a tweed skirt, it is the additional pop colors that make this outfit interesting. In this look, I chose a funky pair of magenta heeled oxfords (Note: if this is too daring you can go with something like a brown suede pair of boots), navy tights, a bright yellow handbag and the same earrings used in the previous outfit.
Look #3
Another tip is to choose tweed fabrics in trendier silhouettes. Here, this very classic fabric in a modern Zara zipper jacket and is styled with a chic Vince Camuto pencil skirt. Underneath the jacket, I chose a Mango layering piece with neckline detail to further schnazzify (I just made that word up) the outfit. To finish the look I used the same earrings again because, see, you don’t need a ton of accessories to make things interesting, some fun bangles, classic black boots by Nine West and the same bag that was used in the first outfit.
