Best Stylist Secrets to Look Modern in Tweed

Tweed is a high-quality fabric, sustainable and a classic. However, it’s also often associated with conservative, old-fashioned. This post covers how you can look modern in tweed creating a young and hip, open-minded impression in this fabulous fabric.

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Tweed Dreams and Nightmares

Fashion has its great tweed moments. Which girl has never dreamed of a Chanel tweed jacket? How awesome did Jackie O. look in her tweed skirt? Tweed is a classic stylish material. Tweed is a classic and it is so versatile. A high-quality tweed skirt is worth the investment. However, it’s important to know how look great in tweed over 40, well, to not look old-fashioned or Old Lady.

Don't wear tweed the old-fashioned way. #agelessstyle Click To Tweet

What I mean with this is that tweed is also associated with often boring conservative winter clothes, i.e., suits, skirt suits with a hem below the knee. Tweed was also what our mothers wore for Sunday’s Best when they were our age. Some of us may have worn a tweed (skirt) suit with pumps to our first job interview with a black cashmere sweater or a white button-down shirt in the 1980s.

 

 

Tweed Is an Often Overlooked Classic

Tweed is a classic stylish coarse wool  fabric and is so versatile to style. An item in this material is worth the investment. However, don’t wear it your mother’s way or like we styled it in the 1980s. You want to strive for a modern great look in tweed over 40.

 

Stylists’ Tips to Look Modern in Tweed

1. Try to style a straight, just above-the-knee tweed skirt casual with a sport vibe by adding a belted cable knit sweater and statement sneakers.
2. Wear a tweed jacket with a white button-down shirt or turtleneck sweater and jeans or leather pants and pumps for the office (if your dress code allows denim and leather).
3. For date night try a distressed denim just above the knee skirt with sequin top and a tweed blazer, a clutch and black patent leather pumps.
4. If you can pull off high waisted pants, try a pair in tweed and pair them with a turtleneck sweater and pumps. Think a modern interpretation of Marlene Dietrich’s signature style from the 40s.
5. For the daring, try pairing a tweed skirt with a floral top. So unexpected.
6. Get your tweed piece in an unexpected cut, for instance, cut as a motorcycle or bomber jacket. Style it like you would style a piece in that cut.
7. A tweed coat in a classic cut works with nearly everything. Add a pop of color with your accessories. Think of your outerwear like you think of your OOTD. Your outerwear is your urban/outdoor OOTD.
8. Wear a straight tweed skirt with riding boots, opaque tights, a crew-neck sweater, a bomber jacket and chandeliers for casual Friday.

See these stylists' secrets to look great in tweed over 50. #fashionover50 Click To Tweet

 

 

 

 

Create Cool Looks with a Tweed Jacket, Blazer or Coat

A tweed jacket provides instant chic Business Casual Style with a white button-down shirt or turtleneck sweater and jeans or pants and pumps for work. A Chanel-type tweed jacket with a graphic Tee plus distressed jeans make a cool Casual Friday look. A just above-the-knee denim skirt with sequin top and a tweed blazer are perfect for going out for drinks with the girls on Friday night. A tweed coat in a classic cut works with nearly everything and is great for a capsule coat wardrobe. It looks so posh chic with a pop of color.

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A coarse wool skirt always looks stylish with a fine knit sweater, opaque tights and loafers. More on how to wear knits.

 

Try a Tweed Skirt with (Fake) Twinset for a Modern Business Casual Look

One of my readers asked how to keep a classic winter outfit looking interesting. In this post, I created an OOTD that stays with the basic classics: A cashmere sweater, cashmere, cardigan, tight, boots and the American Classic tweet skirt. Instead of the typical twinset, go for an unexpected fake twinset with sweater and cardigan in the same material, but different color. Here you can either go with matching, color block, or one of the two having a pattern where you pick up one color. Use one color to ground your look. In this example, it’s the gray that occurs in the skirt, sweater, tight, and cardigan.

Create interest in your look by wearing classic pieces in an unexpected way. #styletip Click To Tweet

Add Interest by Wearing It Your Way

To make the outfit interesting I wrapped the cardigan around my shoulders instead of putting my arms into the sleeves. I hope Mademoiselle forgives me that I wear it my way. 😉

 

In the look above, the gray belt gives shape to this business casual style look.

 

Wear a Tweed Skirt/Dress Beyond the Office

A straight, just above-the-knee tweed skirt with nude pantyhose, a twinset, pearl necklaces and flat loafers are an evergreen classic that HR and Mademoiselle would approve any time. The tricks to not look dated are to make sure the skirt’s cut and shoes are modern; the colors are neutrals or the current It color.

 

Take inspiration where you see it and twist it your way. #personalstyle #agelessstyle Click To Tweet

But a skirt in this fabulous coarse wool fabric can do so much more for your personal style. Create a casual sporty weekend look with a cable knit sweater and statement sneakers. A coarse skirt with a floral top is an eclectic style Must-do. Wear a straight tweed skirt with riding boots and motorcycle or bomber jacket, opaque tights, a crew-neck sweater, a bomber jacket and chandeliers for Casual Friday Style without jeans.

 

 

 

 

 

 

What to Wear with Coarse Wool Pants

High waisted tweed pants provide instant style with a turtleneck sweater and sturdy heel pumps. For Casual Friday skip the jeans and wear trousers in this fabric with a sweatshirt or tee. Add medium heel lace-up oxfords and a string of pearls plus diamond studs. At the ski resort, pants in this fabric look fabulous with a colorful fake Fair Isle sweater or and colorful Norwegian lice jacket and loben boots for dinner or drinks at the bar. What about an eclectic British inspired outdoor look? Like, for instance, a slim pair of tweed pants with Wellingtons or neutral color rain boots, a paisley button-down shirt and corduroy jacket with leather patches at the elbows?

 

Tweed fabric is as versatile as denim. Wear it the same way for instant style. #agelessstyle Click To Tweet

Further Tweed Outfit Ideas

The floral weave of the skirt shown below looks unexpected. The unmatched suit combination creates a modern vibe.

 

The next example shows an unmatched skirt suit where the blazer serves as outerwear.

 

The following is a nice Casual Friday look.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tweed Provides Stylish Thermal Comfort

Tweed is a great fabric. It has great insulation properties and can make the stretch from elegant to casual without problems. This means a tweed skirt, jacket or blazer are a good investment. Here are my tips to land a winning tweed outfit.

 

How Not to Wear Tweed over 40

1. Matching skirt and/or pants plus blazer as this combination was the go-to in the 80s for the twenty somethings. Thus, this look lets us over 40 look old-fashioned/trapped in time.
2. Wearing it like your mother did. It would send the message that you never developed your own style and/or ideas. Copy-cat alert in the worst sense!
3. Wearing a straight tweed skirt with lace flat shoes and a matching embellished twinset or a boxy long (shapeless) jacket.

In a Nutshell How to Look Modern in Tweed

The main secrets to create great looks in tweed clothes are:

1. Unmatch the suits,
2. Add bold color or prints,
3. Glam them up.

Tweed fabric is as versatile as denim. Wear it the same way for instant style. #agelessstyle Click To Tweet

You may also like to read about how to create a posh monochromatic look.

Photos: G. Kramm

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