Tweed is a high quality fabric, sustanianble and a classic. However, it’s also often associated with conservative, old-fashioned. This post covers how you can look modern, young and hip, open -minded in this fabulous fabric.
- Tweed Dreams and Nightmares
- Tweed Is an Often Overlooked Classic
- Stylists’ Tips to Style Tweed
- Create Cool Looks with a Tweed Jacket, Blazer, or Coat
- Wear a Tweed Skirt/Dress beyond the Office
- What to Wear with Coarse Wool Pants
- Further Tweed Outfit Ideas
- How Not to Wear Tweed over 40
- In a Nutshell
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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 TweetWhat 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 high quality material is worth the investment. However, don’t wear it your mother’s way or like we styled it in the 80s. You want to strive for a modern great look in tweed over 40.

Stylists’ Tips to Style Tweed
- Try to style a straight, just above the knees tweed skirt casual with a sport vibe by adding a belted cable knit sweater and statement sneakers.
- 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).
- 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.
- 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.
- For the daring, try pairing a tweed skirt with a floral top. So unexpected.
- 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.
- 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.
- Wear a straight tweed skirt with riding boots, opaque tights, a crew-neck sweater, a bomber jacket and chandeliers for casual Friday.
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.
Glam up your tweed clothes. #trendwatch Click To Tweet


Wear a Tweed Skirt/Dress Beyond the Office
A straight, just above the knees tweed skirt with 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.







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 lobben boots for dinner or drinks at the bar. What about an eclectic British inspired outdoor look with a slim pair of pants in this awesome wool fabric with Wellingtons or neutral color rain boots, a paisley button-down shirt and a 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.
Ann Taylor floral tweed skirt worn with GNW tights, GNW Luxe sweater, DIY statement necklace, heeled ducks, LV bucket bag, and Great Northwest denim jacket (all own)












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.

When you like the tips above, you may also want to get my style book How to Dress for Success in Midlife. Buy your copy now.
How Not to Wear Tweed over 40
- 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.
- 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!
- Wearing a straight tweed skirt with lace flat shoes and a matching embellished twinset or a boxy long (shapeless) jacket.
In a Nutshell
In conclusion one can sum up the above tips into the three stylists’ secrets to create great looks in tweed clothes nobody told you:
- Unmatch the suits,
- Add bold color or prints,
- Glam them up.
What tweed items are in your closet? How do you wear this fabric? Let me know, I am curious.
When you like these style tips, you may want to buy my style recipe book.
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Photos: G. Kramm
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