We are totally in love with these super cute Haundy Wee Hingey’s. Hand made from Harris tweed in Scotland by Bertie Girl . Perfect for carrying your essentials such as an iPod shuffle, emergency cash, memory stick, gum, earphones………..but maybe not the kitchen sink! They are available at www.tweedvixen.co.uk for £8.50.
Add a touch of tweed to any jacket with these Harris Tweed Buttons. They are handmade in Scotland by the super talented Clare O’neill Textiles. They come in sets of six buttons and are available at TweedVixen Boutique for £15.
I’ve been living in Denmark for a few years now. Fashion and design are a huge part of the culture over here and when I moved here I was immediately entranced by their Scandinavian style.
Being Scottish, I’ve grown up around men wearing kilts, tweed blazers and wool suits, so I have a real appreciation for good quality wool fabrics. I’ve always appreciated a man who makes an effort to look dapper and was very enthusiastic when my male friends and colleagues began to sport a variety of neckwear; wool bow ties in particular.
However there was one thing which kept nagging at me. Whenever I inquired about their latest extravagant woolly buy, the only thing could tell me about it, was the name of the very fashionable shop in which they had bought it. On closer inspection, I began to see a trend of quite costly accessories, with no story, of pretty average to poor quality wool fabric.
I became quite frustrated, thinking of all of the beautiful tweeds being produced at home in Scotland and imagined how much more luxurious and special the ties would be in these fabrics. It wasn’t that my friends’ purchases were bad, it was more that I knew they could be so much better!
This is how Robinson & Dapper was born. A few months ago, I began creating handmade bow ties, neck ties and pocket squares from fabrics sourced from historic Scottish mills. The concept is the juxtaposition of old and new – using high quality, traditional materials yet still achieving a relevant, current look. The aim being to elevate the modern look of the urban, dapper gentleman by fusing it with classic, luxury fabrics.
By photographer Lee Edward, Molly bow tie
Each Robinson & Dapper product is an individual, carefully handcrafted item. The exclusive fabrics have been specially selected to fulfill both aspects of the concept – they are fashion-forward, whilst being woven using traditional methods in Scotland – the home of tweed and woven wool fabrics.
I’m extremely proud to see the response of my customers to these accessories. Many people are genuinely surprised to see and feel the quality of tweed which has actually been woven in Scotland from Scottish wool! Buying a Robinson & Dapper product is not only about treating yourself to a great-looking, handcrafted bow tie or pocket square. Here you are getting quality items of historic origin, with a story, which have been made using some of the most beautiful, traditional fabrics available in the world today.
Check out our website www.robinsonanddapper.com and please share with any dapper gentlemen you know! So far we are only selling our bow ties on here, but our range of skinny neck ties and pocket squares will be added soon. Thanks.
Author Bio:
Written by Sarah Robinson, owner and founder of Robinson & Dapper. All images provided by Robinson & Dapper.
When Lalydo, blogger from Brittany, left the above map with the tartans of Brittany on my Facebook page, telling me that she had thought about me when she had seen it, I was really happy. I have to admit that I had only been interested in Scottish tartans beforehand. So today, I would like to tell you more about tartans of Brittany.
You will certainly know that Brittany shares celtic origins with Scotland, Ireland and Wales. In order to celebrate this common heritage, an interceltic festival has been organised every year in August in Lorient since 1971.
So it’s no real surprise to find kilt wearers in Brittany. But what comes more as a surprise perhaps is the fact that Brittany has had its own tartans only since 2002. If a Breton wanted to wear a kilt before that date, he had to pick one from the Scottish or Irish tartans.
Richard Duclos wearing a kilt source: Blog Breizh
In 1999, Richard Duclos who was born in Brittany and who is the owner of the Maison du kilt (House of kilts) in Paris had the idea to create Brittany’s’ first own tartan. It is called Brittany National and was registered in the Official Scottish Register of Tartan in 2002.
Brittany National
The colours of the tartan have all symbolic value: black and white stand for the colours of Brittany’s flag, green stands for the land, blue for the sea, and the nine squares stand for Brittany’s nine counties.
Once the tartan went into production, some associations of kilt wearers formed like the Amis en kilt (friends in kilt) and the Breizhlanders (Breizh= Brittany and landers from Highlanders) and they were all so enthusiastic about tartans and kilts that another nine tartans were registered, one for each county. The colours for the tartans were chosen from the colours present in each flag.
Source: Flaviuspub
Nowadays, Brittany has 16 tartans. The Brittany National now exists in another two colours: the Brittany Walking and the Brittany Grey:
Le Brittany Walking (Randonnée bretonne
Le Brittany National Grey
The Knight Breton honours Brittany’s knights
Le tartan du Pays Bigouden
Le tartan Mont d’Arée
Le tartan de l’île d’Ouessant
For more information about tartans of Brittany, go to:
TartanGirl Alba writes for Tartangirl’s Wardrobe, the first french blog dedicated to tartan and tweed. She is a lover of Scotland and British style.
These super cute tweed purses are the perfect accessory to add a touch of tweed to your life. They are hand made in Scotland using The finest Harris Tweed. Measuring at the base 18cm wide and 13cm in height, they can be used as a purse or a small clutch. Available in the TweedVixen Boutique £25.50
These stunning Harris Tweed notebook covers are hand-made in Scotland. They are re-usable and unique, as each cover is a one-off worth treasuring. Available at www.tweedvixen.co.uk £29.50.
GET THE LOOK
100% Lambswool Sweater Red Spice. Made in Scotland Was £65 now £45
Wax Quilt Gilet Black. Made in England Was £49.50 now £35
A Short History of Tweed
Last year’s autumn/winter catwalks were dripping in tweed with several top name designers taking inspiration from the timeless classic. But what are the origins of this fascinating fabric and why has it remained so popular for so long?
The Origins of Tweed
Tweed was born in 18th century Scotland and came about when weavers wanted to create a thicker, heavier cloth that would withstand the cold climes. They developed the diagonal line running through the weave, which became known as the ‘twill’. We know the fabric as ‘Tweed’ today, thanks to a London cloth merchant who, when the fabric was delivered to him, misread the word ‘Tweel’, the Scottish spelling of twill.
The method created by the Scottish Weavers produces a coarse, dense fabric, generally dyed in earthy colours that has become as much a part of Britain as fish and chips and is just as popular today as it ever was.
Enduring Quality
Thanks to its durability, Tweed became a commonly worn fabric throughout the 19th century. Today tweed is synonymous with high quality men’s suits and country pursuits, mainly due to the world famous Tweed maker, Harris.
Harris Tweed originated in the Outer Hebrides during the 18th century and was made popular amongst the British aristocracy when Lady Dunmore introduced it in the 1840’s. It was used to make hunting, fishing and shooting garb and has become forever associated with the country gent.
Thanks to its incredible popularity, Harris Tweed was the first company to create a certification mark for their fabric which was introduced in 1909. The Orb Certification mark came with the guarantee that ‘only tweeds woven in the Outer Hebrides would be eligible.’
Although the fabric lost popularity after the Edwardian period, Tweed enjoyed a resurgence in the 1960’s when it was worn by mods. Later on, Sloane Rangers and those that favoured the preppy style invested in Tweed suits, hats, bags, overcoats and jackets.
Harris Tweed is the only entirely handmade fabric still available, but other types of tweed are still associated with quality and tradition. Today’s technology has allowed Harris Tweed to create a lightweight version of their cloth, making it easier to create wearable tailoring for all types of occasion and not just for country pursuits.
Tweed Making
Today, Tweed is considered one of the most sustainable and environmentally friendly fabrics available, perhaps because it’s still made in practically the same way as it was 200 years ago. All the products used to create Harris Tweed are 100% natural, even down to the heathers and lichen that are used to dye the wool.
The only change is that ‘waulking’, the process of stretching the cloth, used to be achieved by soaking it in human or animal urine. Today, soda and soapy water are used instead.
Timeless Elegance
Where once Tweed was purely for farmers and well-heeled country gents, today anyone can sport this fabulous fabric. Harris Tweed recently enjoyed a significant rise in orders after a 1960’s vintage tweed jacket became the outfit of choice for new Dr Who Matt Smith, prompting Angus MacNeil, MP for the Western Isles to comment that “the endorsement (by Dr Who) shows that Tweed is timeless and can be worn anytime, any age and in any galaxy.”
These days you can find an array of tweeds available in a host of designs and colours that evoke the Scottish Highlands. If you’re looking for an abidingly elegant suit that exudes quality and class that you can enjoy wearing for many years to come then get in touch with us today to ask about our bespoke suit tailoring services.
Jasper Littman specialise in one thing only – bespoke and semi bespoke suits measured, fitted and delivered by their visiting tailors.
Their Savile Row style suits personify gentleman’s English elegance. Jasper Littman combine a contemporary approach to customer care with traditional tailoring expertise.
Using the finest English fabrics, their bespoke suits are created exclusively in England. Their tailors visit at a location convenient to you, office or home, and have over 10 years of Savile Row experience. www.jasperlittman.co.uk
TweedVixen Boutique sale has started. Some great reductions on British fashion to be found but with limited stock available.
This stunning 100% Cashmere Hoodie is made in Scotland and is super soft.
was £245 now £199
Designed and made in England by Pink Flame this Roll Neck Top is the perfect addition to your wardrobe.
was £47.50 now £35
Divine Tunic made from Alpaca, from Samantha Holmes
was £105 now £85
Super stylish Tweed Trench Coat.
was £259 now £195
These are just a few examples, please visit the TweedVixen Boutique Sale for much more.
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