Tweed is the original performance fabric - durable, warm and naturally weather-resistant - making it a timeless choice for field and country wear. In this guide, we’ll help you choose the perfect tweed jacket or fieldcoat, exploring the key styles, features and how to wear them both in the field and beyond.
Why Choose A Tweed Jacket?
Tweed is a staple in shooting attire and apparel - these garments often endure the harshest weather conditions and tweed, made from 100% woollen yarns, provides excellent insulation and protection from the elements. The natural oils in the wool enhance its weather resistance, while the fabric’s intricate patterns and earthy tones often resemble the rural landscapes surrounding you when out on a shoot. Consider it a form of traditional "camouflage" designed to blend in with nature.
WHAT MAKES TWEED THE ORGINAL PERFORMANCE FABRIC?
- Heritage - developed in 18th century Scotland
- Durability - hardwearing and tough
- Comfort - a naturally breathable fabric
- Anti-microbial - absorbs less bacteria than synthetic fibres
- Weather resistant - warm, windproof and naturally water repellent
HOW IS TWEED MADE?
At Farlows, we have a close working relationship with prestigious mills such as Lovat Mill in the Scottish Borders, recognised globally as one of the finest traditional tweed mills. Each season, we design bespoke tweed cloths for our jackets and coats, ensuring the woollen yarns used are perfectly suited for the job.
A prime example is our Green Herringbone Tweed, crafted from 100% Cheviot wool sourced from the hardy Cheviot sheep native to the rugged Cheviot Hills of Northumberland and the Scottish Borders. The sheep’s natural fleece keeps them warm and dry, even in harsh winters - traits that are seamlessly transferred to the tweed, providing similar protection for the wearer.
THE TWEED MAKING PROCESS
- Wool selection & preparation: Wool is sheared from hardy sheep and washed
- Spinning: The wool is spun into yarns, often of various natural colours
- Weaving: The yarns are woven to create the tweed fabric
- Finishing: The milled tweed is inspected and may be washed in water from the River Tweed
Farlows Green Herringbone tweed in production at Lovat Mill, Scotland
HOW ARE FARLOWS TWEED JACKETS & COATS MADE?
The finished tweed for our coats and jackets is delivered from the mills to our master coat makers in Northamptonshire, where it is marked, cut and sewn by hand. In response to the demanding conditions of a typical British shooting season, our Farlows coats are constructed with internal waterproof membranes. These ensure that both our Litchfield coats for men and Cotswold coats for women remain fully waterproof - tested in some of the most extreme weather conditions.
Once the other remaining details are added (such as two way metal zips, rubberised silent snaps, luxurious twill linings, fleece for handwarmer pockets, loden collar linings, Alcantara trimmings for high wear areas) the finished garments undergo a rigorous quality control inspection by people, not machines. Our tweed jackets are made the same way using the same care and premium materials, but don’t feature the waterproof membrane.
All of our Farlows outer wear (and nearly all of the Farlows clothing collection) is made in the UK from start to finish. It’s something we work hard to maintain and we are very proud to be supporting British small businesses in this way.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN CHOOSING A TWEED COAT
Choosing a tweed coat for shooting is an excellent way to embrace the heritage of the sport, as they have historically been the go-to shooting attire. Today a tweed coat is still the most popular option for the main outwear of a shooting outfit.
Longer in length and with a less tailored appearance than a jacket, a good tweed coat is the ideal companion for a range of temperatures and weather conditions. This longer length helps keep you warm and dry, especially when combined with a technical waterproof / breathable liner or membrane, as indeed our Farlows coats are.
Pocket layout and capacity are important considerations when selecting a coat too as a coat allows you to transport items more comfortably than in a jacket.
Shooting coats, unlike more formal shooting jackets, must also be zipped up and a sturdy two-way zipper is a great way of allowing the wearer to customise the fit according to the range of movement required.
When trying on a tweed coat for size, it’s a good idea to think about its intended use. If you are going to be shooting in it, you must allow for enough room in the garment to give you good freedom of movement.
At Farlows, our tweed coats are rigorously tested in the field to ensure they offer both style and functionality, keeping you comfortable from the first drive to the last.
TWEED COAT ESSENTIAL CONSIDERATIONS
- Fit: does the design of the coat allow for freedom of movement?
- Comfort: do you need to factor in layering when choosing what size coat?
- Weather resistance: will it keep you warm and dry?
- Durability: is it made to last, with features that promote resistance to wear and tear?
- Practicality: are the pockets and other details sufficient for your needs?
- Quality: is it made by experts from the best materials?
- Style: is it stylish as well as functional?
WHAT TWEED COATS AND JACKETS DOES FARLOWS OFFER?
MEN'S LITCHFIELD TWEED COAT
Our best-selling tweed coat is the Litchfield, now approaching its 10th season and a customer favourite over the years for good reason.
This is a purpose designed men's shooting coat that incorporates all of the above-mentioned features perfectly: a drop membrane waterproof liner, hard wearing metal double zip, fleece lined hand warmer pockets, woollen storm cuff, loden collar lining, double vent at the rear, action back design, main zip storm flap, luxurious lining, bellows cartridge pockets with fastening straps, 3 other internal pockets, rubberised silent snaps, fixed rear half belt and Alcantara trimming in all high wear areas to name a few.
The Litchfield comes in four different fabrics:
- Green Herringbone tweed, 500g/m2 tweed made from 100% Cheviot wool
- Downham Tattersall Tweed, 640g/m2 tweed made from 100% Cheviot wool
- Ettrick Rust Check Tweed, 640g/m2 tweed made from 100% Cheviot wool
- Green Loden, 540g/m2 loden with a directional hard-pressed finish for added weather protection, made from 80% merino wool / 20% alpaca wool which gives it a soft handle
WHAT MAKES A LITCHFIELD THE ULTIMATE TWEED COAT?
- Durability: tweed is a naturally breathable yet very tough fabric - these coats are made to last
- Performance: purpose-led design allows for maximum manoeuvrability, practicality and comfort whatever the weather
- Quality: constructed using only the finest materials by the very best craftspeople
- Sustainability: hand made with British materials, in Britain
LADIES COTSWOLD TWEED COAT
We have one core coat for ladies, called the Cotswold. It’s also a purpose designed ladies shooting coat, that has practicality at its core whilst being both stylish and flattering. Sharing the key performance features of the Litchfield, additionally it has a figure complementing plain back panel to provide a flattering drape, plus a Raglan sleeve with large vertical inverted pleat for maximum freedom of movement around shoulders and arms, creating a flattering silhouette.
The Cotswold comes in three different fabrics:
- Rose Tweed, 545g/m2 mid-weight tweed
- Green Loden, 540g/m2 loden with a directional hard-pressed finish for added weather protection, made from 80% merino wool/20% alpaca wool which gives it a soft handle
- Lunna undyed Shetland Tweed, 390g/m2, made from 100% Shetland wool that is completely undyed
NORFOLK TWEED JACKETS
The Norfolk tweed jacket is a timeless shooting jacket designed for optimal freedom of movement while maintaining a tailored, formal aesthetic. The jacket is believed to have been created in the 1860s for the 15th Duke of Norfolk, Henry Fitzalan-Howard, and gained further popularity after being worn by The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) in the 1880s. At Farlows, we’ve modernised the Norfolk jacket by incorporating advanced tweed production techniques and contemporary tailoring practices.
The Farlows collection includes two distinct Norfolk jacket styles for men:
- Norfolk Jacket - This modern take on the classic is available in the two tweed options of Green Herringbone and Dark Olive Houndstooth. Key features include a full action back for improved movement, large bellows pockets for cartridge storage, and handwarmer pockets to keep your hands warm in the field.
- Norfolk Royal Jacket - Available in one colour, our new Glen Tweed. A more traditional look with a modern twist, this new Norfolk Royal tweed jacket is designed with a raglan sleeve construction to enhance mobility. The sleeves join at the underarm and span across the shoulder to create a larger armhole giving far superior freedom of movement. Other traditional elements, such as fabric stays, a belt and a unique collar design remain integral to its design.
There is a single Norfolk jacket style for ladies:
- Ladies Norfolk Jacket – This is a contemporary take on a Norfolk jacket but tailored to give ladies a chic look whilst maintaining practical features such as the storm collar and inverted back pleat to add freedom of movement.
WHY TWEED JACKETS & COATS AREN’T JUST FOR SHOOTING
Tweed is a versatile fabric that works beautifully for a variety of outdoor activities and is just at home in the city as it is on a driven shoot. Whether you’re walking the dog, attending a countryside event or enjoying a cold morning at the rugby, one of our tweed jackets or coats is the perfect choice.
Waterproof Tweed Coats
The demands of the British winter weather require garments to be as water-resistant as possible, so we have embraced the technological evolution of the fabric and feature internal waterproof membranes in the form of drop liners to ensure both our men's and ladies fieldcoats are 100% waterproof – tried and tested in the foulest weather! Plus they’re extremely warm and will last a lifetime.
Country Tweed Jackets
A quality tweed jacket or coat isn't just useful for shooting, although it may have been designed primarily with that application in mind. The natural weather-proofing qualities of tweed make them highly suited to a whole range of outdoor scenarios and with their sharp tailoring they’re as stylish around town as they are in the countryside.
Casual Tweed Jackets
There's no arguing that the casual tweed jacket is a style icon and will always be a great addition to any wardrobe. The wonderful thing about tweed jackets for casual wear is that they can be worn in so many ways. In the summertime, a tweed jacket worn on top of a polo shirt can bring a real touch of rural elegance to casual outdoor events. They can even be a great choice for weddings when worn with a tailored shirt. Bear in mind that lighter tones of tweed fabric lend themselves best to casual summer wear, whilst darker tones tend to be more suited to layering with knitwear.
At Farlows we offer two tweed sports jackets, which are cut as a traditional tailored jacket, but with a twist.
This tweed sports jacket is completely unstructured, which gives the jacket a slightly more casual feel. This is mostly noticed across the shoulders, where traditionally a sports jacket would have structure.
The jacket also features a self-fabric top collar and under collar, which is another nod to its slightly more casual feel and construction and is fully lined with our signature military twill ling. As with the rest of the Farlows collection, it’s entirely made in Britain.
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Farlows Donegal Brown Herringbone Raglan Tweed Overcoat£600.00 Regular Price £1,000.00 -
Farlows Ettrick Rust Litchfield Tweed Field Shooting Coat£470.00 Regular Price £850.00 -
Farlows Ladies Burghley Tweed Field Coat£500.00 Regular Price £725.00 -
Farlows Ladies Lunna Shetland Tweed Fieldcoat£399.00 Regular Price £750.00
While our designs are tailored for serious game shooters, they’re also ideal for stylish everyday wear. Pair a tweed jacket with jeans, a Shetland jumper for a casual look, or smarten it up with a pair of our brown flannel trousers and a tattersall shirt for a timeless, classic country look.
If you’re an avid game shooter or someone who simply appreciates the timeless appeal of British heritage, Farlows offers a selection of high-performance, stylish and practical options designed specifically for rural Britain and its unpredictable weather.
Our dedication to quality British craftsmanship and innovative design ensures that you’ll stay comfortable, stylish and protected whether in the field or around town.
