In days gone by it was a necessity to turn out in full tweed regalia to be accepted on a shoot. These days things are significantly more relaxed, but there are still some traditions upheld. We therefore suggest the following as a guide for your shooting clothing.
On Top Whilst the traditional style of jacket is still commonplace on the shooting field, gone are many of the heavy tweed examples and in are the new light weight fabrics. These new style jackets are superb and really enable you to move freely when shooting and most importantly keep you dry. Schoffel and Laksen are two of the best brands on the market. Both produce shooting jackets and shooting suits that are waterproof, breathable, and light weight. Under the jacket most people wear a shirt, tie and perhaps a pullover depending upon the weather.
Trousers & Socks Traditionally Breeches (also know as Plus Twos and Plus Fours depending upon the leg length) have been worn and this tradition is still very much in practice today.
Generally the Breeches finish just below the knee and your long shooting socks are then pulled up and over the bottom of the garment so keeping you warm. Garters are frequently used to keep the socks in place.
Although at first though Breeches might seem a little odd they are very commonplace in shooting field and actually exceptionally comfortable. Many brands offer tweed breeches that are waterproof, however, if you are not so lucky to own a pair, it is more than acceptable to wear overtrousers to keep you dry.
Hat Generally people wear traditional flat caps when shooting and tweeds are still very much the norm. However, trilbies and deer stalker are also often worn.
Footwear Whilst every effort is made to locate gun drives on hard and firm ground, getting there might be slightly different! Many of the stands are adjacent to rivers or brooks and some time, particularly after prolonged periods of rain it can become a little soggy. Therefore we do recommend wearing wellington boots or hiking boots. At Farlows we have an excellent selection of footwear brands, from traditional Le Chameau and Aigle wellingtons, to GORE-TEX® lined leather Dubarry boots, and Brasher walking boots.
What Shooting Attire to Wear
The shooting season in the UK stretches from late summer through to the middle of winter depending on the species. So, whilst there are many glorious sunny days to be had when shirt sleeves are in order, there are also those which are wet and wild! Temperatures can therefore vary from 30 degrees Celsius on opening day, right down to below freezing in mid-winter. Therefore, it pays to have a fully stocked shooting wardrobe to be prepared for all eventualities.
In days gone by it was a necessity to turn out in full tweed regalia to be accepted on a shoot. These days things are significantly more relaxed, but there are still some traditions to be upheld and respected. We therefore suggest the following as a guide for your shooting clothing.
On Top
Whilst the traditional style of shooting jacket is still commonplace on the shooting field, gone are many of the heavy tweed examples and in are newer lightweight tweeds which feature modern technical fabrics and breathable membranes. These new style jackets are superb and really enable you to move freely when shooting and, most importantly, keep you dry and comfortable all day long.
Schoffel and Laksen are some of the best brands on the market. Both produce shooting jackets and shooting suits that are waterproof, breathable, and lightweight. Under the jacket most people wear a shirt and tie, perhaps a jumper or fleece and perhaps a gilet depending on the weather.
Trousers & Socks
Traditionally, shooting breeches (also known as 'plus twos' and 'plus fours' depending upon the leg length) have been worn and this tradition is still very much in practice today.
Generally, the breeches stop just below the knee and your long shooting socks are then pulled up and over the bottom of the garment before being secured with garters.
Although at first glance breeches might seem a little odd, they are very commonplace in the shooting field and are exceptionally comfortable and practical. Many brands offer tweed breeches that are waterproof, however, if you are not so lucky to own a pair, it is more than acceptable to wear over-trousers to keep you dry.
Hat
Generally people wear traditional flat caps when shooting and tweed is still very much the norm. However, you might also see trilbies and deer stalkers.
Footwear
Whilst every effort is made to locate gun drives on hard and firm ground, getting there might be a slightly different story! Many of the stands are adjacent to rivers or brooks and, particularly after prolonged periods of rain, these areas can become a little soggy.
Therefore, we do recommend wearing wellington boots or waterproof hiking boots. At Farlows we have an excellent selection of footwear brands, from traditional Le Chameau and Aigle wellingtons, to GORE-TEX® lined leather Dubarry boots, and Meindl walking boots.
Bags and Gunslips
Carrying your personal items, guns and cartridges to your stand is also a consideration. A traditional satchel-style bag is ideal for carrying extra items of clothing, ear defenders and so on. Specialist cartridge bags provide quick and easy access to your shotgun cartridges, and a high-quality gun slip will ensure that your guns are carried with you safely and securely.
