Heritage menswear and autumn go together like salt and pepper; trench coats and chunky tweeds buffer from autumnal winds, while tan leather and shades of burgundy and bottle green complement the turning leaves. A V&A study commissioned by the British Fashion Council and written by Keren Protheroe identified tweed and tartan, brogues, the three piece suit and wellington boots as some of the top 10 iconic pieces of British heritage menswear dating from 1528.
Fast forward to 2015 and modern day classics such as wool pea coats, tweed blazers and quilted jackets are amongst the quintessential pieces of men’s heritage style. Bring out your inner British gent with menswear designer Tim Ellis’ key heritage pieces for the season, and how to wear them.
How to wear heritage
Clockwise from top: Marchmont holdall bag, Hogarth leather washbag, bamboo socks, Holwell wallet, tweed-look jersey blazer, chambray Harswell shirt, Stretton chinos, Lowick suede shoes.
One of the benefits of heritage style is that it lasts season after season, and timeless tailored pieces are easily updated when combined with denim, bold print shirts or a pair of patterned socks. If you prefer subtle hints of heritage over 18th century dandy, then use our capsule wardrobe (above) as inspiration and go for a tweed-look blazer over a chambray shirt with chinos. Just add a lustrous beard and some Hugh Grant charm.
More heritage picks:
Floral Prints
The swinging 60s brought the peacock style revolution and opportunity for men to wear more colour, with floral prints at the helm. Our prints are designed in house by our talented designers, including this detailed floral print shirt perfect for the British gent with an eccentric side.
Tweed
Joules are proud to be a leading brand for tweed, with many of our tweed prints designed and developed in-house, as well as collaborations with established tweed mills such Harris tweed. Accessories such as the Croftbury wool flat cap or Runhall weekend bag give a great nod to British heritage style.
Quilted Coats
Quilted jackets saw a revival in recent decades with the help of the British royal family, often seen in quilted coats with brown corduroy collars for riding. One of our favourite quilted pieces is the Denholm jacket, newly updated for AW15.
Tartan
That old trend setter King George IV led the way for tartan fashion after he wore a kilt on a state visit to Scotland in the 1820s, a look soon to be adopted by his people. Our Tytherton scarf comes in four different variations of tartan check, inspired by both traditional and modern tartans, and works well with a smart suit or with off duty chinos and shirt.
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