A bold checked jacket is not the most versatile thing to own. Quite aside from how many other things it goes with, its boldness means that it will likely outshine them all, and stick in the memory of anyone you meet. It’s not something you can wear regularly without becoming the guy in that jacket.
But, when you already have a navy blazer, a grey herringbone, a soft brown cashmere and perhaps a couple more, more unusual designs can be fun. And tweed is a good place to start, because it’s easier to dress down.
I’ve had my share of unusual jackets, including a bold Huntsman check, a pink Orazio cord, a purple Liverano and a grassy tweed from The Anthology.
Of them all, I’d say the tweeds were the most successful - from a fabric point of view. I don’t have the Huntsman anymore, as the style wasn’t for me, but the grassy green is still worn fairly often and with jeans more than anything else.
It was with this in mind that I chose this Russell check for a second jacket with the Korean tailor Tranquil House.
I asked the archivist at Johnston’s during our recent visit about Russell checks (or plaids, for our American cousins). Despite having research on all Scottish estate tweeds, they had no relevant information. There is a Russell clan in Scotland but apparently no record of an estate tweed, and the clan tartan seems unrelated.
There is a chance the name comes from the prominent red or orange lines - russell means red-coloured - in the design, but that was purely speculation.
Russell checks do also vary a little in colour, while the thing that unites them is the lack of a horizontal set of stripes to match the vertical ones. In the better-known glen check, that band of stripes you can see bracketed by orange lines above would be matched by one running across the material, and the characteristic houndstooth pattern would be created where the two overlap.
Without that, the Russell check is subtly unusual, and it is sometimes referred to as ‘glen stripes’ for that distinctive aspect. Although of course the thing that makes it bold is the brightness and contrast of the colours: just like a glen check, you could render this pattern in much darker, low-contrast colours and it would barely be more than texture.
Interestingly, the Russell check has become slightly fashionable in the tailoring world in recent years - a small but nonetheless consistent thread through the preferences of influential people we know.
The lovely Chase Winfrey at J Mueser has had one for a while, and it fits in very much with his old Barbour and shirt-and-tie (first image above). The tailor Fred Nieddu mentioned to us first a few years ago that it was one of his favourite checks - he associated it with rather drunk and dishevelled old Englishmen. Peter Zottolo had one made by Fred two years ago, in cashmere. And Oliver and Carl of Rubato opted to include it in their first range of tailoring last year (second image above).
It’s also been popular among more traditional dressers for a long time - evident from its inclusion in the range at Cordings, reader Andrew’s one from Caraceni, and the fact our contributor Bernhard Roetzel had one made back in the late nineties when he was first commissioning tailoring on Savile Row. (Andrew and Bernhard shown below.)
I’ve been enjoying wearing mine as this unusual, slightly more exciting choice - and really as a piece of outerwear, given its weight.
I was expecting to like it with blue jeans, and it does work well there - with the collar up, a blue oxford or denim shirt underneath, and brown suede boots. Leaning into the vibe of a country gent who's grudgingly adopted jeans.
But the jacket also works rather nicely with brown cords, like the ones pictured below. In retrospect the cords could be a touch lighter, and a shoe in a lighter brown still would stop the bottom half being too dark (it’s funny how much better you see outfits sometimes when they’re photographed). But brown overall is a good partner.
It’s then fairly easy to use neutrals everywhere else - greys and whites in this case. The scarf is helpful as it replaces a collar on the knit, making it more flattering around the neck. (And a jacket of this weight would be disposed of as soon as I got inside, so the scarf comes off at the same time.)
That weight is 560g (18oz), which is heavy for a jacket but standard for traditional shooting tweeds such as this - those intended for rough outdoor pursuits, and ‘thornproof’ as a result. It's 32248 from the Hartwist bunch at Porter & Harding. (Another popular one, worn by the likes of Andrew above for example, is 2404 from the Alsport bunch at Huddersfield Fine Worsteds, which is 20oz.)
As a jacket to wear indoors and ideally not notice as you type away at your desk, it’s terrible. But as something to wear as a coat substitute, and perhaps for those that usually take off their jacket indoors anyway, it’s nice. Also good for standing outside of pubs.
For more on shooting tweeds, see the PS guide to tweed bunches. These are good options for tweed suits, should that be something you’re looking for, because the density of the weave means they hold their shape, retaining a crease in the trousers for example. Rather different to the sponginess of most Harris tweeds.
As to the cut and fit, Kim at Tranquil House has certainly improved on the first jacket he made me, which had a few issues. But he also pushed the proportions quite a bit to try and fix those, making the shoulders much wider.
The fit and make is OK now, and if I were a Korean resident wanting an English-style suit then it would be good value for money. But I can’t recommend Kim without some caveats for anyone else.
It’s also a shame that the collar is not hand-padded, both for the shape it would help create around the neck, and for the slightly messy machine stitching on the underside of the collar.
Clothes shown:
- Bespoke tweed jacket by Tranquil House in Russell check 32248 from the Hartwist bunch at Porter & Harding
- Buttons are my favourite, covered recently, tiger's eye horn (col 7 1/2)
- Brown cord trousers from Whitcomb & Shaftesbury
- Permanent Style flannel-grey Arran cashmere scarf
- Permanent Style grey Cashmere Crewneck
- Permanent Style Undershirt
- Permanent Style brown cashmere Watch Cap
- Seiji McCarthy bespoke Ethan loafers
- TM Lewin grey socks
Wow great and informative. there is a lot to learn from this post . Thanks for sharing it <3
From a technical perspective: Collars don’t need to be constructed with hand padding to give it shape. That is only necessary if the collar pattern is constructed from a rectangular piece instead of on the shape of the neckhole. (See Hoofs’s book “How to Make a Bespoke Jacket” e.g.)
I do agree though that the machine stitching is rather ugly, especially on a jacket that can be worn as outerwear where you might actually pop the collar up from time to time. If their goal is saving time they should at least get a blind stitch machine or work with pre-padded collars.
Thanks Teekay. Yes I agree. On hand-padded collars, some don’t use them but most tailors I’ve spoken to about this in the past would say they would always prefer it to give shape before the ironing them also does so. Video on the latter here
I’ve never been a fan of Russell check jackets. They’re just too bold a check for me. However, Anglo Italian have their own version in a RTW jacket at the moment.
https://angloitalian.com/products/sport-jacket-wool-brown-russell-check
Perhaps typically for AI, it’s rather darker than the typical one and much more muted. I rather like it and I might be tempted (though the last thing I need is another brown tweed jacket!).
hi Simon, thanks for the mention! I wear my Russell like a piece of outwear, as you have commented. It is great over knitwear or a rollneck in the spring or autumn when it isn’t too cold without a coat on top. I agree it isn’t the best choice for wearing inside, as it is very heavy. I don’t find mine so hot though. Given how tightly woven the tweed it I don’t find that it retains heat as much as other hairier tweeds.
Agreed also on pairing with dark brown. Apart from jeans, I use mine with very dark brown wide wale cords and I find that works well.
HI Andrew,
Do you think living in Zurich has something to do with it? It does seem like London generally has milder winters than here. I recently received a tweed jacket I’d commissioned, admittedly in a lighter 16 oz weight, and at that weight I find it perfectly comfortable to wear inside on cold days. It’s from the Lovat Kirkton bunch, so reasonably hairy too.
hi Isaac — apologies, I am not sure what exactly you mean regarding living in Zurich. My comment on using it as outerwear in Spring and Autumn, or it not being the best choice inside?
London winters are definitely milder and it could probably work there for much of the year as outerwear above knitwear. Regarding wearing inside, I don’t think the location changes much because I don’t find it is very hot. In that respect, I find the Russell check, being a thornproof, performs quite similarly to covert or cavalry twill. It is very good for water and wind resistance and doesn’t wrinkle easily, but it is not very warm.
Rather, it wouldn’t be my first choice to wear inside sitting at the desk all day because the jacket weighs quite a bit. I have never weighed it, but given the jacket is 20oz and made up by Nicoletta Caraceni (so has a bit of structure) may weigh 1.5-2kg. That is enough that you start to notice it by the end of the day.
Hi Andrew,
thank you, that clears it up. I think I misunderstood your original point about the jacket not wearing very warm for its weight. As I hadn’t realized this difference in the fabrics I was wondering whether your and Simon’s perceptions of the warmth might not be downstream of the climatic difference between the two cities.
This is a wonderful fabric Simon and I really enjoyed the way you styled this jacket!
However I do feel that your negativ experience sitting at a desk might be the result of the Jacket’s fit and not the roughness of the fabric itself. I have a couple of heavier tweed jackets now and find them comfortable enough to wear to the office. The ability to wear such a jacket indoor would of course be impacted by the heating situation in your office as well as whether you ‘run hot’- but I don’t find the weight or the roughness of the fabrics as constraining.
A nice way for readers to experiment is to first acquire an unstructured and unlined heavy tweed teba jacket from justo gimeno. I got a great one at Beige Habilleur in paris this year made from Lovat tweed. This type of jacket would also lend itself to the way you styled your jacket in this article.
I am sharing this additional perspective just in case readers might hesitate to try these wonderful heavier weight cloths.
Thanks Simon, Wonderful jacket looking good on you.
Is it something that can be made up as a chore coat given its weight and all – and become an actual outerwear.
My personal challenge is the place I work or people I hang out with, almost nobody wears a blazer and that makes it challenging to make it work for me on a day to day.
Thanks much
I think it would make a pretty unusual piece, probably more unusual than a blazer to be honest!
Hi Simon, is it even possible not to get a better fit when the second jacket is 18 oz tweed?
Yes true, it is much easier to work with
Simon, first of all, it suits you well. It’s bold, but it doesn’t look that way at all—perhaps because of the styling. However, the lapel roll doesn’t look bespoke-level to me; it’s a little disappointing that it comes across more like a fairly low-level RTW piece. Lastly, rather oddly, when I take off the jacket indoors, it somehow feels as though I’m not wearing any clothes—especially when meeting someone. Do you usually take off your jacket indoors, regardless of its weight?
It varies Casey, but often I do, yes. It may be mostly a question of what we’re used to. In the same way that my grandfather would always say he felt naked if you didn’t have a tie or ascot against his neck
Interesting point on “boldness”. Though the pattern itself looks “objectively” bold (if there is such a thing), I would suggest it doesn’t actually come across so bold in practice because it is seen – understood – to be a traditional and rather conservative pattern.
As luck would have it, I’m wearing my Russell check jacket (Alsport) with brown cords today! I do love the pattern even though it can’t be worn too often in the same setting as people do remember it as you clearly say.
I do wear my jacket inside, despite it being 20oz. I don’t generally get too warm. It helps that I work for a public TV channel which isn’t as heated as other offices given the size of the building. However, I didn’t have an issue during lunch at a restaurant today.
One tip about these dense tweeds: one might want slightly wider arms (particularly if wearing a knit underneath) as they stretch very little compare to a spongier tweed.
I would describe this jacket as classic rather than bold. I remember Sid Mashburn saying something like when you first get a bolder classic pattern at first it seems bold, but after a few wearings you realize why it’s a classic. I think this jacket is great and falls into that category. But then I am a fan of plaids and checks and I wear them all the time.
Oof, that is lovely! Boldness is a less predictable thing than you’d expect, I find. I guess there’s a camouflaging effect to the background checks that softens the red. And then the fact that it’s all within the warm colour range. At any rate I don’t think it feels outlandish in any way.
Sorry, but this pattern is not flattering and looks too 70s game host inspired. Also, you do not appear to wear these out of the ordinary sports jacket much. For example, the purple Liverano. On what occasions do you wear that sports jacket now?
I don’t really, in retrospect it was the wrong choice.
Interesting how this pattern overall is splitting responses a bit
Actually, I do like the color of the Liverano. It’s a nice jacket, but I can see how it would be hard to wear.
Simon you have strong shoulders and thin waist and so this fit does not seem shaped to your outline as well as your other commissions. Perhaps the fit is a bit too boxy? Lovely material though.
Yes I think that’s fair
I don’t quite understand the comments. I think PS is a great source of inspiration, and I understand that the blog has to push boundaries, but this jacket… boo.
Of the linked jackets, I think the Huntsman one is atrocious, the Liverano one much too flashy, the Orazio Luciano one quite good for rare occasions, and the Anthology one good and quite versatile especially for rural settings.
But, De gustibus non est disputandum.
Thanks Markus.
Interestingly, that latin phrase didn’t originally mean the way it’s used today. It meant that good taste existed, was universal and you couldn’t argue with it.
I think part of the confusion in the comments might be due to the fact that some people seem to assume that the jackets that are being commissioned at any given moment in time exactly mirror Simon’s everyday style at that particular moment in time. But a more holistic reading of the whole blog clearly suggests a distinction between what is being reviewed (sometimes pushing even personal boundaries a bit) and what is actually being worn most of the time. I think all that is to say… If you want to use Simon as a role model for what to wear most of the time, stick to the capsule wardrobes etc. But a post like this is useful for someone who already has the more basic jackets mentioned in this post (navy blazer, grey herringbone, brown tweed etc.) and wants to see how something else can look. For what it’s worth, I personally would also love to sometimes see a post along the lines of “versatility is overrated” that expands on the idea that things that have a relatively narrow use can be great once one has honed one’s personal style a bit (along the lines of the more recent post on black jeans => blue jeans are more versatile than black jeans, but I still almost exclusively wear black jeans). Along these lines, I have a The Anthology JKF man jacket that I love to wear with blue jeans. The jacket is not that versatile at all and I rarely wear it with any other trousers (the only other combination I really like is with dark olive chinos and brown suede loafers). But I love this JKF man jacket with a basic blue shirt and brown suede shoes. Having said that, most of the time I am in washed black jeans and either dark brown or dark navy on top.
Thanks Liam, yes that’s well put. I am always trying to try new things in order to discuss them here and show readers options, but they aren’t necessarily my day-to-day style. I like the point on versatility
Perhaps you could do something about 5 items you admire when worn by other people but you don’t see a place for them in your own wardrobe?
Nice idea Nick. It’s one of things we do more of these days with other contributors (Manish, Jamie, Andre etc) but I can certainly pick favourites I’ve seen on them and others
That is interesting. I could not find anything on that interpretation. Can you share any source for that? Thanks
Good point, let me think where I heard that – might take a while to come back to me!
PS: To add to what I just said about “versatility is overrated”. Simon always says that a grey herringbone jacket is incredibly versatile, and it certainly is in some sense. But I personally had to realise that it is not really that versatile for me. I don’t like the grey herringbone with blue jeans look that much, and while grey herringbone goes with almost any colour of tailored trousers, I also don’t like most of these combinations on myself (olive chinos, dark brown cords, ecru trousers/jeans, charcoal flannels etc.). The only look that I really like is a grey herringbone jacket with either washed black cords or washed black jeans with a white/off-white shirt. I sometimes wear an unstructured grey herringbone jacket in this way and it is a great “going out for dinner” outfit with my wife (who prefers me in less formal outfits) that never looks out of place in a “normal” restaurant. So it has its place, but versatile it is not (at least for me…). Yet this is also clearly enough… I do not really need more than 2–3 great outfits with any of my jackets/items to justify their place in my wardrobe. The week only has seven days and I don’t mind repeating outfits… This realisation has greatly helped me to steer my future purchases. Of course I can download loads of cool images and get new ideas about how to wear things. But the items that I end up wearing the most are all things that neatly fit into the “niches” that I now have discovered are truly “for me”.
Fully agree on the grey herringbone.
Same for me. So much so that I sold my RL67 version in classic grey herringbone rather quickly while I love all of my other versions.
Do you ever have the underside of the collar covered with the same fabric as the jacket exterior if you know you will be “popping ” the collar on a regular basis? I have a similar off the peg Isaia jacket with a hidden throat latch that is designed to be worn with the lapels and collar either down or up with the underside of the collar covered in the same fabric as the jacket exterior. To me it looks much nicer than plain felt.
I have done that in the past, yes, but to be honest I like having the felt there, as it looks more real. Or if not that then suede or something else.
A bit of an off topic question but what causes jacket and coat front and quarters flare open when unbuttoned and not sit close to body? Weight/make of the fabric, canvassing/structure sewn into garment or combination of those things? Somehow it has begun to annoy me recently on some of my own items and I’ve started to see it as undesirable. How do you feel about it Simon?
Well I’d always want to avoid it if possible. It’s very hard to diagnose something like that even with pictures, but I suspect it’s to do with the jacket balance being off, so the fronts swing outwards and forwards
Could bey anything really. Starting from the collar all the way down to front darts.
Thanks Teekay and Simon. On surface it seems like a simple physics issue but I was struggling to recognise the exact pattern that causes it between different garments, both my own and of others. I assumed that some items would fit me better if I lost some mass but this particular issue prevailed on some cases, which I find annoying.
Hi Simon,
Can you see this jacket working passably with grey flannel?
Dan
Yes I’d say so
This jacket got me thinking about certain tailors making certain jackets. Looking at the Rubato image and the lapel roll it comes alive. I would love to see this made up in a Liverano cut, I think it would really “sing” if that makes sense.
Big red on grey/brown checks like this often remind me of the jacket Roger Moore wore on Scaramanga’s island – which I like even if many others don’t!
I like how you went for the grey knit here, rather than a shirt in one of the jacket’s colours, or a tattersall, etc. Less safe, more reinterpretative, more interesting. None of the country gent took a wrong turn and ended up in town look that’s always a risk with bolder tweeds!
the 32247 is more yellow background compared with 32248, right?
I like the roping at the shoulder.
I could wear this all day, inside and out, as I like heat. It has the no-nonsense look.
It seems to go v well with the off white trouser on the Rubato picture. In fact quite versatile. I could see this with navy or dark green pant.
Hey Joners – just to correct myself, the material is 32248, sorry I was misinformed
I particularly like this jacket, but if it was shown on a hanger, or suggested as a fabric choice, it would be met with far more hesitation – I suppose that’s an obvious thing to comment on, perhaps due to it being slightly unusual, but particularly relevant here.
Simon also looks great in hats such as this, and the outfit just works.
Pleased the article does that helpfully Sean – I would have thought the same if I saw it hanging up too
Hi Simon. Nice jacket. I mentioned on IG that I have almost made up a Russell check myself countless times. I think it can be quite versatile; yes, the scale of pattern is large, but the overall tone is quite neutral.
Are you sure yours is 32247 and not 32248? The latter is brighter, as your jacket seems to be rather than the darker and yellower former.
Lastly, for those who didn’t see the IG comment, I get a kick out of the optical illusion of the overchecks rendering, for some people, as maroon and rust when in fact, traditionally, they are the same coloured yarn. Is the Russell check the menswear nerd version of the old blue/black versus white/gold dress phenomenon?
Yes, weaves are interesting like that – the warp and weft sit differently in the cloth, in terms of how much time they spend on the back of the cloth and on the front, being shown. So the same yarn can seem fainter because you see less of it
Good point on the different cloths. The tailor said it was 32247 but perhaps I’ll double check, as you’re right, online 32248 seems closer
This is usually a better place for more substantive discussions like this rather than IG – more people see it here as well. (2 million people read PS online every year, compared to 200k on IG)
Hey Fred – the material is 32248, sorry I was misinformed
Simon – I’m noticing that there is quite a bit of space in the upper arm of most of your newer sport coats. Can you speak to that choice a bit? It is quite a striking look from the side.
In general I prefer a fuller sleeve, Mitch, though this one is perhaps a little too far – in the same way as the shoulders and general bigger fit were taken a bit far.
On balance, a larger sleeve is more flattering though I find as well as being more comfortable
Lovat Mill also have a Russell (no. 286, in their Ettrick bunch) at 19oz. The weave is remarkably dense & I suspect my coat will outlive me by many decades of use.
The pattern is not for the faint hearted.
Thanks David
This pattern seems to age an item in a positive way. There’s an air of having been worn and cherished for ages already from the start.
would this be “too much as suit” rather than just jacket?
I think so, yes. Certainly for me
Great article Simon, with some thoughtful and interesting comments from readers. Despite the reservations you mention in the article and in the comments section, I really do think this is an unequivocally successful jacket. Which London-based (or frequently visiting) tailors would you recommend if I wanted something similar, made up in a relatively casual, soft-shouldered but well shaped cut. Many thanks
Thank you David. I’d say Whitcomb or Steven Hitchcock probably. If you specified you wanted quite a roomy fit, it should be quite similar
Very beautiful fabric Simon and I like how it complements your skin tone.
As opposed to most opinions here, I think it would look better as a suit with a long skirt and long vent/s, like the one you had from Huntsman. The long coat will counterbalance the effect of the orange horizontal lines in the pattern which make the torso look wider.
I would personally pair it with a brown turtleneck or a crisp white shirt with a strong high collar (skip the tie), a pair of muted brown shoes with an ombre patina and high heel, a nice pocket square in olive, sand and rust, and a pair of shooting glasses probably in matt tortoise with amber lenses.
is this bunch 32247 or is it 32248? The harrisons swatch looks much more like 32248 just wanted to check
I’ve just checking Art, because you’re right it looks like that
Hey Art – the material is 32248, sorry I was misinformed
“Really enjoyed this deep dive into the Russell check, Simon – the explanation of why it feels bolder than a classic glen check (that missing horizontal bar creating those standalone verticals) makes perfect sense now. The high-contrast, bright lines do give it a statement quality without tipping into loud territory, especially in something as substantial as this 18oz Hartwist tweed from Porter & Harding. At that weight, it’s clearly built for proper outerwear – thornproof, shape-holding, and ideal for standing around in the countryside or outside a pub, rather than indoor wear.
Your styling ideas hit the mark perfectly: the blue jeans route with collar up and a denim shirt feels like a reluctant country gent updating his look, while the lighter brown cords suggestion avoids the all-dark pitfall and keeps everything balanced. Adding a flannel-grey cashmere scarf to frame the neck is a clever touch too – it softens the whole thing and works brilliantly with a simple crewneck underneath.
I’ve been drawn to bolder tweed patterns lately for the same reason you mention: they add personality once the neutrals are solid, and tweed’s inherent dress-down nature makes them more forgiving than, say, a bold worsted. This Tranquil House piece looks like a great example of getting the proportions right for modern wear.
The ambiguity of the Russell Check’s origins is fascinating. No one seems to know for certain.
Do you think its origins were in sporting and hunting pursuits? I have often seen it made in hacking style, sometimes with a ticket pocket. What pocket style would you recommend? I find that slanted pockets can break up the large overcheck in an unsightly way. Your jetted pockets seem a bit formal to me. Overall I love the aesthetic.
I know what you mean about slanted pockets. Personally I’d go with this or a regular straight flap, with the ticket pocket to taste.
The Russel Check was often used in sporting and hunting, but that’s more just the use of the fabric in general, rather than the specific check
Think would be much better to reduce the country associations if you had the jacket made by an Italian tailor.
Hi simon what do you think about a fabric like the attached as a soft shouldered sportcoat?
Looks very nice Shem, a little like an old shepherd’s check