As I start to write an amusing missive to you I was thinking of heading it ‘Coming Out’ thinking of a parallel of young debutantes deciding what to wear when entering society for the first time after years of being locked down, but then I suddenly thought our woke readers would worry I was potentially mocking the dilemmas that the LGBTTQQIAAP community face every day they dress amid a confusion of gender specific clothing stereotypes that society has imposed on us over the years. So, to avoid any offence or confusion I’m going to talk about what to wear when we can at last all re-enter society and go out for the first time in months; and of course we are more than happy to dress you without prejudice to any sexual predilections.

Dressing for freedom is an interesting topic with many examples throughout history. Perhaps Europe’s most famous image of freedom is Delacroix’s Liberty Leading The People. The French Revolution was indeed a turning point towards modern dress as we know it; revolutionaries were known as sans-culottes, literally ‘without knee breeches’. They turned away from the clothing of aristocrats and started wearing trousers with hip-length woollen jackets in a style that we easily recognise today. They also tried to tone down the colour palette associated with the dandy elite but this still gave them plenty of scope for Tricolore striped pantaloons and beautifully coloured woven wools that we would appreciate as elegantly colourful today.

The freedom we are looking forward to now is from a tyrannical virus rather than a dissolute king but the need for joyous revelry is just as important and expressing this joy through clothing and colour is undoubtedly what we all need. In many ways the last year has been revolutionary, we’ve freed ourselves from the shackles of the office and as a consequence from the business suit. Now that we are almost liberated, it will be interesting to see if the wearing of more personal styles persists in the work place. 

However, work is not on our mind at the moment, it’s all about socialising and enjoying the company of others. This is where Dashing Tweeds comes to the fore, we relish a chance to enable you to bring joy to yourself and others through the medium of dress. We tailor clothes for all occasions, but I like to think that everyday should be a time for enjoyment, after all we now appreciate just how short life can be. 

As spring blooms, it’s ideal weather for an unlined tweed jacket with matching trousers or possibly even shorts. If you would like to get the ball rolling and are an existing customer of our made to measure service then we can post you fabric samples and send your choice to our tailors without delay. As an added bonus we can offer you a discount on the price if ordered by the 30th March.

Click here if you an existing made to measure client and you want 15% off your next order

We have all got used to video calls and I’m always happy to offer you advice over the phone until you are able to come into the shop in person from Monday 12th April.

Now is also a good time to start thinking about your summer wardrobe. A pair of elegantly cut trousers worn with a crisp shirt is always going to look good and I find that including back pockets is very useful. Our fine Merino wools drape perfectly and do not cling or crease in a way the cotton can, ensuring an effortless elegance at all times.

We design new fabrics and tailor small collections twice a year to inspire you. Now is a perfect time to ask yourself if your clothing fulfils it’s emotive purpose, are you using your clothes to extend a visual portrayal of who you are or who you want to be? Are you ready to show yourself when we are again allowed out into society? Indeed, are you treating yourself with respect or wearing undeservingly poor clothing because you think no one really cares?

Due to the current lockdown rules in London our store will not be reopening at the moment, however we are able to host video consultations to talk through the made to measure options and we can take measurements this way too. 

If you wanted to order something from our made to measure, then we are happy to offer you 10% off until 30th March, drop us an email to arrange a video consultation: Guy@DashingTweeds.co.uk.