Try UK/European country clothing brands for top quality wool and tweed garments this fall. Companies like Hoggs of Fife, Barbour, Musto, Le Chameau, Chrysalis, Hucklecote, Purdey and Beretta produce practical, beautiful country clothing from best quality materials (mostly in their traditional country of origin).
In the fall, the waistcoat functions as a transitional wardrobe item, moving the user from bare armed summer to multisleeved winter. The vest allows freedom of movement while providing some protection from the elements. In contrast to the standard nylon puffy version, we love the tailored look of wool and waxed vests. Since they are designed for rugged use in the field, we know that they will last for ages. Archival Clothing endorses garments with well placed, well thought out pocketing. The pockets found on the shooting waistcoat, engineered to carry heavy shells, are my absolute favorites.
Here are a few of my favorite waistcoats, some within my pricepoint (Hoggs of Fife) and others exhibited as purely aspirational eye candy (Purdey). Most of the brands shown here offer waistcoats (and country clothing) for both men and women.
Barbour Westmoreland waistcoat (Archival Clothing favorite)
Le Chameau Balmoral tweed shooting waistcoat
Beretta St. James vest
Nothing heavier in the pockets than a smartphone and small change
Shopping from 2004
very cool, a perfect proposal for urban
http://nouveauclassique.blogspot.com
The Purdey is a beauty!
Another informative and damn right interesting post, yet again!
Any of these examples that have collars instead of just a shooting patch…are non-functional for shooting…the collar intereferes with proper mounting of one’s shotgun.
MLS–
I’m assuming most shooting sport folks would wear this under an appropriately padded shooting jacket??
No…note the oversized pockets for shells…these are excellent items for wearing alone over a sweater or heavy shirt when taking to the field for upland birds or a driven grouse shoot…or even sporting clays or skeet…just those collars…and I say this from experience. The Beretta and the Purdey have no articulated collar and thus are more functional. Great post but made me start looking to buy stuff….which is the last thing I need to do when it comes to shooting apparel.
For another place to buy Hoggs of Fife clothing try this website.
http://www.ppgclothing.co.uk/
You’ll have to sort through some pretty ugly safety and doctor’s gear.
Hebden Cord r.i.p.
Hoggs of Fife are not producing their garment in the UK, pretty unarchival?
Anon–
Seriously!? I must investigate. If so, unarchival indeed.
also good, Bob Parratt Country Wear.
http://www.bobparratt.co.uk/acatalog/Waistcoats.html
Lesli, I emailed them last year, to ask about where and from what they make their clothing(specifically their cords) and got this reply: “We do not normally quote the country of origin for garments and boots as we have more than one supplier for some products. However I can say that the cord trousers are not made in the UK, but they are made in an EC member country in Europe.”
I find the “more than one supplier”-bit disappointing since I thought they were their own suppliers.
That being said, I love the Archival Clothing blog, have for years. Cheers! Olle from Stockholm, Sweden.
Here’s what I found out today:
Dear Lesli
Unfortunately the Mey Tweed Waistcoat is not made the UK but overseas, neither the cloth or the capacity to produce the volumes we need are available in the UK.
I am pleased to hear that you like the quality of our brand as we try to offer the best quality we can at an affordable price.
Thank you for your interest in Hoggs of Fife.
Kind regards
Carlyn
Hi great blog -You might be interested in these – I got a pair today great heavyweight made in England cord – not sure if they are Brisbane Moss or Hebden but similar quality deadstock
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360255356327&var=630001544281&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_500wt_666