For a lasting and practical addition to one’s wardrobe, a tweed jacket can be a very smart choice. Selecting a quality piece in a timeless style will allow for many options in when or how one enjoys this classic look.

Favored heavily by those who enjoy a traditional style, a tweed jacket is often considered a wardrobe basic.

A highly adaptable piece such as a tweed jacket is an essential in putting together a polished and refined style.

The gentle pattern really makes this a neutral piece in fashion terms, meaning it can be worn in a wide variety of ways. Paired with jeans and a casual shirt, the polished sophistication of tweed can lend an classy appeal to weekend wear.

Trying the same jacket over dress slacks, or a nicely fitted skirt for the ladies, this look can be sophisticated and professional for the office. A staple in many closets, the easy to match nature of tweed is a popular and timeless fabric for both work and play.

Picking up a color from the tweed pattern in shirts or accessories can tie the look together very nicely.

To achieve a serious and elegant look, pair neutrals with the subtle pattern of a tweed jacket. For a more fashion-forward style, the understated tweed can be worn with patterned pieces to give a bit more zing and a playful sense of fashion.

Kilts Attract Attention

If all men around you are wearing long pants, you and your kilt are going to attract plenty of attention. No bagpipe will be necessary. People will naturally check you out and probably ask you questions about your kilt. You can then tell them about the history of the kilt and the wonderful legacy of the Scottish people.

Kilts Show Off The Shape Of Your Legs

You never know, some women love great legs on men. If you have a nice pair of legs, you might attract quite a bit of positive female attention. Something about the back pleat of a kilt makes women curious too. They will want to know what you wear under your kilt.

Wear Your Kilt in Unusual Places

If you really want to improve your social life and meet new people, wear your kilt to places people don’t expect to see a man wearing one. Try a Pub for your first kilt debut. Attention will come and your social life will improve in no time at all.

[photo: James Morrison]

Why Choose Wool?

Wool is lightweight and comfortable. It offers a better form of insulation and is made up of many layers, so it can keep you warmer.

Wool also retains it shape and you can throw it in the washer or dryer without worrying that it will lose its shape. It doesn’t wear out and will stay fluffy and plump so you can use it again and again. Unlike fillings, it won’t clump or move around.

The unique chemical structure of wool makes it hard to ignite. Furthermore, when you’re hot in the summer, it will keep you cool and when you’re cold in the winter, it will keep you warm.

Why Cotton?

Despite wool’s many advantages, cotton can be a good choice, too. It’s easy to find and inexpensive. It dries quickly and is very breathable, which makes it advantageous if you’re trying to cool down during a fever or on a warm day.

While both have their advantages, wool blankets have a great many more advantages. Wool blankets are scientifically proven to provide a better night’s sleep. They’re a safer, healthier choice because they extinguish flames and repel dust mites.

[photo: Sundance]

Today, Harris Tweed is the only hand-woven textile that is sold in commercial quantities. Recent high profile manufacturers who have exported and used this beautiful cloth in a contemporary tweed collection include Nike, Alexander MacQueen, Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren. The fabric is considered the “champagne of fabrics”. While most of the production of this textile is manufactured for use in the clothing industry, Harris Tweed also supplied most of the interior fabrics for Glasglow’s first five-star hotel, called Blythswood Square, an incredible feat.Harris Tweed won the honor of Textile Brand of the Year for 2009 at the Scottish Fashion Awards and also won the premier award for Outstanding Style Achievement at the Scottish Style Awards. Clearly, Harris Tweed is a classic, luxurious fabric that will stand the test of time as a textile that remains classic.

Common, more updated styles using Harris Tweed include the Harris Tweed Rider Jacket by Nike, cropped and cut in the style of a classic motorcycle jacket. Scarves, trousers and jackets (famous Harris Tweed Jacket) are also just a few of the examples of the products that are made from this fabric. To make sure that the item is authentic Harris Tweed, make sure and check the label. It should be blue with gold lettering that clearly says “Harris Tweed” in script and then below the symbol, the description of the fabric being handwoven.

T-shirts are always unique gift  – if you don’t know the specific tastes of the person you’re buying the souvenir for, it might be the best choice, along with things like baseball caps.

Sporrans are small satchels carried in front of the kilt. The high quality ones can be a nice remind of the beautiful culture.

Kilts – the most traditional Scottish wear adorned with the famous tartan pattern is one of the most obvious gifts from the beautiful country.

Kilts come in many colours and lengths, also prices vary from a couple of dozens to even a couple of thousands of pounds. Here, an example of a nice, classic kilt and an option for ladies.

Small gadgets like mugs, funny egg cups or a Lone Piper figurine are always nice and do not cost much. There is a wide variety of these kind of small gifts available and they are always fun to have.

[sources: shirt , leather sporran, long kilt, cups]