Tweed Kilt Jacket Colour Timeline

[Jock Scot]

My imperfect memory goes back to 1940 and I have many happy memories -----in spite of that unhappy and severely rationed time------of my family and their friends visiting clad in tweed. Often they would be stalking, grouse shooting and fishing. I really don't recall many tweeds in the hues of those shown in your pictures and certainly green tweed would not be a choice of many experienced sportsmen. Why? Green shows up like a sore thumb out on the hill and when wet, looks black which is even worse! I know many estate owners and particularly the game keepers and stalkers who nearly go into melt down if too much green is worn by an unknowing guest.

I well remember two things about tweed worn in those days. Russet Brown(the sort of shade and type that Glen----"McMurdo"---- wears so effectively) was common place and secondly the distinctive smell of damp tweed. These days the russet brown is rarely(never) seen and the modern tweed does not have the same smell. Yes, it still often has the wet dog, tobacco, gunpowder, gin, port, whisky, fish smells, but that distinctive damp tweed smell is now missing. I seem to recall someone on this website telling me that a certain chemical used in tweed making in the past is not now used in modern tweed making hence the smell is very different.

As to plain green tweed kilt jackets, they were uncommon all those years ago and in my experience still are. I did see a splendidly cut green herringbone tweed kilt jacket and waistcoat the other day and it looked very effective. Yes greens are within the tweeds of all sorts of patterns and hues , but plain green tweed is unusual, in my experience.

My own bespoke tweed kilt jacket and waist coat, which must be the best part of 40/50 years old and these days does not fit as well as it might, looks green, but actually has brown hairs lurking within the Harris Tweed. It was made from a length of cloth that had been put aside by my mother(possibly Grand Mother) for some purpose, which failed to come to fruition, so perhaps the cloth itself could be Pre 1940 by some margin.

My green Harris Tweed tweed, which is fine in my opinion as a kilt jacket but would be a disaster out on the hill.

Click to enlarge.