Five Ways to Wear Herringbone

One of our favourite winter fabrics is of course wool, in all its guises. With its inherent warmth, durability, and temperature-regulating prowess, it is the quintessential winter cloth. But of all the wool yarns, herringbone is perhaps at the top of our wishlist, thanks to its distinctive V-shaped pattern reminiscent of the herring fish's skeleton.

Herringbone is constructed with broken twill weave, which creates the zigzag or chevron pattern. The weaving technique dates back centuries, with examples of woollen leggings discovered in the Italian-Austrian Alps, dating from 800 to 500 BC, as well as a navy cloth from the Roman period found at the Murabba'at Cave in IsraelI. In Antinoöpolis, Greece, a herringbone textile was shown to date back to around 130 AD. Timeless, much?

So how is it incorporated into a modern wardrobe? Herringbone weaves in soft wool create stunning outerwear pieces, injecting your wardrobe with a subtle geometric pattern. Not too bold, but distinct nonetheless, it's a really stylish addition to your wardrobe.

This season at Oliver Spencer, we have created our own special herringbone weave, combining the undyed wool from a stock of white sheep and a dark brown breed. Called Whittaker Beige, we've used it to create five versatile garments that will elevate your winter wardrobe.

For a relaxed take on a suit, our herringbone Solms suit is a sophisticated approach to winter tailoring. Paired with drawstring trousers for a comfortable fit, the Solms jacket combines a traditional tailored silhouette with a hybrid lapel. 

The Albion double-breasted coat is a non-negotiable winter staple thanks to its elegant silhouette, but especially when it's constructed in herringbone wool. It's really versatile too, able to be worn with a variety of trousers, from smart tailored wool styles to selvedge denim. Similarly, our perennial winter silhouette, the Grandpa coat, uses the herringbone weave to full effect in its full length silhouette. We've also used the Whittaker beige cloth to create a modern flight jacket.  Our Linfield bomber can also be paired with matching herringbone trousers for a casual riff on the suit, or with wool flannel trousers for a tactile winter look.