The Chanel Spring Summer 2023 Haute Couture show was a celebration of the tweed jacket. This isn’t exactly shocking news but it did make us wonder if fashion had yet invented a word for a piece that is both appreciated as being a timeless classic and also having a bona fide trend moment. Or maybe it’s just that understated luxury is finally cool again. Instagram is constantly greeting us with modish French women remixing tweed jackets to look both super luxe and contemporary-cool.

How to wear one? The main thing to remember when wearing a tweed jacket is that it may be understated but it’s still ornate. Therefore, the key to looking modern is in keeping the rest of your look as fuss-free as possible. First up, hair. This is not the time to book a curly blowdry. Yes, your hair needs to be polished (enlist the help of a finishing balm or shine spray here) but the texture must be loose and relaxed. Ask your hairdresser for a straight style finished with some dry, undone texture. An unexpected hair accessory can inject some excitement into the look – see journalist Monica de La Villardière’s XL bow, in the image below. 

Main image: Instagram @leiasfez.

Next up are the under layers. Again, simplicity is key. The coolest French women wear a tweed jacket with a simple but good quality white T-shirt underneath. If that’s not possible, a turtleneck – navy is a nice option here rather than black – is the next best thing. (As an aside, French women are not afraid to clash black and navy – in fact, Karl Lagerfeld designed many Chanel collections with just that in mind.) 

When it comes to your bottom half, there is nothing more joyous than contrasting a bouclé jacket with a pair of jeans. It’s the ultimate high-low dressing mix. If that’s not your bag, then leather trousers can also come into play here (skinny or wide leg will do). The added texture will grant your look an air of luxury. Your footwear choice can be an act of rebellion: contrast the ladylike quality of the jacket with a chunky stomping boot. (Purists can err on the side of caution with a block or kitten heel.) Lastly, when it comes to jewellery, eschew the advice of Iris Apfel (who famously said, “More is more and less is a bore”) for wise words from Gabrielle Chanel: “A woman needs ropes and ropes of pearls.” Modern dressers know that the most contemporary way to wear pearls is via dainty, gold pieces: look to jewellery designers such as Anissa Kermiche and, closer to home, Irish brands like MoMuse and Natasha Sherling. The beauty is all in the mix – and the unexpected.