Tweed used to have a reputation as an expensive go-to textile for the high-born country living set, essentially because clothing fashioned from this sturdy weave was an excellent way of keeping the cold at bay while they were galavanting about outdoors. And although this is still the case, it’s now also a fabric that a style-conscious city-dweller can turn to when there’s a decided nip in the air. Only this time investing in tweed won’t break the bank, especially so if you consider hiring your suit rather than buying.

Almost definitely – wear yours as a three-piece for a look that says ‘I’ve got this’. In fact, tweed is that rare breed of a fabric that has so successfully morphed from countryside uniform to workplace-ready togs, you’ll wonder why it’s taken you so long to recognise its potential to hit the mark in the boardroom. Our Donegal tweed suit is slim-cut, lightweight and breathable for all the implied tradition and reliability of tweed but with a distinctly modern feel. Pair yours with a button-collar shirt, brogues and a CEO-worthy striped tie.

That’s easily resolved: ditch the waistcoat and hire a two-piece suit instead. You could style it with a shirt and tie and it’ll still feel more casual than it would with a waistcoat. Our advice? Break with tradition and scrap the formal shirt and tie altogether in favour of styling your tweed with an open-necked printed shirt instead. A classic pair of sunglasses is optional but encouraged for a look that’s completely at ease.

If you want to wear tweed but also want to dial it down, hire just the jacket to upgrade pieces you probably already own. We suggest block-coloured knitwear and a pair of crisply tailored trousers for an uncomplicated, modern feel. Not only will simple basics balance the richness of tweed, but this combination will also take you comfortably from client lunch to mid-week date to that tricky smart-casual weekend invitation you’ve been worrying about. Proof, if any were needed, that hiring tweed is very much suited to anything today’s got in-store.

We’re all guilty of spending too much money over the festive period with the upshot being that, after the splurge, we start off the new year with a cash flow that is often reduced to a very unimpressive trickle.

So if you had any suit shopping plans for the start of 2020, there’s perhaps nothing quite as depressing as trying to salvage said plans on a virtually non-existent budget.

But fear not because help is at hand, with some of our bestselling suits now available to hire for almost every occasion, guaranteeing that you’ll look the part you need to play without having to break open your piggy bank.

There’s a lot to be said for dressing for the job you want, which is why hiring a suit might just be the smartest move you can make. If you’re levelling up, your current wardrobe might not match your career aspirations. Our advice? The Performance suit is a workhorse when it comes to that round of job interviews you’ve managed to get lined up.

Yes, it’s plain and simple but it’s water-repellant, crease-proof and stain-resistant to boot. In fact, it’s the holy trinity of all that you could want from a suit when you’re set on making that vital first impression.

Days when you need to make a good impression can fall in every month of the year. Handily, suits come in light, mid and heavy fabric weights, so you can feel confident without shivering in winter or mopping your brow in summer.

But just looking at the fabric won’t tell you how warm or cool a suit is – there are summer-weight tweeds, after all. So here’s the lowdown on how to how to find out whether a suit will be a winter warmer or light and breezy for summer.

FIBRE VS WEAVE

Some fibres are naturally heavier than others. You’d expect a linen suit or Tencel shirt to be lighter, for example. But when it comes to wool, the weight is more technical as it depends on the thickness of its fibres and tightness of its weave.

When you’re shopping for a suit, you may notice some mentions of GSM. This figure is the weight per square metre, and it’s how you figure out if the suit is lightweight or heavyweight.

So what numbers should you look out for?

HEAVYWEIGHT SUITS

These suits are cut from cloths that weigh upwards of 400GSM (or 14oz as they may also be called). Think traditional tweeds and Donegal weaves, as well as those used for coats.

They’re ideal for winter because they let shut out the cold air to keep you warm. Tailors also love using heavy fabrics because they give more structure and drape beautifully to tease out wrinkles. That’s why heavier cloths are generally more formal.

LIGHTWEIGHT SUITS

Any suit cut from a cloth below 270GSM (or under 9oz) will be very lightweight. The looser weave allows plenty of airflow to keep body temperature down. If you want to wear a heritage-look tweed or herringbone suit in summer, there’s no reason why you can’t if you choose one in a light weight.

We’ve cut the grams even more with our lightweight suits by removing the shoulder padding and choosing minimal lining.

SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN

For an all-rounder, a midweight suit should do a bit of both. Cloths weighing between 290GSM and 390GSM are usually wearable for most of the year.

If you’re just getting started with your suit collection, go for one that’s 290-360GSM for an all-season outfit and expand your options from there. Look for half-lined jackets for a smooth fit on the arms and more breathability on the back or opt for a lined suit if you want something that bit warmer.