This time of year I give thanks for Saxony, a soft and elastic woolen with a smooth finish, once known as the cloth of the English kings after their predilection for suits from it.
Saxony was originally woven in the West of England from short staple wool sheared from Saxon sheep (it now comes from their Australian descendents); it's the polar opposite of the coarser but more lustrous Scottish Cheviot.
Saxony is used for trousers, suits, and overcoats. It is often woven as a glen check, which is how I came to know it. Those English kings seemed to me to have wardrobes full of beautiful glen check suits that were too casual for business dress but just right for a sporting event.
If I could have only one suit, it would be a vested three button in a 13 ounce black and white glen check Saxony with a rust overcheck. The bit of orange blends perfectly with a pair of chestnut colored shoes.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
The Cloth of Kings
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2 comments:
Are Saxony suitings appropriate for any time of year, or only fall/winter?
Like many traditional English fabrics, it's primarily Fall and winter. That said, Scabal has it as light as 9 oz. this year. Though that will still wear warm, so it's more of a nine month suit.
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