Broke and Bespoke

Southwick at Cable Car Clothiers

I’m a huge fan of Southwick, and couldn’t be happier about the renaissance they’re enjoying right now. But a shop that has long offered Southwick, and as evident form the last picture above, with very little change, is San Francisco’s trad mecca Cable Car Clothiers.

I had a lot of fun trying on all kinds of beautiful Southwick Harris Tweed sport coats yesterday. My favorite was probably this thick green donegal, flecked with all sorts of beautiful oranges, reds, purples, greens, and blues.

Note that the jacket hanging on the rack in the bottom picture is one of my favorite pieces, a Cable Car Clothiers tweed jacket from—I was told yesterday—the 1970s. It’s not a Harris Tweed, but is a Scottish shetland from I know not what mill. But, the era of huge lapels and overly built-up shoulders saw the continuation of the natural shouldered patch flap pocket look at Cable Car Clothiers. These two jackets, over 30 years apart in age, bear more than a striking resemblance to each other.

Though fashions change, and we are in a moment where the natural shouldered style of the ‘ivy’ look is once again fashionable, it is also true that neither of these jackets will ever look out of place in someone’s winter warbdrobe.