Our Tweed Heroes: Gareth Southgate
Nothing says style quite like a three-piece suit. At Tweedmaker, we’re all about timeless style. We love celebrating the men who champion fashion that can transcend season, occasion and location — today we’re taking a look at a British icon who does exactly that, Gareth Southgate.
The England team manager has become known for its signature look: a well-tailored three-piece suit with an iconic single-breasted waistcoat —- not a tracksuit in sight.
Marks & Spencer, who were the official suit supplier of the England team since 1997, even pointed to a 'Gareth Southgate effect': sales for waistcoats rose 35% thanks to the England captain's patronage.
Today, we’re looking at some of his signature style staples that should be coming home with you this summer.
The double-breasted jacket
Double-breasted suit jackets are the perfect way to bring some class pitchside (and into a modern wardrobe. Many of Southgate’s jackets are in the six-on-two style, meaning they have six buttons in two rows. While four-on-two is the more traditional style, the extra buttons make a real statement.
You’ll note that he rarely – if ever – does up his bottom button. The key to wearing a double-breasted suit, particularly one with six buttons, is to only ever do up the middle one. Not that you’ll see him with his jacket on all that often…
If you know Gareth Southgate, you’ll know it’s all about what’s under the jacket.
The waistcoat
A classic waistcoat and Gareth Southgate are practically synonymous.
You might remember the furore Southgate incited during the 2018 World Cup, where he wore a series of three-piece suits for England’s matches. He inevitably stripped down his waistcoat and shirt sleeves by the end of the match due to the temperature, the excitement or both. And man oh man did he start a trend. And with good reason.
You simply can’t go past a three-piece suit.
Drawing on tweed’s traditional roots as a fabric for men of the country, wearing just a waistcoat allows for maximum arm movement (whether you’re duck shooting on a farm or, in Gareth’s case, jumping about at the side of a football pitch).
A spotty tie
One of the benefits of a classic suit is the ability to play with colour and print in accessories to let your personality shine through. While he is often seen in navy or grey, not one to shy away from the pattern, Gareth is partial to a spotty tie.
In true England fashion, this is often red!
How to recreate Gareth Southgate's style with the help of Tweedmaker
You don’t need to be an International Football Manager to hit the back of the net with your style.
Tweed is for everyone, and we’re here to help you find your ultimate tweed look.
Tweed three-piece suits
First up, you’ll need a three-piece suit.
Wear it all together for formal events or when you need to add a touch of elegance to your day. Or forgo the jacket and just rep the waistcoat and pants for a more casual look in classic Southgate style. We’ve got an excellent range of three-piece tweed suits to browse.
Navy tweed
Southgate’s signature suit is a showstopping navy, which is the perfect option as a starter suit if you’re just getting into wearing tweed. It’s elegant and understated and can be pulled out of your wardrobe for a wide variety of occasions.
Colourful ties
OK fine. Harry isn’t known for his brightly-coloured suits. But that doesn’t mean you can’t add a spot of colour with a tie filled with personality! Add some more personality to your tweed by injecting some colour into your wardrobe.
Visit Tweedmaker to find your ideal tweed style. With a wide selection of colours and patterns, you’re sure to find the perfect Gareth Southgate-inspired fit.
