# Is $500 reasonable for a tweed jacket direct from Harris?



## Brio1 (May 13, 2010)

I'm considering the Laxdale Tweed for $500 as it actually appears to be cheaper direct from Harris than buying local in the States.:icon_study:


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## catside (Oct 7, 2010)

Brio1 said:


> I'm considering the Laxdale Tweed for $500 as it actually appears to be cheaper direct from Harris than buying local in the States.:icon_study:


Are they so much better than $200 (now) JosABanks? You can get a grey and brown or my favorite olive. They will be fused but so what? 
I personally prefer thrift. Many in SA or Goodwill (and on the thrift exchange board), and Harris remains rock solid. 10 for the jacket, 50 for the tailoring including changing the lining if needed.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

If he can afford it, why not enjoy Harris Tweed in the best way?


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## Starch (Jun 28, 2010)

That seems like a reasonable price for a good quality sport coat, though not a bargain.

Keep in mind, when you compare two items, that just because they're made of similar fabric (or even exactly the same fabric) that doesn't make them "the same thing."


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## Andy Roo (Jan 25, 2007)

Obviously you haven't watched this three-part BBC Harris Tweed documentary:

https://10engines.blogspot.com/2009/11/tweed-trouble-looms.html

https://10engines.blogspot.com/2010/10/harris-tweed-last-lost-episodes.html


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## Brio1 (May 13, 2010)

Andy Roo said:


> Obviously you haven't watched this three-part BBC Harris Tweed documentary:
> 
> https://10engines.blogspot.com/2009/11/tweed-trouble-looms.html
> 
> https://10engines.blogspot.com/2010/10/harris-tweed-last-lost-episodes.html


Actually, I watched it for the first time this morning. That is what provided the impetus to order directly.:icon_study:


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## Brio1 (May 13, 2010)

Jovan said:


> If he can afford it, why not enjoy Harris Tweed in the best way?


I'm a bit strapped at this time in my life due to the negligence of an uninsured driver colliding into me and causing a devastating injury to my foot and ankle. I'm just trying to cheer myself up. Do you have a recommendation as to where else I may acquire one of these for less? Thanks for your help, sir.


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## catside (Oct 7, 2010)

Brio1 said:


> I'm a bit strapped at this time in my life due to the negligence of an uninsured driver colliding into me and causing a devastating injury to my foot and ankle. I'm just trying to cheer myself up. Do you have a recommendation as to where else I may acquire one of these for less? Thanks for your help, sir.


Sorry to hear that. Someone in the past recommended Bookster:


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## godan (Feb 10, 2010)

The material and workmanship will meet any reasonable expectations. However, if this is your first experience with a jacket made in the UK, be aware of the differences in shoulder construction between here (BB; natural shoulder, etc.) and there. The Harris jacket may have shoulders with more, stiffer padding than you expect. You may or may not like it, but you will probably notice it.


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## TweedyDon (Aug 31, 2007)

I'll second Bookster--their work is excellent, from what I've seen of it!


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## dwintersgill (May 14, 2006)

saw one in stockholm. was very light weight - even the tweed fabric seemed lightweight - not heavy like others i have. but the price is ok.


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## phyrpowr (Aug 30, 2009)

I have three Booksters, and the workmanship is excellent, and you get a (semi) MTM coat for less than $500. Be aware that their 6-8 week delivery claim is somewhat optimistic...ten weeks is more like it (sorry Peter and Michele, but there it is). If you can wait, it's probably the best deal going


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

I'd skip doing business with Haggas. (Do a search.) Bookster or O'Connell's in the U.S. would be my choices. O'Connell's is beyond both of our budgets but had some better pricing on Harris after the holidays last year. Haggas, despite the name, does not offer the authenticity you seem to wish.

A little reading -

https://askandyaboutclothes.com/community/search.php?searchid=475363


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

"Sorry - no matches. Please try some different terms."


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## s3scout (Jun 26, 2010)

I am very happy with two jackets recently purchased from here:

https://www.harristweedshop.com/


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Order now and you get... a free... folding cup!

Yeah!


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## catside (Oct 7, 2010)

s3scout said:


> I am very happy with two jackets recently purchased from here:
> 
> https://www.harristweedshop.com/


Price is good. Are they canvassed?


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## EastVillageTrad (May 12, 2006)

Jovan said:


> If he can afford it, why not enjoy Harris Tweed in the best way?


If you want to spend $500 you're better off finding a tailor that will make a Southwick made-to-measure SACK from Harris Tweed sourced cloth...


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## Kingstonian (Dec 23, 2007)

Brio1 said:


> I'm considering the Laxdale Tweed for $500 as it actually appears to be cheaper direct from Harris than buying local in the States.:icon_study:


No.

It is one of four Harris jackets Haggas now offer.

However he has warehouses full of them. He cannot shift them. His troubles are well documented.

If you like the jacket,I would look on eBay for the same item at a much lower price. £150 and no more.

https://www.cwmenswear.co.uk/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=15_40&gclid=CLeQv6-f86QCFcnozAodkTWbLw


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## Brio1 (May 13, 2010)

Kingstonian said:


> No.
> 
> It is one of four Harris jackets Haggas now offer.
> 
> ...


Thank you, sir. Do you happen to know the equivalent price in USD? Please keep in contact as I value the advice of an Englishman.


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## LanceW (Jun 2, 2009)

xe.com lists the conversion of 145 pounds as 229 dollars.


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## Kingstonian (Dec 23, 2007)

Do you pay customs duty on clothes imports in the US?

We do in the UK. So that may need to be added. 

Though you should get a reduction for the VAT element. 17.5% of the £145 will be VAT.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

EastVillageTrad said:


> If you want to spend $500 you're better off finding a tailor that will make a Southwick made-to-measure SACK from Harris Tweed sourced cloth...


 Good point, though I don't know why it should necessarily be a sack. Presumably the OP is okay with a darted two button given what he was looking at.


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## EastVillageTrad (May 12, 2006)

Jovan said:


> Good point, though I don't know why it should necessarily be a sack. Presumably the OP is okay with a darted two button given what he was looking at.


<<sigh>>


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Instead of sighing at me, maybe you could be so nice to explain your reasoning.


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## EastVillageTrad (May 12, 2006)

It is just disappointing that being stalwartly TNSIL inclined is so easily brushed aside and heaven knows anything goes...


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## catside (Oct 7, 2010)

Jovan said:


> Instead of sighing at me, maybe you could be so nice to explain your reasoning.


I was explained in the trad questions before that it is a personal preference. Yet, I am still curious if there is any rationale beyond personal taste why sack is better than darted. So, I would appreciate an explanation argument, too.


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## dorji (Feb 18, 2010)

Oooh I've got a little buyer's remorse now! Bought one from my favorite local haberdasher no less. Not their fault of course, the blame is on myself alone. After tailoring I noticed the made in China. VERY unusual at this particular store. Didn't want to say anything, but now I see those sale prices....ouch. They told me that they dropped Southwick for this due to better quality and I trusted, oh I trusted. Live and learn you know! No hard feelings.


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## HistoryDoc (Dec 14, 2006)

That is a fair price, but not a "smoking deal."


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

catside said:


> I was explained in the trad questions before that it is a personal preference. Yet, I am still curious if there is any rationale beyond personal taste why sack is better than darted. So, I would appreciate an explanation argument, too.


 Well, I just noticed that this was posted in the Trad Forum. (Go me. I usually just read threads under "New Posts.")

I think the soft look of a natural shoulder, three button rolled to second sack coat works well with tweed.


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## frosejr (Mar 27, 2010)

Andy Roo said:


> Obviously you haven't watched this three-part BBC Harris Tweed documentary:
> 
> https://10engines.blogspot.com/2009/11/tweed-trouble-looms.html
> 
> https://10engines.blogspot.com/2010/10/harris-tweed-last-lost-episodes.html


Try explaining to your boss that you were having trouble staying awake because you were up all night watching a tweed documentary...


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## C. Sharp (Dec 18, 2008)

That sounds like a good idea here are some DC sources https://www.southwick.com/cgi-local/dealer_directory.cgi?query=state-DC



EastVillageTrad said:


> If you want to spend $500 you're better off finding a tailor that will make a Southwick made-to-measure SACK from Harris Tweed sourced cloth...


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## YoungClayB (Nov 16, 2009)

I've been following this thread for a while and figured that I would chime in. 

The big question that I have is why would you want a jacket directly from Harris? Brian Haggas from what I can tell is a lunatic and what he has done to the Harris Tweed brand is a real shame. Hopefully.....hopefully, more and more HT mills will start working with individual tailors and clothing companies to restore the beauty and the variety of the Harris Tweed of yesterday. But, I just dont see how buying one of Haggas' 75,000 stock piled jackets that were made in China in going to help swing the pendulum in that direction.

I actually bought my first Harris Tweed jacket a couple of days ago and am anxiously awaiting its arrival. I got the vintage jacket pictured below off of eBay for $26...



So between the good deals that are out there for vintage Harris Tweeds, my fundamental disapproval of what Brian Haggas has done to Harris Tweed, and the fact that the "new" Harris Tweeds are fairly drab looking and assembled in China (possibly by underage workers...I dont have any evidence of this, but its China we are talking about)...I would conclude, in response to your original question, that no, $500 does not seem reasonable for a tweed jacket direct from Harris.


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## Brio1 (May 13, 2010)

YoungClayB said:


> I've been following this thread for a while and figured that I would chime in.
> 
> The big question that I have is why would you want a jacket directly from Harris? Brian Haggas from what I can tell is a lunatic and what he has done to the Harris Tweed brand is a real shame. Hopefully.....hopefully, more and more HT mills will start working with individual tailors and clothing companies to restore the beauty and the variety of the Harris Tweed of yesterday. But, I just dont see how buying one of Haggas' 75,000 stock piled jackets that were made in China in going to help swing the pendulum in that direction.
> 
> ...


I was not aware of the assembly in China. Are we certain of this? Where is your reference for this disappointing news? Thank you.:icon_study:


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## roman totale XVII (Sep 18, 2009)

> I was not aware of the assembly in China. Are we certain of this? Where is your reference for this disappointing news?


I'm pretty sure Haggas says it in the documentary. Also, I ran across some of these jackets when I was in England earlier this year and am sure they were made in China. That said, I didn't inspect them too closely. Even though I'm actually English and can happily accommodate and incorporate both US and English styles, even I found them too square in the shoulder and boxy.


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## frosejr (Mar 27, 2010)

roman totale XVII said:


> I'm pretty sure Haggas says it in the documentary.


IIRC, he doesn't come right out and say "we're making them in China," but he does say something that is pretty definitive in the first part of the doc about making them in China.


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## windsor (Dec 12, 2006)

Orvis offers a "featherweight" tweed jacket, if your preference is for a lighter weight tweed. Some Harris tweeds can be quite heavy, stiff and scratchy.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

windsor: Maybe there's a trad way to break in a tweed coat? :icon_smile_big:


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

windsor said:


> Orvis offers a "featherweight" tweed jacket, if your preference is for a lighter weight tweed. Some Harris tweeds can be quite heavy, stiff and scratchy.


Sorry, but those vanished a season or two ago. Wish they hadn't as I have 3, but would dearly love another. Their replacement is an unspecified Scotish tweed, USA made, but in only two fabric choices. Orvis is not heading in the right direction. Stopped at their outlet store in Queensbuty NY while on holiday and with the exception of literally less than a dozen items the entire store was sweatshirts, t-shirts and fleece.


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## dorji (Feb 18, 2010)

Brio1 said:


> I was not aware of the assembly in China. Are we certain of this? Where is your reference for this disappointing news? Thank you.:icon_study:


I can guarantee you that they are made in China. As stated in a previous post, I only noticed the "made in China" tag after tailoring. This surprised me, due to the fact that the rest of the store I purchased from is USA, Italy, England, Canada, ect....made garments.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

I think I will stick with buying my tweeds (present day) from O'Connell's. The ones I've purchased from there have been made in the USA and a fair amount of their stuff comes from Canada. If bought on sale, they can be had, within the pricing target specified in the OP.

In the past, I have also purchased several other "made in the USA" or Canada tweeds from Orvis and BB on sale and well under the $500 limit set in the OP. Shop around. Wait for the end of season sales, if you can, and you might save a fair amount of money! Good luck in the hunt!


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## phyrpowr (Aug 30, 2009)

Jovan said:


> windsor: Maybe there's a trad way to break in a tweed coat? :icon_smile_big:


1. Buy tartan dogbed cover from LLBean

2. Stuff with new tweed

3. Place under Golden Retriever/Black Lab/Brittany Spaniel


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

^^
LOL ...and then pray the dog isn't a chewer!


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## D&S (Mar 29, 2009)

Flanderian said:


> Sorry, but those vanished a season or two ago. Wish they hadn't as I have 3, but would dearly love another. Their replacement is an unspecified Scotish tweed, USA made, but in only two fabric choices. Orvis is not heading in the right direction. Stopped at their outlet store in Queensbuty NY while on holiday and with the exception of literally less than a dozen items the entire store was sweatshirts, t-shirts and fleece.


I'm very familiar with that outlet and I can tell you, it's not representative of Orvis or even of Orvis outlets. The flagship store in Manchester is still the real deal, and the Orvis stores I've been to in Boston, Richmond, and Roanoke are legit as well. I actually did buy a 3/2 Harris Tweed from the Queensbury Orvis three years ago (a bargain at $100), as well as a synthetic Barbour jacket that I hardly ever choose over the Beaufort I bought at the Richmond Short Pump Orvis.

I agree, though, the Queensbury Orvis sucks. The last time I was there, the only compelling thing I found was an off-brand sailing jacket for $50, which I didn't buy because they didn't have my size.


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## 4dgt90 (Dec 2, 2009)

catside said:


> Are they so much better than $200 (now) JosABanks? You can get a grey and brown or my favorite olive. They will be fused but so what?
> I personally prefer thrift. Many in SA or Goodwill (and on the thrift exchange board), and Harris remains rock solid. 10 for the jacket, 50 for the tailoring including changing the lining if needed.


I got a grey one from JAB for $100 in the spring this year.... been waiting all year to wear it down here in Texas, still hasn't gotten below 60 at night...


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## Kurt N (Feb 11, 2009)

frosejr said:


> IIRC, he doesn't come right out and say "we're making them in China," but he does say something that is pretty definitive in the first part of the doc about making them in China.


At the 35:00 mark, the voiceover says they're "made up in Chinese factories."


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## phyrpowr (Aug 30, 2009)

For "thrifted" tweeds, VWDolly ( a member here) has lots, and Bookster has an ebay site


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## Marcellionheart (Mar 10, 2010)

Kurt N said:


> At the 35:00 mark, the voiceover says they're "made up in Chinese factories."


Correct! Also, if you're in the UK and want a Haggas jacket, usually the Edinburgh Wollen Mill has them on permasale for about £150. Considering what he's charging on his own site, getting Bookster to make you a MTM would probably be cheaper and better but at this point may not arrive before Christmas.


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## catside (Oct 7, 2010)

tdecast said:


> I got a grey one from JAB for $100 in the spring this year.... been waiting all year to wear it down here in Texas, still hasn't gotten below 60 at night...


They hang nicely, and exact same Harris tweed material, with the orb. Unfortunately the fused construction may cause a shortened life, which is a pity because the tweed last forever! Still at that price point a bargain. Can't buy the material for the price!


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## Brio1 (May 13, 2010)

catside said:


> They hang nicely, and exact same Harris tweed material, with the orb. Unfortunately the fused construction may cause a shortened life, which is a pity because the tweed last forever! Still at that price point a bargain. Can't buy the material for the price!


I'm not sure what you are referring to regarding fused construction. I will look for it in the local stores. Thanks for the tip.:icon_study:


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## TweedyDon (Aug 31, 2007)

Brio1 said:


> I'm not sure what you are referring to regarding fused construction. I will look for it in the local stores. Thanks for the tip.:icon_study:


Here's a fairly decent article on fused, half-canvassed, and canvassed:

https://artofmanliness.com/2010/02/...-suit-school-part-i-fused-vs-canvassed-suits/


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## Luckycharmboi2 (May 30, 2009)

Should you find yourself in Scotland, you can buy these jackets for a lot less. But, BE WARNED, these jackets are darted and have side vents. Also, the quality of the buttons used varies a lot from what feel to be nice leather buttons to clearly cheap plastic buttons.



Brio1 said:


> I'm considering the Laxdale Tweed for $500 as it actually appears to be cheaper direct from Harris than buying local in the States.:icon_study:


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## Griswold (Mar 29, 2010)

Brio1 said:


> I'm a bit strapped at this time in my life due to the negligence of an uninsured driver colliding into me and causing a devastating injury to my foot and ankle. I'm just trying to cheer myself up. Do you have a recommendation as to where else I may acquire one of these for less? Thanks for your help, sir.


Not to take this subject entirely in a different direction, but most states have uninsured motorist coverage to compensate people injured by an uninsured driver. If you have a car and a policy covering it, you may want to look into whether DC or wherever you happen to live requires UM coverage and whether you can make a claim under your own policy.


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## Brio1 (May 13, 2010)

Griswold said:


> Not to take this subject entirely in a different direction, but most states have uninsured motorist coverage to compensate people injured by an uninsured driver. If you have a car and a policy covering it, you may want to look into whether DC or wherever you happen to live requires UM coverage and whether you can make a claim under your own policy.


Thanks, I have already pursued this course of action. However, I'm afraid that it just doesn't do justice to compensate for the devastating nature of the injury.

I am aware that it could have been much worse. My attorneys informed me that they have represented the family of those that were unfortunately killed by uninsured drivers and all that was available to them was the UM coverage: a meager 25k.:icon_headagainstwal

I am preparing for a below knee amputation.

Thanks again.


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