Doctor Who saves Harris Tweed!

**Arlen** · 9th June 10, 06:36 AM

I a am great reader of The Chap magazine and when I saw this article I thought many of you would be interested.
Apparently the latest Doctor's choice of jacket is helping to revitalize tweed sales!

**Lallans** · 9th June 10, 07:02 AM

Saving the universe and/or the world plus many alternate realities on a weekly basis, and now saving Harris Tweed! That is excellent news!

The current incarnation of the doctor has also revived my interest in auburn haired Scottish lassies. Kilted episodes coming up too.

**slohairt** · 9th June 10, 08:37 AM

I wonder if there was a corresponding jump in the sales of striped scarves in the 1970s?

toadinakilt · 9th June 10, 09:07 AM

My mom knitted my dad a 12 foot striped scarf, back when they were dating... I borrowed it one winter for school, best thing ever. Only my profs knew what it was though.

Maybe the good Doctor will drive up kilt sales too.

**O'Callaghan** · 9th June 10, 08:04 PM

Originally Posted by toadinakilt

My mom knitted my dad a 12 foot striped scarf, back when they were dating... I borrowed it one winter for school, best thing ever. Only my profs knew what it was though.

Maybe the good Doctor will drive up kilt sales too.

Back when I was in university, one of my friends had a Dr. Who scarf knitted for him by his girlfriend, now his ex-wife. He got it caught in the back wheel of his motorcycle, a la Isadora Duncan, but he survived, although the scarf lost a little length.

**unaspenser** · 10th June 10, 01:13 PM

Originally Posted by O'Callaghan

Back when I was in university, one of my friends had a Dr. Who scarf knitted for him by his girlfriend, now his ex-wife. He got it caught in the back wheel of his motorcycle, a la Isadora Duncan, but he survived, although the scarf lost a little length.

I bet that was a scary moment! Thank goodness knitted fabric's nice and stretchy, eh? Much more forgiving than a silk scarf.

**Tobus** · 9th June 10, 10:54 AM

I wasn't aware that Harris Tweed needed saving. (?)

I'm pretty sure I had read a while back that it was a booming industry there, with people taking up crofting again to manufacture it... or something like that.

**McClef** · 9th June 10, 10:57 AM

It nearly did come a total cropper thanks to the efforts of Mr Brian Haggas and I am so glad it isn't one of his surplus jackets!

**Paul Henry** · 9th June 10, 01:12 PM

Originally Posted by Tobus

I wasn't aware that Harris Tweed needed saving. (?)

I'm pretty sure I had read a while back that it was a booming industry there, with people taking up crofting again to manufacture it... or something like that.

Do a quick google on it and you will see how poised on a knife edge it was.
I think there were even some posts on here as well

Fortunately it seems that there are increasing numbers of people who are once again appreciating the wonderful cloth.It's great to see that Matt Smith is wearing it, and hopefully it will achieve a wider, and most likely a much younger audience.
I suspect some of the "steampunk" fashion is also good for the Island business!

(the wearer of 2 harris tweed kilts- so I'm doing my bit as well)

**Lallans** · 9th June 10, 01:26 PM

It wasn't so long ago that every single teenaged kid in Eastern Canada was wearing a Harris Tweed coat matched with blue jeans. I think most of the tweed was bought on the second hand market (or 'borrowed' from me) but that sort of over-exposure must have been deadly to sustained fashionability. I love the things myself but outgrew (outexpanded) several I wanted to keep forever, so it will be great if they are more obtainable sometime soon. I know Scotweb has them but the differences between British and North American body and clothing sizes makes internet purchases tricky.