Pepper Patch

I had a personal pact to post this pack of pepper tweed things

way before now. Of course, I failed miserably.

I bought them at the end of the Fall 2012 season sale priced and with an extra percentage off so I thought it odd they came back in the suiting section full priced then went on sale again and now the dress has sold out a second time and only the jacket and skirt remain in limited sizes

in the final sale section.

 

Maybe they're the same things maybe not.

Though the item numbers are identical, I know mine are black and ivory while what's currently on sale has navy ivory for the color choice.

Whatever. I'm thinking they have the same fit and fabrication so reviews could help somebody if the pepper tweed things pop back.

The fabric is 52% cotton/48% polyester (at least there's more real stuff than not).

It's loose enough a weave I could carefully work an Art Deco hat pin into the material, being careful to not go through the lining.

(Hat pins often have dull, threaded ends that don't pierce cleanly through fabric.)

I really like the dress, for once I didn't feel as if I'd want to

shorten or nip in a garment for a better fit.

Here, I decided to wear some fun, vintage plastic jewelry.

And of course a reprise of the tweed dweeb below, worn with the short-sleeve chambray shirt (the short sleeves avoid the fussiness at the cuffs and I like the rounded collars with the collarless jacket). The skirt fits surprisingly slim, I'm not used to skirts fitting around the waist. This one is sitting slightly high waisted instead of riding on my hips like most.

In case you're wondering, yes, I am wearing tights.
They're beige with tiny polka dots but it just looks like I have pasty legs, which I do.

Pepper tweed cons: the loosely woven fabric will easily snag (my vintage crystal bracelet caused a few before I became keenly aware to keep it away), the loosely woven fabric can also get out of shape (you can see above the uneven skirt hem) and though more than 50% cotton, I still wish for a 100% natural material, silk for the poly content would be lovely.

Pepper tweed pros: easy-to-wear, basic colors (whether black ivory or navy ivory); classic cut and a nice, close fit (at least for me); a lightweight tweed good for most seasons (for where I live and this tweed will also travel well); the loosely woven fabric can be worked to easily make snags disappear.

I've layered two necklaces collected over the years, these are from the 1920s, I believe.

The pepper tweed inspired me to pack a little more punch
with pieces from my vintage/antique jewelry collection.
I go in and out of these phases, should I stay put in this one a bit?

Did you pick up or pass on the pepper tweed?

Oh and does anybody remember I promised the ultimate chambray/denim shirt smackdown? Trying to be comprehensive stopped me from getting started. So silly wabbit, I will post one each week until I'm through them all. First one in a couple days and I'll take requests.