Archival Review: Shooting Waistcoats

Hoggs of Fife Crofter tweed waistcoat

Try UK/European country clothing brands for top quality wool and tweed garments this fall. Companies like Hoggs of Fife, Barbour, Musto, Le Chameau, Chrysalis, Hucklecote, Purdey and Beretta produce practical, beautiful country clothing from best quality materials (mostly in their traditional country of origin).

In the fall, the waistcoat functions as a transitional wardrobe item, moving the user from bare armed summer to multisleeved winter. The vest allows freedom of movement while providing some protection from the elements. In contrast to the standard nylon puffy version, we love the tailored look of wool and waxed vests. Since they are designed for rugged use in the field, we know that they will last for ages. Archival Clothing endorses garments with well placed, well thought out pocketing. The pockets found on the shooting waistcoat, engineered to carry heavy shells, are my absolute favorites.

Here are a few of my favorite waistcoats, some within my pricepoint (Hoggs of Fife) and others exhibited as purely aspirational eye candy (Purdey). Most of the brands shown here offer waistcoats (and country clothing) for both men and women.

Hoggs of Fife Bowmore tweed waistcoat

Hoggs of Fife Mey ladies tweed waistcoat

Purdey loden recoil vest

Barbour Westmoreland waistcoat (Archival Clothing favorite)

Austerity option:Hoggs of Fife waxed waistcoast

Musto Technical Tweed Waistcoat

Musto Luxury Tweed Waistcoat for women

Le Chameau Balmoral tweed shooting waistcoat

Beretta St. James vest

Nothing heavier in the pockets than a smartphone and small change


Shopping from 2004

Brand Admiration: Le Chameau

Last month, blog reader Shepard G., wrote me about his brand preference for Le Chameau, a French boot-maker and outdoor clothing company. Shep has been looking for a U.S. stockist for Le Chameau clothing. But like most Archival brands, Le Chameau is gradually disappearing from view. He writes:

I really like the Le Chameau clothing 'look', much more so than Barbour or even Filson. I found a UK site, Swillington Shooting & Stable Supplies, which carries the clothing, but most of the 'good' items appear to be sold out. I'd rather order from the US in order to get better prices and avoid horrendous shipping from the UK, but it doesn't seem that there are any US clothing retailers selling LeC. I remember when I first became interested in the brand a few years ago, they were going to have a website based in Colorado to sell the clothing in the US, but I guess the horrible US-Euro exchange rate killed that. C'est dommage.

Like Shep, I've always admired the look of Le Chameau's beautiful, leather lined Chasseur field boots and Nairobi, 6" ankle boots (discontinued). But other than the boots (and a snappy corduroy blazer I once saw at Upland Trading Co.), I've pretty much ignored Le Chameau's clothing offerings because they employ so many technical fabrics like fleece, cordura and gore-tex.

Shep's email, however, prompted me to review current clothing offerings by Le Chameau from UK stockists and Sierra Trading Post. I've posted a few images of some more traditional, country clothing type items (in tweeds and corduroys) I might actually regret not buying ten years from now:

Kintyre Cotton Waistcoat

Balmoral Gilet

Inverness Tweed Shooting Jacket

Diane jacket for women

St. Andrews Tweed Breeks

Aubigny Corduroy Hat (STP)

Corduroy Jacket (STP)

Nairobi Ankle Boots (n/a)

Capeline Kotkor

Le Chameau window display, Frankfurt, Germany

Shep was kind enough to take a photo of his personal Le Chameau inventory for the blog. He notes:

The boots are the entry level All Tracks (bought for $80 a few years ago - I could never justify spending $400 for the Chasseurs). I got the boot bag from a local store specializing in upscale hunting/fishing gear that has since shut down. I keep the boots in my truck for emergencies and usually wear them once or twice a year deer hunting. Probably will wear the boots this weekend on a birdwatching excursion with a friend. The migration is in full swing here, and hope to see some geese. I bought the quilted equestrian jacket a few years ago from the Le Chameau website in Colorado (since shut down). Fun thing to wear around town and to Christmas parties. And the aforementioned scarf, which I wear frequently on cold days.

Shep's personal Le Chameau inventory

Shep was also kind enough to forward along a few links to some to his favorite Eurpoean hunting and country clothing sites:

Lost Worlds Americana

Hunting Shop

Rascher

Seeland

Fjall Raven