Our Tweed Heroes: Mr. Bean
Despite its beginnings as a humble fabric created to protect Scottish peasant workers from the elements, tweed has now cemented its place in worldwide fashion. From the streets of London to the fashion shows of Chanel, tweed makes appearances everywhere.
In our Tweed Hero series, we’ve been admiring and taking inspiration from the most notable wearers of tweed — but recently, we realised an embarrassing oversight in our work.
How improper of us to cover the likes of Matt Smith and David Beckham before first paying our respects to the indisputable king! So, to correct our mistake, today’s entry will be dedicated to the most brilliant, most refined? and most undeniably elegant master of tweed: Mr. Bean.
Bringing tweed to the masses since 1990
Rowan Atkinson is a British acting and comedic icon who originally gained fame in the 1980s for his role as Blackadder. On New Year’s Day 1990, he brought another icon-to-be to television — Mr. Bean.
Characterised as completely unaware of the world around him, Mr. Bean’s life is a never-ending barrage of disastrous events brought about by his own careless acts. From stabbing a dentist with his own syringe to headbutting the Queen Mother, Mr. Bean’s antics are quite unbelievable — and even earn him a criminal record!
Over the years, Mr. Bean’s popularity has earned him two films, an animated spin-off? and a YouTube channel boasting over 30 million subscribers.
The look
With a few exceptions, Mr. Bean is largely a one-outfit character, and that outfit is frankly far too stylish and sensible for his ridiculous personality. It consists of:
- A brown tweed jacket complete with elbow patches
- A white shirt
- A thin red tie
- Brown trousers
- Black Oxford shoes
- Calculator watch
The outfit is almost identical in both the live-action and the animated versions of the show, except that the animated Mr. Bean wears black trousers.
Lessons from a legend
Now, while Mr. Bean’s look is a good choice for him, it might not serve the modern gentleman to recreate it exactly. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t some aspects we can pick out when creating the perfect dapper ensemble.
Let’s take a look at the outfit in more detail and discuss some tweaks that could be made for the contemporary man-about-town.
The jacket
Mr. Bean’s two-button, single-breasted jacket is a showcase of the traditional. The colour — something from a light brown herringbone to an olive green check — is time-tested, classic, and easy to pair with anything your heart desires.
A tweed jacket in this mould looks just as at home with a waistcoat and matching trousers for a full-three piece, as it does with Bean’s signature slacks. If you’re looking for a jacket for every occasion, start here.
The shirt and tie
The versatility of tweed is one of its greatest assets, meaning you can wear it with anything you fancy. We recommend a well-fitted quality dress shirt, but you can also go with a polo shirt or even a t-shirt if you’re feeling extra casual.
The same goes for the tie. Mr. Bean’s usual tie colour is a deep, luxurious maroon red — practically identical to this lovely Tweedmaker red wool tie. But again, you can pair a quality tweed jacket with nearly any tie, or even no tie at all!
The shoes and watch
Your choice of shoes depends on how you decide to style the rest of your outfit. A pair of black oxfords go perfectly with Mr. Bean’s look, particularly with his trouser choice. But if you have other preferences, then most black shoes will do the trick — black brogues, black monk strap shoes, or even black leather loafers.
If you’re looking for something a little more laid back though, a pair of velvet slippers (without the socks!) is a comfortable yet refined choice. You can even go with a pair of trainers — just make sure they’re clean!
A calculator watch might not be the best look for a man trying to dress his best but there are plenty of other options to choose from. A leather strap in a similar hue to your jacket is always a safe bet, as is a metal strap. But the point is, tweed works with anything so accessorise to your heart’s content!
If you’ve been inspired to bring a bit of the Bean into your wardrobe, Tweedmaker’s range of handmade tweed suits has multiple potential contenders for your perusal. Just be sure to get Teddy’s approval before buying.
