These handsome cases for iPhones, iPads and laptops are made of genuine Harris Tweed, which gives them a very classy and mature look.
Tweed is a rough woolen fabric, traditional in Ireland and the UK. It’s generally associated with an old-fashioned and fussy sort of character; Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple, for example, is famous for wearing neat tweed suits. In the past decades it’s fallen out of favour as a textile – assuming it was ever really in favour – though occasionally you’ll find a college professor wearing a tweed suit.
However, in today’s rising nerd-chic culture, it’s starting to come back as a quirky yet attractive material; as a textile, it boasts a fascinating combination of colour and texture. And it’s absolutely perfect as a contrast to modern technology, which is anything but rough and wooly!
As tech-savvy Internet voyagers, we’re comfortable with our super-sleek ultra-shiny brushed-steel tech toys, but we’re not the only people who use modern gadgets! Your grandfather or uncle probably finds his new laptop a bit intimidatingly futuristic, and your dad might feel that his office-assigned iPhone is just too space-age for his taste. These tweed cases make a perfect bridge between modern technology and retro fashion.
There are three cases available, and you can pick from four different materials for each. The iPad one is my favourite, simply because the iPad is already a bit classy, as it’s somewhat of an e-book reader – you can buy it for £54.99. The iPhone case (which could easily also hold an iPod Touch) is the cheapest at only £19.99, and I think it’s also a great use of the material, as it serves as an accent piece.
Finally, there’s the £59.99 laptop case, which does look quite attractive, but uses a wee bit too much fabric for my taste. I think that if tweed really does make a comeback, it’ll be as an accent rather than a head-to-toe look. There’s nothing wrong with wearing a full tweed suit while carrying one of these, but expect strangers to ask you how your neurobiological research is going.
Some other classy and classical looking covers for portable gadgets include the sleek Rubik’s Cube inspired iPhone case, and the eternally hip Cassette Tape iPhone case.
