A hardy fabric takes to the grandstand

Cavalry twill, a damn-the-torpedoes fabric of worsted wool woven in a diagonal pattern, was developed in the early part of the century for military and civilian riding clothes. The hard-wearing, fine-tailoring quality of the fabric is such that it has been used for uniforms and riding and shooting clothes ever since. This fall a group of rugged twilled fabrics, in such traditional breeches colors as stone, fawn and tan, are going to be found in new spectator-sports attire for grandstand and stadium. The slacks, jacket, topcoat and suit shown here being worn at professional soccer matches by fans Bill Blake and John Neufeld and by Danny Blanchflower, former captain of England's Tottenham Hotspur, mark the beginning of a trend that indicates twill will rival tweed for fall sportswear popularity.

Blanchflower (left) side-taps a soccer ball in cavalry-twill jacket ($70, Stanley Blacker) and checked whipcord slacks ($20, Jaymar-Ruby).

Neufeld (above) wears a fly-front twill topcoat ($150, Jason Gibbs) to a night game between the New York Generals and Baltimore Bays.

Blake (right) in wide-lapel cavalry-twill suit ($185, Meledandri, New York) watches warmup with Willie Evans, Atlanta Chief fullback.

THREE PHOTOS

WALTER IOOSS JR.