Norfolk Jacket

[cookie]

Am I the only one to whom there seems something disturbingly 1970s about this jacket? Or am I imagining things?

No you are not because the 70s was as the era of the dodgy take on the 1930s n'est-ce pas?

 

[Creeping Past]

Yes, Lawrance make absolutely excellent gear

Perhaps an advance party could make representations to Lawrance to get them to make a proper cord Norfolk to accompany their mounted breeches. Just for re-enactment purposes, you understand.

 

[BellyTank]

Necroquoting-

...and for context-

for the others-
I have a pair of WW1 era repro riding breeches from Lawrance,
in a fantastic Bedford Cord- it was thought that a Norfolk jacket,
or suit in that same cloth would be near the ultimate.
In an Edwardian style, most likely. Perhaps end-Victorian.

Like a good heart, "good" wool Bedford Cord is hard to find.


B
T

 

[Mysterious Mose]

Something like this, from Tanaka's Harley-Davidson book ?

 

[BellyTank]

Something.
But maybe more in the classic style, with the vertical belting and hidden pockets on the front.


B
T

 

[Creeping Past]

No surprise that I agree with BT on that.

Something more like the Filipino Rayadillo tunic.

The homespun look of these, and their relatively short length has clearly influenced the high-fashion utility clothing makers.

 

[BellyTank]

Yes, I also discovered those-
Interesting, indeed.
A bit more of a tropical garment, more tunic style.


B
T

 

[Mysterious Mose]

Something.
But maybe more in the classic style, ...

B
T

Yeah, this 1920's gear is too fresh.

Hello again Mr. Past,

Cool! I agree. Rayadillo. You did mention these before.
That hickory cloth is nice, but I understand if you'll want it in Bedford cord.
I'll have the cloth covered shank buttons and fancy cuffs please.

A homespun engineered Norfolk utility jacket, it is the Ne Plus Ultra isn't it?
As you say, like something straight out of the next Nigel Cabourn x Post'o'alls x Mr.Freedom catalog. We'll see.

Very nice, thanks.
M.M.

 

[Mysterious Mose]

So, do halfbelts count as Norfolk jackets in this thread ?

 

[BellyTank]

I think sporting Tweeds with half belts, pleats and capacious pockets
are covered by the Norfolk umbrella, at least for our interests,
perhaps not for ultra-purists.
We do seem to have terms such as ½ Norfolk, etc.

I believe what I need is a 1½ Norfolk.


B
T

 

[Mysterious Mose]

Hidden pockets.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Hidden pockets.

:eusa_clap Even today, most British Norfolk-style hunting jackets have those hidden pockets. They're good for stashing unused gloves as well as handkerchiefs.

.

 

[Mysterious Mose]

I like those pockets. I also like this hunting vest/jacket style:

I believe what I need is a 1½ Norfolk.

B
T

Something like these?:

 

[Mysterious Mose]

Here's another one:

 

[bookster1uk]

Am I the only one to whom there seems something disturbingly 1970s about this jacket? Or am I imagining things?

An ironic observation, as we sell quite a few 70's Norfolk 'style' jackets through our vintage emporium, many have the 'western' style scalloped yoke to front and or back.
Ours is designed primarily for utility use, it has the concealed breast pockets, it comes with a belt, which is handy in cold windy conditions as you can pull it tight to keep out any updraught, though we can make with a button option instead.
The belt buckle is real leather (covered), its just new looking in the pic.
We also have customers that order them for re enactment, vintage golf and motoring, theatre/opera companies, film companies etc,
I love vintage Norfolks with multiple front pleats and other features, they are very rare, the best of them that survive are usually US origin.
We offer over 100 cloths,and counting ( including plenty of plains, including gorgeous Harris), so bold checks aren't compulsory, but they are great for the aforementioned uses. I should also add that some of our customers that go for big checks, have the personality and quite often the size, to carry them off perfectly, they aren't clowns, just great people with a zest for clothing to please themselves,damn what anybody else thinks.
We like to think we got our design right, style and function, its popularity seems to bear that out, and you are unlikely to bump into somebody else wearing an identical one, unlike mass produced Norfolk style derivatives.

 

[Creeping Past]

Bookster, thanks for that. I appreciate you're appealing to those with an archetypal idea of a 'country' garment. For my part, I'm comparing this with the historical type of jacket.

There's a pretty good Hepworths/Hardy Amies — a made to measure/order item? I remember Hepworths offered service in the 1970s — Norfolk on Ebay at the moment. It's 4-button, high gorge, with a button belt. I mention this because I reckon it to be a 70s Norfolk, but it's quite repro-trad, if that makes sense.

There's many forks taken on the clothing road. I guess we're retracing the steps and hoping for a new iteration of an old type.

 

[Dr Doran]

Yes, Bookster, that is very fair, and I also thank you for posting that. I would feel like a doofus in such bold patterns, but some folks could make it work. I'm sure the jacket looks very nice in a more subdued herringbone or cheviot.

 

[bookster1uk]

Yes, Bookster, that is very fair, and I also thank you for posting that. I would feel like a doofus in such bold patterns, but some folks could make it work. I'm sure the jacket looks very nice in a more subdued herringbone or cheviot.

I have the same problem, some of our cloths I like the most simply would not work for me, or so I thought. I attended a function at the European Parliament as chair of a charity I'm involved with, I wore what I thought was a fairly subtle but largish check bookster tweed suit, the effect was quite astonishing, I was mixing with men largely in grey and dark blue suits, I stood out like a beacon, I was approached by all kinds of people, men and women, to comment on the outfit, I found it a little embarrassing ( clown?), and struggled to be as big as the outfit, The upside was that by the time I came back, I had 3 orders as a bonus to my original purpose of the visit.I suspect that next time i'll choose a subtler version and forgoe the extra sales.

 

[bookster1uk]

Bookster, thanks for that. I appreciate you're appealing to those with an archetypal idea of a 'country' garment. For my part, I'm comparing this with the historical type of jacket.

There's a pretty good Hepworths/Hardy Amies — a made to measure/order item? I remember Hepworths offered service in the 1970s — Norfolk on Ebay at the moment. It's 4-button, high gorge, with a button belt. I mention this because I reckon it to be a 70s Norfolk, but it's quite repro-trad, if that makes sense.

There's many forks taken on the clothing road. I guess we're retracing the steps and hoping for a new iteration of an old type.

Hepworths and early Montague Burton...outstanding, approaching bespoke quality in some cases, Burton produced some amazing models. The most common 70's Norfolk styles were by Marks and Spencers, quite a few of those had the yoke I referred to.Not my cup of tea, we sell the odd one or two, very 70's indeed.

 

[Dr Doran]

I have the same problem, some of our cloths I like the most simply would not work for me, or so I thought. I attended a function at the European Parliament as chair of a charity I'm involved with, I wore what I thought was a fairly subtle but largish check bookster tweed suit, the effect was quite astonishing, I was mixing with men largely in grey and dark blue suits, I stood out like a beacon, I was approached by all kinds of people, men and women, to comment on the outfit, I found it a little embarrassing ( clown?), and struggled to be as big as the outfit, The upside was that by the time I came back, I had 3 orders as a bonus to my original purpose of the visit.I suspect that next time i'll choose a subtler version and forgoe the extra sales.

Any chance we could see this fabric? See, there are times when I could pull it off. Sometimes I shave my head completely bald. On those occasions, I feel more confident about things like octagon glasses and large patterns.