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Opinions on Vanson Luftwaffes Officers Great Coat?

Sloan1874

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,427
Location
Glasgow
I bought it new two years ago. It is slim fitting, I bought a 38, a size up from my own, so it would be big enough to wear a jumper or even a suit underneath it - I use to for work - but even then it's not huge. It's amazingly warm when it's fully buttoned up: the fabric is amazingly water and wind resistant (rain just brushes off), the collar stands up high-enough to become almost like a scarf, and the back vent buttons over, so it keeps out the draft. I can only imagine a shearling-lined coat would be warmer. The first time I wore it was on one of the coldest days of the past two years. I spent the whole day out in a howling blizzard and it was the only thing that stopped me from freezing to death!
 

Graemsay

Practically Family
Messages
998
Location
Melbourne
Sloan's Crombie airforce blue coat can be found on their website. Personally, I prefer the army green version.

a0072ctbl_1_1_1.jpg
a0072ctgr_1.jpg
 

Gin&Tonics

Practically Family
Messages
899
Location
The outer frontier
Man, some awesome coats here. Lapels for DAYS! The out of place looking button on the green version irks me though. On double breasted, my military background twigs my brain with annoyance if the buttons aren't perfectly aligned.
 

Tkecks

Familiar Face
Messages
70
Location
USA
Those crombie coats are strange. Too short-looking (either below the knee, or above for a short look; at the knee is just wrong). No option for long or short sizes either.

The buttons are very widely spaced (much more so than any historical UK military coat), but its a slim fit, so if you wore the coat open there'd probably be way too much material flapping about. Plus this oversizes the lapels to the point where they are almost wider than the shoulders on the blue one.

Agreed about the button being offset; that looks plain strange, and probably more so if you buttoned it up fully. And there should be a button above that, but there doesn't seem to be.

I like the colours, but a little more historical conservatism and less high-fashion highjinks would improve the look.
 

giovanni

Familiar Face
Messages
47
Location
Canada
Well, to be honest, I rarely see overcoats for men with that back belt feature. Most overcoats I see are quite plain and most are singlebreasted too--usually with flap pockets and plastic buttons or faux horn.

So even an authentic military great coat would be looked upon with curiosity by most...Authentic or not quite authentic like the Crombie, a great coat would risk being seen as a bit feminine. Most of the time, I see womens coats have the back belt and the metal buttons and the ulster collars. Pt being, either way, historically conservative or not--such a coat is gonna be flamboyant.

Perhaps my experience is different, my experience being primarily a North American urban life.

However, I think the great coat Sloan has is quite nice (styling is more conservative)--if it was offered in navy it would be perfect. If he can post pics it would be great...seems like the coat has amazing quality. A smart choice in an overcoat! The only coat that can compete would be a camel hair polo coat.
 

Sloan1874

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,427
Location
Glasgow
Promise to do it this evening. Generally, I've never had anything but compliments when i'm wearing my coat - "Your coat looks just like my dad's old RAF one" was a particular fave. I once walked into Vivienne Westwood and Child of the Jago, both serious fashion shops, and staff were asking me where I got it and saying how much they liked it.
Only once, in the middle of a particularly nasty sink estate, has anyone said that that they thought it looked feminine: a small boy said that it looked like his mum's coat, which made me laugh a lot.
 

giovanni

Familiar Face
Messages
47
Location
Canada
Thanks!

The coat looks good on you sloan, but you have to tell me where did you get the bed spread? To die for:eek:

Would have loved to see it closed, but I suppose I am being too demanding. You have good taste!

One thing though, I cannot understand why Crombie does not offer the coat in a navy, why just black? Perhaps the slim fitters only like the black, I dont get it...
 

Don Tomaso

A-List Customer
Messages
402
Location
Germany
...were they Luftwaffe that early?). ...
They were called the "Fliegertruppe" (aviators group) of the "Luftsteitkraefte" (armed air-force) back then. The "Luftwaffe" as part of the "Wehrmacht" originated in 1935, the armed air-forces in Germany are still called the "Luftwaffe" these days, they are part of the "Bundeswehr" now instead of "Wehrmacht (which was dissembled after the capitulation in 1945).
But back OT. For me it is always kind of between funny and bizarre to see how popular things like "Luftwaffe" and "Panzer" still are in the anglo-saxon culture ;) So many coats and jackets labelled like this, it is quite remarkable! But then, there might be a more uninterupted history of military as part of the daily life and culture. Some guys are even re-enacting militaria, like wearing new A2s with WWII insignia for "bombings" or "kills" on them. Worn by guys who only flown United in their whole life! ;)
Enough joking...
 

Sloan1874

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,427
Location
Glasgow
Thanks!

The coat looks good on you sloan, but you have to tell me where did you get the bed spread? To die for:eek:

Would have loved to see it closed, but I suppose I am being too demanding. You have good taste!

One thing though, I cannot understand why Crombie does not offer the coat in a navy, why just black? Perhaps the slim fitters only like the black, I dont get it...

Cheers! If I was going to defend the duvet cover, I'd say it was my girlfriend's, but I quite like it myself so I'll cop to it :-D
I'll post some more pics with the coat closed and fully buttoned - that was a bit of a test run, just to see if I could actually post them. I wondered about it being only in black too, as you'd think blue would be a popular colour.
Pretty Green make a similar coat, but it's nowhere near as good quality and several hundred pounds more expensive. And let's not talk about the highly coveted but far too expensive Burberry version. That does come in military colours, but we're talking several thousand pounds for one...

I
 

Graemsay

Practically Family
Messages
998
Location
Melbourne
Nice coat Sloan.

I suspect that the Crombie coat is at least as well made as the Burberry equivalent. If I wanted to spend more then I'd be speaking to a bespoke tailor...
 

Edward

Bartender
Messages
25,081
Location
London, UK
They were called the "Fliegertruppe" (aviators group) of the "Luftsteitkraefte" (armed air-force) back then. The "Luftwaffe" as part of the "Wehrmacht" originated in 1935, the armed air-forces in Germany are still called the "Luftwaffe" these days, they are part of the "Bundeswehr" now instead of "Wehrmacht (which was dissembled after the capitulation in 1945).

Thanks!

But back OT. For me it is always kind of between funny and bizarre to see how popular things like "Luftwaffe" and "Panzer" still are in the anglo-saxon culture ;) So many coats and jackets labelled like this, it is quite remarkable! But then, there might be a more uninterupted history of military as part of the daily life and culture. Some guys are even re-enacting militaria, like wearing new A2s with WWII insignia for "bombings" or "kills" on them. Worn by guys who only flown United in their whole life! ;)
Enough joking...

Heh yeah. I think a lot of times the end justifies the re-enactment. ;-)
 

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