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Trench Coat - the 'Ultimate' Thread!

mike

Call Me a Cab
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Baron Kurtz said:
Belt buckles are everywhere. Just make sure the central portion is wide enough to accommodate your belt.

I did this for a bakelite buckle i broke on a 40s German overcoat. I couldn't find a bakelite one, but The Button Queen managed to rustle up an old one for me.

bk

Interesting, I often find the most weathered part of a lot of 30's/40's overcoats are the rotting leather buckles. I wonder if i could find suitable replacements [huh]
 

PADDY

I'll Lock Up
Bartender
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METROPOLIS OF EUROPA
The 'button Queen'

I'm assuming that's the one in London near Oxford St with two gentleman and a dog in the little back street shop.

I 'love' the name too!! It's just like a Pantomime.
 

Tomasso

Incurably Addicted
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13,719
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USA
Interesting: The "Button Queen", run by two gents in London and "Tender Buttons", run by two ladies in New York. No point, just sayin'.
 

Ed

Familiar Face
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57
Location
Northeast
You could also go to a thrift store, Salavation Army, Goodwill, etc
and buy a coat just for the buckle, then re-donate the coat
without the buckle or discard it.
 

PADDY

I'll Lock Up
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METROPOLIS OF EUROPA
Hackett and RL...

Both Hackett (London) and Ralph Lauren are producing half decent trenches and in nice fabrics (I was in their Chicago flagship store - largest in the US). But the prices can be scary. I always recommend these days to be patient and keep an eye out on Thrift stores and the second hand market (with the economy, more and more great things are being sold off).
 

H.Johnson

One Too Many
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1,562
Location
Midlands, UK
In terms of style and practicality, I prefer my vintage riding Macintosh over any of my trench coats (I have Burberry and Aquascutum). I like Rainmac's riding Mac.

robojam said:
Hi,
I found this page on an English specialist waterproof rainwear site.
I think the trench coat looks fabulous and am thinking of ordering one.
What do you experts think of it?
Would you wear one?
Opinions much appreciated.
Cheers.




http://www.rainmac.com/shop/sbr.php?PHPSESSID=74a4990f4abca8f11224422781dcef11
 

BigHairyFinn

One of the Regulars
Messages
137
Location
Kemptown
I was scanning some old pics I found today, and I thought this might be a bit interesting...
ukot3_sm.jpg

See, theres "Bogey" right there in the right corner... hat, coat and cigarrette... all there lol

Otherwise it seems a double-breasted wool coat and a borsalino, a beret or a flat cap was fashionable that autumn... by the shoes - all the guys are wearing the same style almost - it seems before winkle pickers came in fashion so ca. 1955 or so. Only rebels seem to be the guy on the left wearing the leather "baseball jacket" and looks like my dad next to "Bogey" wearing the reefer.
 

avedwards

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2,425
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London and Midlands, UK
Is Casablanca realistic?

Sorry if this has been covered already.

I was wondering whether Bogart's character Rick would actually wear a trench coat in Casablanca. Wouldn't it be too warm? Considering that Victor Laszlo wears a panama it must be quite warm or he posseses only one hat as he's on the run. But even if that's the case, it's still Africa, so wouldn't a trench coat get uncomfortable?
 

carebear

My Mail is Forwarded Here
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3,220
Location
Anchorage, AK
Desert sky typically has no clouds, thus there is very little heat retention after sunset, clear is cold.

Deserts almost always get chilly at night, especially ones, like Morocco, that are on the coast and get onshore moist winds after sunset.

I've seen Marines start to go hypothermic in 29 Palms, California and spent many nights shivering on Camp Pendleton during the winter. Get a nice dew on you at 40-50 degrees and you'll beg for an overcoat.
 

Ugarte

A-List Customer
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360
Location
Eastern New Mexico
avedwards said:
Sorry if this has been covered already.

I was wondering whether Bogart's character Rick would actually wear a trench coat in Casablanca. Wouldn't it be too warm? Considering that Victor Laszlo wears a panama it must be quite warm or he posseses only one hat as he's on the run. But even if that's the case, it's still Africa, so wouldn't a trench coat get uncomfortable?

Casablanca is set in the first week of December, 1941 immediately prior to the Japanese attack on the American Naval facility at Pearl Harbor. Historical weather data for this time of year yields a climate involving an average high of 64 °F (record 83°) and average low of 50 °F (record 34°). The mean temperature is about 57 °F. In the evening an unlined cotton trench coat would be about right.

During this period, one might also expect 11 days of rainfall, most of which historically occur in March and December. Monthly totals for December precipitation appears slightly less than 8 inches. A raincoat of some kind would probably be a good idea.


Mark
.
 

avedwards

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I stand corrected, I should know that being an astronomy enthusiast where clearness of sky and temperature are important. But why is Bogart the only one in an overcoat then? Is it perhaps the film makers showing that he is prepared, therefore also metaphorical that he knows how things will pan out since Bergmann's character said he should do the thinking (sorry, I've analysed too many films).
 

Ugarte

A-List Customer
Messages
360
Location
Eastern New Mexico
avedwards said:
I stand corrected, I should know that being an astronomy enthusiast where clearness of sky and temperature are important. But why is Bogart the only one in an overcoat then? Is it perhaps the film makers showing that he is prepared, therefore also metaphorical that he knows how things will pan out since Bergmann's character said he should do the thinking (sorry, I've analysed too many films).

Rick was wearing the coat when Ilsa ditched him at the railroad station in Paris. Perhaps Mr. Blaine just always wears the coat when he anticipates dealing with ILsa and travel?

Or it's possible that Director Michael Curtiz thought he looked good in it.

I don't know.


Mark
.
 

Hal

Practically Family
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590
Location
UK
avedwards said:
...why is Bogart the only one in an overcoat...perhaps the film makers showing that he is prepared...
See post 15 in this thread - interesting point.
 

Chasseur

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2,494
Location
Hawaii
McCrea's Trench in "The Foreign Corespondent"

This might have been discussed before, but I did some searches and didn't find anything, so here goes:

Does anyone make something like that trench coat Joel McCrea had in "The Foreign Correspondent"? Seems to have very large lapels...

Foreign_Correspondent_trailer_16_McCrea_crop.jpg


ww2_foreign.jpg
 

Lone_Ranger

Practically Family
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500
Location
Central, PA
Ugarte said:
Casablanca is set in the first week of December, 1941 immediately prior to the Japanese attack on the American Naval facility at Pearl Harbor. Historical weather data for this time of year yields a climate involving an average high of 64 °F (record 83°) and average low of 50 °F (record 34°). The mean temperature is about 57 °F. In the evening an unlined cotton trench coat would be about right.

During this period, one might also expect 11 days of rainfall, most of which historically occur in March and December. Monthly totals for December precipitation appears slightly less than 8 inches. A raincoat of some kind would probably be a good idea.


Mark
.


My two cents worth. If I recall correctly, the weather report was for 500ft visibility, and CAVU above. Which would be a clear, cold night, in the desert, with ground fog. Chilly, but probably no actual rain.
 

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