Why Dont People Wear Coats Anymore?

[Jovan]

I happen to be a big fan of the nerdy look of the bow ties and highwatered trousers. But that's me. Can't say I approve of ties with short sleeves or shorts though.

 

[Elaina]

Oh you guys have got to meet my husband. He fits nerd/dorkesque perfectly.

Nothing is wrong with a little nerd. Was watching beauty and the geek and thinking "They just ruined another batch of good men."

 

[Dr Doran]

I happen to be a big fan of the nerdy look of the bow ties and highwatered trousers. But that's me. Can't say I approve of ties with short sleeves or shorts though.

I guess you loved the film Sling Blade, then ...

 

[nulty]

Man... I just found an old Learbury "Thermo Spun" wool coat that fits me like a glass of lemonade on a 95 degree day. This piece wraps me up like it was my mother. The hem lands half past my knee and just below the shin.....

It was about 18 here today and I wore that coat into the faceless throng of gawking smokers in the plaza this morning and felt like a real human being...

Most of the guys here wear wool university coats or leather,,not much variation at all......

 

[Jovan]

I guess you loved the film Sling Blade, then ...

Never saw it, actually.

 

[redavis001]

I keep wishing that the big fur coats of the 30's make a comeback.

 

[Jovan]

Eek... that's something I could do without, myself. (I don't like fur.)

 

[vonwotan]

Funny you should mention that. After seeing a "Roaring Twenties" men's racoon coat on ebay, and walking the dogs with the temperature in the teens, I was thinking the same thing.

I keep wishing that the big fur coats of the 30's make a comeback.

 

[Lady Day]

I see people in coats, wearing flip flops, a HUGE chunky scarf bundled about their neck, and no hat. [huh]

With the coat comes the hat and gloves. Maybe thats it, too much to carry.

LD

 

[Jovan]

My head isn't very sensitive to cold, I only wear a hat when needed.

 

[mdg137]

Having just read this whole thread, a couple things struck me--and I will preface this by noting I have made it a priority to acquire the correct coats for each purpose-- including tracking down the correct vintage chesterfield to wear with a tuxedo I had made for me. This is not coming from someone who disregards appropriate attire.

First, the point about modern fabrics and design is exceptionally important. I just bought a windstopper fleece by Mountain Hardwear, that defies belief. Provided I am moving at all, it is comfortable with just a light sweater underneath, at 30-35 degrees. It is light and has almost zero bulk.
Modern design is not necessarily something to be scoffed at-- often, (not always, but often), in a good jacket, the form is following function, with excessive ornamentation left aside. I strongly suspect, most members here would not make similar attacks on a LeCorbusier, or Mies van der Rohe, or High Art Deco design, because they left behind the excessive ornamentation of Victorian or Art Nouveau design.

I spent a month in Seoul last winter, which gave frigid an entirely new meaning for me-- but I went properly attired with both a cashmere overcoat, and a pea coat, and was glad to have them-- I am leaving this week for 5 days in Prague, and expect it to be cold-- but, I will be on my own, and for that length of stay, and for space management, you can be sure Ill be taking the fleece.

Second--Many posts in this thread, seem eager to cite the low brow egalitarianism put forth by hoodies, etc. I do not own one of these, nor would I-- but there is more than a faint whiff of elitism wafting through here, more than usual even. I may be wrong, but I do not believe I have ever seen any concrete evidence linking "classic style" to any high ground-- be it intellectual, moral, artistic, etc.
More often than not, in my (albeit singular, and not representative) experience, they very people condemned so often on this board are the first to ask about something Im wearing-- not deriding, just curious and interested.

It is a little disheartening to read so often, commentary regarding the non-styled, and their attitudes, when I wonder if we arent reinforcing all the negatives I see thrown around on here.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[ArrowCollarMan]

I always notice alot of people not dressed for the weather. It was really cold here in SoCal for about a week or so (it got down to 28 degress at night) and there were girls wearing those paper thin sweaters and of course those guys wearing no jackets and shorts, surprisingly they wore shoes and socks instead of sandals, go figure. The rest tried to wear what they could to stay warm, it was mostly just hoodies and gloves, maybe scarfs. I wore a shirt, vest, my blazer, a scarf, gloves and my wool army trenchcoat. I did look out of place but I was the warmest person as far as I could see. I laugh. I love being one of the few prepared for cold or rainny weather.

 

[Fletch]

Modern design is not necessarily something to be scoffed at-- often, (not always, but often), in a good jacket, the form is following function, with excessive ornamentation left aside. I strongly suspect, most members here would not make similar attacks on a LeCorbusier, or Mies van der Rohe, or High Art Deco design, because they left behind the excessive ornamentation of Victorian or Art Nouveau design.

True enough. But too often today's clothes try too hard to look sporty or high-tech. Big swooshes of molded plastic trim on a hiking boot or glo-in-the-dark racing stripes on a ski parka are not form following function. Neither are the prominent logos on almost all sportswear, unless giving the manufacturer free advertising can be called a "function."

 

[mdg137]

Another good point about the obnoxious logo-- exactly why I took a sharpie marker to mine-- 10 minutes of careful work, and the logo blends nicely into the fabric... and I got the added bonus(?) of a contact high the first couple times I wore the jacket!

 

[Fletch]

When did that logo nonsense get its start in clothing anyway? I'm thinking it was either Lacoste's crocodile, or Countess Mara in the late 40s.

 

[redavis001]

I'm not a big fur fan but as vintige style goes the Fur of the 20's is really over the top. We cud go with fake fur for a modern reproduction.

Vonwotan, Let me know if you come up with the goods I have never seen a mans fur for sale in the U.S.

 

[dr greg]

who to blame

When did that logo nonsense get its start in clothing anyway? I'm thinking it was either Lacoste's crocodile, or Countess Mara in the late 40s.

What about that bloody Penguin, which raises the issue: Himmler apparently once said that the world is divided between those who tuck their shirts into their pants and those who don't, I think it's between those who wear t-shirts with collars and those who don't.

 

[Jovan]

What's wrong with regular t-shirts?

 

[vonwotan]

Of course I can no longer find the ebay listing for the 1920s men's raccoon fur coat that was listed. It was more flashy than these earlier men's furs from 1910. Too much for me, besides the size I would likely be lost in so much fur, although these gentlemen seem rather thin as well.

I'm not a big fur fan but as vintige style goes the Fur of the 20's is really over the top. We cud go with fake fur for a modern reproduction.

Vonwotan, Let me know if you come up with the goods I have never seen a mans fur for sale in the U.S.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

When did that logo nonsense get its start in clothing anyway? I'm thinking it was either Lacoste's crocodile, or Countess Mara in the late 40s.

It's always been blamed on Lacoste.

bk