The trench coat was developed as an alternative to the heavy serge greatcoats worn by British and French soldiers in the First World War. This is why you frequently see military inspired details such as epaulettes or other rank insignia. During the Second World War, officers of the United Kingdom continued to use the trench coat on the battlefield in inclement weather. Thus it became dubbed the “trench coat” as the officers were “in the trenches.”
A typical trench coat by this period was a ten-buttoned, double-breasted long coat made with tan, khaki, beige, or black fabric. Trench coats often have cuff straps on the raglan sleeves, shoulder straps and a belt. The trench coat was typically worn as a windbreaker or as a rain jacket, and not for protection from the cold in winter or snowy conditions. As men returned home from the war they often kept their coats as the garment slowly became popularized and wore by everyday men and women. Trench coats have remained fashionable in the decades following. Their original role as part of an army officers’ uniform lent the trench coat a businesslike respectability, whilst fictional heroes as diverse as Dick Tracy, Mike Hammer, Jack Harkness, The Crow, The Phantom, Humphrey Bogart’s Rick Blaine from Casablanca and Peter Sellers’ Inspector Clouseau kept the coat in the public eye.
Time is ticking! The spring edition of the Pier Antique Show is coming March 13 & 14th to the Manhattan pier 94. This event has become a real rite of spring passage for New Yorkers and visitors, who have already begun the count down to Daylight Savings Time. There is no better way to say goodbye to the dull winter and hello to spring that by sprucing up your home and wardrobe! Here you will find that amazing furniture piece that will stand out in a room, fabulous lighting, paintings, and home décor that really pop.
This time of year it is quite common to pause for deep reflection and recognize room for improvement in ones life. While many people list high on the resolution scale goals such as weight loss, financial wellness, or new job opportunities one change you may not have thought about is improving your image. Do your clothes really reflect who you are? When you look in your closet do you find that much of your wardrobe was purchased out of necessity (for work) rather than because you really loved it?
What is the number one vintage item you need in your closet this fall? A cool leather jacket! Motorcycle jackets used to be synonymous with rebel style, rock and roll, and biker chics. Not anymore!
