When I went out some time after midday today the sun was still shining. But forewarned is forearmed and so I packed my umbrella, donned my trusty trench coat and my beret with matching gloves. The weather forecast promised heavy rain for later in the day, not to mention strong winds. I had already experienced the wind, a rather chilly wind, when I ran round the village first thing in the morning. I knew the gloves would be needed.
This is what I read about trench coats in a fashion article:
“Although it’s hard to pin down the details, the trenchcoat was invented for military officers some time in the 19th century to be worn, quite literally, in the trenches. Thanks to Hollywood noir and espionage classics, it graduated into a unisex symbol of style, but kept its name and some of its military details.
Like most things that have remained in fashion for over a century, the trenchcoat has been continuously reimagined – from the original beige cotton twill to lightweight synthetics, shiny pleather and buttery leather. It has been long and short, oversized and fitted.
It is worn with equal enthusiasm by suits and influencers, by rich art-aunties and struggling artists, by movie stars in real life and villains and heroes on screen. Needless to say, it is a wardrobe staple worth investing in, and if you pick the right one, it can last a lifetime.”
As for me I have several, in a range of colours, bought at different times over the last ten years or so. They also differ in weight, so that a couple are very good cold weather wear while others are decidedly spring coats. Todays is my most recent acquisition, but still several years old now, and also the longest, coming down to mid calf. According to the article I read about trench coats, you should buy them oversized. Well, today’s coat was purchased in my normal size, tried on in the shop and seemed okay. When I got it home and took another look in the mirror, it looked for all the world as if I were a kid dressed up in her mother’s coat. So I took it back and changed it for a size smaller, still large enough to fit a chunky sweater under it if necessary.
By the time I left the hairdresser’s - did I mention that was the reason for my venturing out this afternoon. - the rain had set in with a vengeance and my newly styled hair had to tucked away under my beret and under the hood of my trench coat. So much for looking stylish.
Here’s a link, by the way, to an article about what the over-50s should or shouldn’t wear. Those were the days, when over-50 seemed ancient! Goodness knows what the writer would advise the over-70s to wear, basically, I wear whatever feels right for the occasion. Recently this seems to have been dungarees and an assortment of tops.
My hairdresser and I talked about this. Apparently her children often ask their grandmother where she is off to as she is “all dressed up”. Their grandmother, like this grandmother, has decided that there is little point in having nice clothes in the wardrobe and not wearing them. So sometimes we look a little smart for sitting around at home.
Then there’s this article about fashion rules dictating what women should wear, regardless of age. I suspect it’s mostly a plot to make us spend more money on clothes.
Thinking of women being dictated to about what they should do, here's a little something I found in an article about someone who has written a book about the history of marriage through the ages and in differen societies:
“The 1950s idea of housewifery came from marketing campaigns aimed to get women out of the workplace and back into their homes after the Second World War. “It’s a very constructed idea, like the Victorian angel in the house. Most women worked in Victorian times and, across the Empire, women of colour weren’t living any of these ideas. So they’re profiting from that lack of awareness of this history, and saying this is the traditional way.”
There you go.
Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!
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