It is that time of the year again, you know when I mean, the children are back at school, there is a distinct chill in the air when you get up in the morning and again when you go to bed and Downton Abbey is back on the TV. Yes autumn has crept up on us again! One minute, we were topping up our tans, enjoying endless barbies and thinking that summer might never end, and then it does!
The one question that has to be answered every October: will my overcoat last me one more year? For most men, this is a difficult question and, speaking as someone who happily went through the whole of his 6th Form and College years wearing (summer and winter) his grandfather's ancient trench coat, I know just how attached one can become to a re-assuringly comfy old friend.
However, sometimes a nettle has to be grasped, and here are a few observations which you may care to reflect upon as you decide whether to purchase or not.
- Does your overcoat date from this century, or a previous one, including the 19th of course for those true gentlemen out there?
- A clue here, could be as to whether your daughter/wife/mother is happy to be seen in public with you whilst you are wearing said garment. In my experience, women tend to be more forthright than their father/husband/son when appraising the appearance of the hapless male(s) in their lives.
- Can you still fasten your overcoat without appearing in silhouette as a dead ringer for Alfred Hitchcock?
- Upon seeing your overcoat strewn across the arm of a chair or, heaven forbid, lying on the floor,has a maiden aunt, ancient grandparent or guileless infant ever tried to offer your coat a saucer of milk?
- Has your dry cleaner ever expressed exasperation about the state of your beloved overcoat? I was once upbraided by an assistant in Sketchleys who claimed that she could read her Daily Mail (naturally) through my overcoat, so threadbare had it become.
- And finally, if your student son ever wears your overcoat in front of his friends, you should probably never wear it again as it has had its day!
Men’s fashion may change, but the timeless appeal of a quality overcoat remains. Read more on choosing your bespoke winter overcoat here.
About Stephen:
Stephen is the proud father of Damien and Dominic. A Yorkshireman by birth, though raised in Newcastle, Stephen is a graduate of London University and was a teacher for 30 years, for almost 20 of those years as a Headmaster. Married to Trish, they also have a daughter, Maria. He is thrilled by the progress that Mullen and Mullen is making, and he is delighted to be contributing to that success, mainly in the field of customer relations.