Show Us Your OVERCOATS

[esteban68]

a few more pictures of the pocket label, cuff and Milium label, also a shot of the lining configuration which is left open at the bottom...to allow the air to circulate and dry and condensation on the aluminium cloth surafce at a guess?

the collar also fastens up on this one

Does anyone know the age of this coat, it has a 60's look to me, obviously no earlier than 1950!

 

[Red Leader]

Wow, what a day.

I am pretty new to the Fedora Lounge, but I've fallen head first into this vintage thing and have started a small collection. Our dress code at work has been changing so it gives me a little extra motivation to get out there and work on my professional wardrobe.

The first item I want to present is this overcoat:

Harris Tweed overcoat. I think it is from the 1950s-1960s, but it is a little hard to tell as the Union tag is partially covered. It is a medium weight tweed and has a nice charcoal gray appearance. I like it a lot!

The outside looks great except for 2 missing buttons on the front and a missing button on a sleeve. The inside has some damage around both armholes, with the left side being the worse of the two, however it looks like it is just the stitching and not the fabric. Some repairs will be in order, but it is a nice coat! Question - can you use the serial number on the Harris Tweed tag to aid in dating an article of clothing?

And here is a picture of me wearing it (once repaired the front should be a little cleaner in appearance):

That coat was a nice find. However, my prized find of the day...

 

[Red Leader]

Was this:

I'll tell ya, ever since I've been keeping an eye out for vintage clothes, I've come across a lot of 1960s-1970s items, with a few 1950s thrown in here and there. This one completely floored me.

It is, without a doubt, the finest overcoat I have ever seen in my life. The color, the stitching, the finish, the details, the craftsmanship...is exquisite. I've never seen anything like it, and it is beautiful. It is also my first 1930s-1940s find and the jewel of my starting collection. It is also in perfect condition. I could not find a single flaw or point of wear on it anywhere, which is amazing considering it is around 70 years old. Amazing.

 

[Red Leader]

Here is a close up of the fabric:

It is a gray wool with a hint of green and a pattern of blue stripes going vertically and horizontally. I love how they did things with colors back then. Men/women were not afraid to be BOLD!


The real test...here is how it looks on me (yes, pants need tailoring):

I picked up a bunch of other items...but this was the one.

Thanks for this great forum and the inspiration you all provide. Whatever the bug is, I've caught it

 

[Tkecks]

That grey /green coat really is nice. Superb cut, and great colour.

 

[Red Leader]

That grey /green coat really is nice. Superb cut, and great colour.

Thanks! After a little digging, this is where my coat was originally sold about 70 years ago:

From what it sounds like, the store opened in the 1890s and closed up shop in the 1980s. There is now a souvenir shop in the building, but a lot of the remnants of the old store remain.

Maybe sometime this winter or next winter I'll wear the coat and visit the store for a little nostalgic moment

 

[esteban68]

Wow, what a day.

I am pretty new to the Fedora Lounge, but I've fallen head first into this vintage thing and have started a small collection. Our dress code at work has been changing so it gives me a little extra motivation to get out there and work on my professional wardrobe.

The first item I want to present is this overcoat:

Harris Tweed overcoat. I think it is from the 1950s-1960s, but it is a little hard to tell as the Union tag is partially covered. It is a medium weight tweed and has a nice charcoal gray appearance. I like it a lot!

The outside looks great except for 2 missing buttons on the front and a missing button on a sleeve. The inside has some damage around both armholes, with the left side being the worse of the two, however it looks like it is just the stitching and not the fabric. Some repairs will be in order, but it is a nice coat! Question - can you use the serial number on the Harris Tweed tag to aid in dating an article of clothing?

And here is a picture of me wearing it (once repaired the front should be a little cleaner in appearance):

That coat was a nice find. However, my prized find of the day...

Nice overall look RL, great find with the Harris tweed always nice to have a few items in that fabric

 

[esteban68]

Here is a close up of the fabric:

It is a gray wool with a hint of green and a pattern of blue stripes going vertically and horizontally. I love how they did things with colors back then. Men/women were not afraid to be BOLD!


The real test...here is how it looks on me (yes, pants need tailoring):

I picked up a bunch of other items...but this was the one.

Thanks for this great forum and the inspiration you all provide. Whatever the bug is, I've caught it

Agreed re pants but Wow on the second coat it's a really great item, and yes it is highly addictive!

 

[Two Types]

Does anyone know the age of this coat, it has a 60's look to me, obviously no earlier than 1950!

It is difficult to tell sometimes. I like to look at the design of labels, which often change with the times. The 'Milium' label is a pain since I have a 1950s coat and a 1970s coat, both of which have identical 'milium' labels. It seems that whilst everything else changed (maker's label, style of coat, cut of coat etc) 'milium' labels were consistent.

Sorry, but that doesn't really help you date the coat, it just tells you not to trust the old fashioned design on that particular label.

(N.B. I was recently talking with the owner of the tie/scarf shop 'Peckham Rye' - Newburgh Street, London - he has a book of labels used by his family firm when producing ties for various British companies back in the 1930s. He informed me that it can be useful to look at the quality of the weave and not just the design. This is because the quality of thread and stitching changed considrably post-war. It may not be applicable to all producers but it is something worth considering. He looked at a label in one of my coats, examined the back and told me that he believed it to be 1930s rather than 1950s - which I had thought - on the grounds of the density of the label threads.)

 

[esteban68]

Thanks for that TT, sadly I have no other Milium coats to compare labels with...however John Collier as a brand was unknown until 1958 and ceased to be in 1983, so anywhere in between I guess?

 

[esteban68]

Red Leader this great resource site http://vintagefashionguild.org/label-resource/harris-tweed/ would put your coat somewhere during the 1930's ! so incredibly good condition really.

 

[Two Types]

Thanks for that TT, sadly I have no other Milium coats to compare labels with...however John Collier as a brand was unknown until 1958 and ceased to be in 1983, so anywhere in between I guess?

I would say sixties is a pretty safe guess.

 

[esteban68]

I must admit TT the narrow-ish lapels brought me to the same conclusion.

 

[Doctor Damage]

These are not my overcoats, but I wish they were!



U.S. Army (1941), left to right:
regulation cape
double-breasted Ulster overcoat
double-breasted roll (a.k.a. shawl) lapel short coat
trench coat
oiled raincoat for officers

 

[GoldenEraFan]

My new raincoat. 1950's NOS with original tags.

 

[guygardner]

My new raincoat. 1950's NOS with original tags.

Nice Coat.

 

[thunderw21]

1930s? Early 1940s? Soft yet rugged heavy weight wool.

 

[esteban68]

My new raincoat. 1950's NOS with original tags.

I guess you don't want to really remove the tags and wear this one?

 

[esteban68]

1930s? Early 1940s? Soft yet rugged heavy weight wool.

Great coat!

 

[Mrs Chaddsley_Corbett]

Champagne coloured cashmere with Rabbit Collar