The Humble Anorak.....

[Speedbird]

Sooo SWEDISH it comes with herring and meatballs .. and Ikea pencils in the pockets!

... but what flavour Swedish is the blue one? Do you think it was originally blue or overdyed later?

As for the Italian - I know it's army for sure - it had the little stars on the collar and is stamped inside, although the stamping is pretty much illegible apart from the date stamp. I guess it is about 40 years too late to be a true classic and it lacks the style of your pre-war examples, but for a 40 year old jacket it is still superbly functional, and nice to wear.

 

[Creeping Past]

... but what flavour Swedish is the blue one? Do you think it was originally blue or overdyed later?

Given it's a military item for use in the snow, it has to be overdyed. Unless they had a special outfit for pool table operations.

 

[BellyTank]

Sorry, yes. One of the varieties, overdyed.


B
T

 

[Speedbird]

pool table special

Given it's a military item for use in the snow, it has to be overdyed. Unless they had a special outfit for pool table operations.

That is a very good point well made ... :eusa_doh:

I was hoping it might turn out to be the airforce version BT hinted might exist! it seems almost fabled!

Anyway, I like it - the blue colour is a bit more practical for actual use in the UK than off-white one which really only comes into it's own in high summer (in my use anyway).

 

[BellyTank]

I don't think it's necessarily true that all of the Swedish smocks were issued as "white". They are not necessarily a snow camouflage item-
I imagine that the "Airforce" version would be a windproof over-garment,
rather than snow camo.

Mr. C.Past is sensible, shining like a beacon of logic(best pronounced with Geordie accent)in these times of second hand myths and optimistic extrapolations.

Swedish smocks- what do we really know..?


B
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[Creeping Past]

I don't think it's necessarily true that all of the Swedish smocks were issued as "white". They are not necessarily a snow camouflage item [...]

Swedish smocks- what do we really know..?

That's a good point.

 

[BellyTank]

Yes, it is THE tough question.
The Swedes have been on that one for years.

"When one has what seems to be an overdyed garment,
with an "un-overdyed" label, one most jest winder what has hippend to eet."

-Jaques Cousteau

B
T

 

[Creeping Past]

Yes, it is THE tough question.
The Swedes have been on that one for years.

"When one has what seems to be an overdyed garment,
with an "un-overdyed" label, one most jest winder what has hippend to eet."

B
T

We need to write a movie script: The Life Vintage. Sort of The Life Aquatique for denizens of and adventurers travelling the seven seas of garment inspiration. That's a free idea for some smartypants. When they do it, I'll take a small sum for creative input.

 

[H.Johnson]

The Quartermaster's Store in Broad Street, presumably?

Thanks for the info H.Johnson - it may take some time, but at least I've re-discovered the joys of poking around in army surplus shops
Went to one in Stoke at the weekend, it brought back lots of memories of my student days.

 

[H.Johnson]

Field Textiles, but they are out of stock at the moment. The price may be different if and when they get a new consignment.

Cheers guys, now where can i get one for £20?...!

 

[H.Johnson]

Yes, the trousers sound like the bottom half of the Navy windproof suit. The fly is rectangular flap rather than a proper fitted fly, no?

I had the same feelings about my cadet smock - although it was the green 1960 Pattern Smock, Combat, Sateen that I lusted after (shows my age!). I guess to me at the time the cadet smock was too much like the Belstaff Boy Scout anorak I had just outgrown - too 'civvie', in a word.

The comparison with the cadet smock is invidious, of course, as the 1960 and 1968 Patterns items aren't smocks in the true sense of the word - meaning an outer garment to cover other clothing for a temporary special purpose, as in an artist's smock. I think they are field jackets. The cadet smock is a direct decendant of the WW2 and 1963 Pattern smocks, in that it provides a windproof outer layer that packs away small, when not being worn. Just my opinion, of course.

I have a modified cadet smock (a late model with Para Smock cuffs) that I wear at every opportunity - it performs really well.

I don't know what size you are, but extra large ones turn up regularly. I gave one to BT some time ago. He wears it and he's a big guy!

On a similar note, I have a pair of what I believe are the trousers that go with the actual Navy Ventile smock - elasticated ankles, no pockets, double thickness with grey liner, reinforced at the knees, zipped fly covered with three button flap and buttons fitted for braces. Waist is closed with olive green flat cotton draw pull through brass eyelets.

Any info?

(as an aside, when I was a cadet and had a cadet smock I hated it and bought my own 68 pattern DPM Jacket as soon as I was a big boy - now I want one and will never find one my size!)

 

[BellyTank]

"BOBBY" brand Anorak

Someone had, or was talking about a "Bobby" brand Anorak a while back.
Here's a link to a discussion of such an Anorak and Ventile cotton:

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8187

Some interesting fact-oids in that thread, on Ventile and its attributes.


B
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[pipvh]

Yes, I saw that one, BT. Yet another testimonial to the wonders of Ventile(R). I wish I'd been able to buy the 'Bobby' that was on Ebay. Who knows when another one will come along?

It would be nice to find out who Bobby Sportswear were.

 

[Dudleydoright]

I'll have to scan a post some of the pages from a 1970's Blacks catalogue I have. They have ventile anoraks in that.

I also have a 'few' of the Blacks and ITISA Good Companions tents that I use once in a while. Always get a few oldies coming up to tell me tales of where they went when they were younger with the old 'pyramid' tents.

Then of course there's the Primus stoves etc, etc !!

Dave

 

[BellyTank]

Another "Bobby" mention here:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/73986/viewall-page-3

"Twenty-five years ago I purchased a ventile cotton mountain-climbing anorak made by a British company called "Bobby Sportswear." It was the best outer garment I have ever owned and I wore it until I got "too big" for it. A similar anorak was made by another company who put the name of famous British climber "Joe Brown" on it. If anyone knows whether the company is still in business (I have searched the web) or where I can get one, please respond to this post. In appearance, the anorak is similar to the GI anorak except it had two hip pockets in addition to the kangaroo chest pocket. Thanks in advance!"

This was from 2001-


B
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[pipvh]

And see this...

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=buADAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA72&lpg=PA72&dq=bobby+ventile+anorak&source=bl&ots=PWH1xvmAF1&sig=q-cdXNB29C4BZ7FswqC5I_kgpSA&hl=en&ei=gL2PS4D4OtTNjAeC3v2yAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CCAQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=bobby%20ventile%20anorak&f=false

...little snippet from 'Backpacker,' August 1979. Bobby must have made jackets for REI.

 

[BellyTank]

Speaking of Smocks of the canvas, maritime and fishy varieties-
there are many examples on the market, for small money-
although they are not exactly what we're looking for.

Some of them may be good as an over-garment for rough country,
in dry weather. Tough and abrasion resistant.
Does it sound like I'm trying to justify getting one..?

B
T

 

[Creeping Past]

Speaking of Smocks of the canvas, maritime and fishy varieties-
there are many examples on the market, for small money-
although they are not exactly what we're looking for.

Some of them may be good as an over-garment for rough country,
in dry weather. Tough and abrasion resistant.
Does it sound like I'm trying to justify getting one..?

B
T

Do it now. As you say, they're in plentiful supply, although they're not regarded as stylish. I've a couple of Smocks, Artistic, for the use of. They're good most of the year.

 

[BellyTank]

The price is nice-

But so are the prices for various lovely items of traditional (and not)
clothing from the seemingly most mundane of UK clothing suppliers.
Don't you think, Mr. CreepingP?
Remember the old days of looking?
Great old seaside towns in Norfolk- not Old Town, obviously-

Some nice and cheap sweaters there.
Not there, there!

I'm sounding a little cryptic, there.

A good few items of the Bretagne gear(usual suspects) are, still appealing too, as outdoor clothing.
I was reminded by the smock looking.

Old times.

B
T

 

[Speedbird]

how about this for an anorak?

whilst randomly looking for something else I found this:

http://www.spacetokyo.jp/item/Supreme/120000316703_c1-100_c2-40_od-0_lm-12.html

which led me to this....

http://www.radcollector.com/news/2010/03/04/supreme-x-the-north-face-anorak/

and then this....

http://www.streetlevel.com/2010/03/09/supreme-x-the-north-face-anorak/

So clearly not vintage, turns out Supreme is a young fashion company from New York, founded in 1994. I thought Supreme might have had a much earlier genesis and North Face were doing a nifty vintage collaboration but that was just wishful thinking.

Still, I quite like the first one in the Japanese store. Even though not old, it looks it. A bit loud but it would be good for the hills in poor visibility! I like the pullover design of the North Face x Supreme model but that is about all.

The first one clearly is inspired by the humble anorak and so does it get a thumbs up or down from anyone else? Or is it just too new to even weigh in the balance?

PS anyone figure out anything from the Japanese text about what is made of and how much they are selling it for?