There’s Something About 1978

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The camel coat is a timeless piece. It’s an investment purchase, or a particularly satisfying vintage find (start your search in charity shops located within prestigious post codes, or through respected and knowledgeable vintage sellers). The camel coat is a staple that every woman (and man, for that matter) should have in her wardrobe; like oversize black shades, or the little black dress, it never goes out of style.

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This particular camel coat was my Granny’s. Tucked away in my Mum’s loft for years and years, it’s only since The Turn* that I have considered wearing it. Luckily, it fits and – after a professional dry clean – is, almost unbelievably, as good as new. The coat is Woolmark stamped (the world’s leading wool textile organisation) and has the most beautiful lining; the rich, vibrant ochre hue reminds me of a Moroccan souk spice stall, while the 1978 stitched inside leaves me wondering what my Granny was doing, and where she was going, in 1978.

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Mama Daydreamer told me that Granny had the fur cuffs added to the coat. In the 1950s, my grandad was the manager of a tea plantation in Sri Lanka and, despite having lots of beautiful furniture and clothes there, they returned to Scotland with only a few pieces, this coat included (I was THIS close to having a closet to rival Blair Waldorf) but, somehow, this only makes the coat more special. The cuffs give it a rather 60s-meets-70s look and I love the glamour the fur brings, but it would be equally as beautiful without them thanks to the precise cut and quality of the fabric.

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As beautiful as this one is, coats do need to have a practical element to them – otherwise, what’s the use? Thankfully, Granny’s camel coat is a delight to wear; heavy enough to be warm and windproof, but soft and comfortable. I adore the coat, but what I love most is how it feels when I’m wearing it: closer to my granny (she passed away almost fifteen years ago). When people say that fashion is silly, or superficial, they’re wrong – fashion might be materialistic, but clothes are special and they often tell a story. Whether fashionable or not, it’s best not to judge a person by their cover. Or their coat.

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6E7A6013I’m Wearing: Coat, vintage; jumper, Monsoon; jeans, Jasper Conran at Debenhams; bag, c/o Bernice Angelique; sunglasses, Dior c/o Harvey Nichols Edinburgh; shoes, Office.

*The Turn = turning 30. I know, I know – you thought I was 27.

Images: Kris Miller

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2 Comments

  1. Barbara Lindsay 9th February 2015 / 15:13

    It looks perfect on you, timeless.

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