Willis & Geiger Parka circa 1986
Willis Geiger waxed cotton as it starts to fade
Barbour Ducks Unlimited Special Edition
A little too new for me
Barbour Beaufort from 2000
Fairly new and green. Something of a cliche.
The Barbour Border in Blue
The blue is almost gone
So is this sleeveI love the patina that comes with vintage waxed cotton after years of wear and tear. The older and more beat up it gets the better it looks. There's a marked difference between us Yanks and the Brits when it comes to patina. Most Yanks abhor it. "My God, did you see his shirt cuff? It was frayed!"
We tend to chuck stuff at the first sign of wear. Hell, even US retailers market to us with this in mind. But if these pictures show anything - - it's the remarkable character waxed cotton takes on when it dries out, crusts up and fades into a soft hue. God forgive me - - I do love it so. Here's the look I'm gunning for- - check out Ted's Barbour here from this Ted & Ralph skit from The Fast Show.
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14 comments:
Do you have any more info about the DU Barbour? I have a friend who is a big DU member who will be interested to learn that one exists.
I too am a sucker for waxed cotton in all its glorious forms but, dios mio, the Beaufort a cliche? I can see how the off brand copies, the barn coat manifestations, the corduroy collar simulacra it has spawned are tiresome, but the Beaufort is the timeless ideal! If only the material stuff were as eternal as the design - my ten-year old specimen is disintegrating and looks as well handled as a Welsh barmaid.
Just a question...have you re-waxed any of the jackets?
Hey! There's another Ben reading you.
I refuse to throw clothing away until it's just about ready to disintegrate upon contact. Frayed cuffs and collars are about all I can get away with, now that my wife rides herd over my closet. But then again, if she didn't, I'd still have oxfords from prep school. Wait, is that a bad thing or a good thing?
Trip- The DU was left in the gulf foxtrot's closet by an ex. I've since stolen it and may ebay it since I don't care much for her ex. Still, a unique Barbour can overcome a lot.
Ben- The green Beaufort is everywhere in Manhattan this time of year. It is a classic but a drag to see yourself coming and going hence my affection for the blue and brown.
Anon- No re-wax on any of 'em.
Ben- My ex decimated my closet via a charity she worked with but I liked to think I improved the sartorial splendor of Waukegan, IL.
How nice to find that there are others who wear what resembles my own routine wardrobe. Well worn, faded, slightly frayed collars and cuffs, sagging pockets.(Mixed with relatively new Boston Oxford shirts, and such.)
I was beginning to feel intimidated by all the high style, but now feel a lot "comfier."
Come fall,... when my man dons his well-worn Barbour, packs his beautifully engraved shotgun inherited from his grandfather, takes his faithful Labrador Retriever and heads out to hunt in the pre-dawn bitter cold, I will be sure to check his duffel for striped oxfords, v-neck sweaters and color-coordinated scarves. Assuming they are absent, need I worry that his sartorial compass is pointed in the wrong direction?
Dad, We're not about style here but about soul. And comfy is soul.
Anon- I never color coordinate and neither should your man. Contrast. That's the ticket.
SO GOOD !!!!!
thanks for the post
Have you actually posed these on your balcony? "Royal Family jumper on 5!"
It was very interesting for me to read that post. Thanx for it. I like such topics and everything that is connected to this matter. I definitely want to read more on that blog soon.
is there a way to give waxed cotton the aged, rugged look instead of actually waiting for it to age?
Is that W&G Parka for sale? Looks great, looking for a smiliar for years...
Thanks but not for sale. Too beat up.
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