http://www.ebay.com/itm/401072453086
These pants were made in England by Old Town. They have a fishtail back, buckle back, button fly and suspender buttons.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/272104246504
This vintage cowboy hat was made in the 1920s by the John B. Stetson Company of Philadelphia, PA from Clear Nutria felt. Interestingly for such a huge western style, it was sold by John S. Harman & Son, Hatters, 87 New Bond Street, London. The felt is amazingly pliable, with a high crown, a curled brim edge and a thin ribbon. The lining is green, and the sweatband is textured brown leather, both bear a very detailed Stetson stamp. The lot no on the back of the sweatband, 5157, helps to date the hat. The brim measures 4-1/4″, the crown measures 6-1/4″.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/400995109392
This vintage jacket was made in 1952 for the British National Fire Service (NFS). It is sized as per English army uniforms, with a size no. 10 fitting between 5’7″ and 5’8″, with a chest of 38 inches, a waist or 34 inches. It was made by the Universal Clothing Co. At some point, probably in the 1970s, the body had a psychedelic lining partially applied over the original.
Chest (pit to pit): 19″ (doubled = 38″)
Shoulder to shoulder: 17″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 23″
Length (base of collar to hem): 30-1/2″
http://www.ebay.com/itm/400949186955
These vintage shoes were made in England by Church’s. They are made in a classic monk strap style, with a plain toe.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/281512871868
This vintage jacket was made in England in the 1970s by Ibex of England – “Elegance in Leather”. It is made of what feels like lightweight deer, in a six pocket pattern made famous by East West Leathers. Aero Leathers made a version as the “Hippie Jacket” and Levis made one as the “Scorched Up” jacket. This is a real deal ’70s original. It has a six pocket front. The top two are open, the bottom four are pleated and flapped, and the bottom two have buckled belts assuring a secure closure. The back has side adjusters, and the sleeves have motorcycle jacket style zippers. Zippers are all English Clix brand. The jacket has a western style back yoke as well as pleats. The sleeve zippers have distinctive u shaped surrounds. The jacket is tagged a size 40.
Tagged size: 40
Chest (pit to pit): 21″
Shoulder to shoulder: 17″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 25″
Length (base of collar to hem): 22-1/2″
http://www.ebay.com/itm/271490626752
This vintage coat was made in the United Kingdom by Maxproof. It is made of heavy, waterproof waxed canvas. While it is single breasted, it has a double row of buttons, and double set of flaps to keep all water and wind out when riding your motorcycle in the rain. It has a side collar and throat latch / chinstrap which close the neck up equally as securely. The wrists can be cinched down with buttoned belts, and the length is long enough to keep you dry. There are three eyelets at each underarm for ventilation, and a rear vent.
Chest (pit to pit): 25″ (doubled = 50″)
Shoulder to shoulder: 21″
Sleeve (shoulder to cuff): 24″
Length (base of collar to hem): 34″
http://www.ebay.com/itm/271227020412
These boots were made in England in the 1980s by a company named “Celebrity”. They are a captoe style, with functional buckles on the outsides. They have holes for studs or jewels.
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Made from Hudson’s Bay point blankets, these striped coats are iconically Canadian. The blanket design was introduced in the late 1700s by the HBC, and the material was soon adapted into coats by fur traders. Point blanket coats remained popular in Canada, first as utilitarian garments, later as fashion. The true Hudson’s Bay blankets were made in England. Some were tailored for and sold by the Bay, others, while they bear the fabric tag showing they were made from Hudson’s Bay blankets, were made into coats by and were retailed by third party companies, as is the case with the red Maine Guide coat pictured below.
Right from the start, there were competitor companies with their own striped trade blankets, like Early’s Witney Point, Horn Brothers, Trapper Point, or Ayers. The list went on, each with their own variation on the basic striped scheme. Many of these also made their way into the production of coats and jackets. The classic 20th century point blanket coat is a double breasted, belted mackinaw style, though the fabric has been tailored into everything from a “perfecto” style motorcycle jacket to a pullover hoodie.
Recreation of HBC trading post, featuring point blanket capotes at left.
Hudson’s Bay Company Gallery, Manitoba Museum, Winnipeg
Examples from my collection
Top Row:
1950s Hudson’s Bay: The classic cut and colors. Interesting in that the orientation of the stripes is reversed from the usual
1960s Hudson’s Bay: Men’s shirt style. Also commonly seen in a women’s version.
Second Row:
c.1950s/1960s Mac Mor: Company founded in 1951, based out of North York, Ontario.
c. 1960s Gleneaton. Made of Ayers blanket. Milium insulated
Third Row:
1930s Hudson’s Bay. Very old one, with buttoned belt. Had buttons under collar for a hood
1940s Hudson’s Bay/ Maine Guide. Tailored by Maine Guide from HBC blanket
Fourth Row:
1960s Lakeland: Designed by Jeffrey Banks. 1949 union label. Same style blanket as the Buckskein, but reversed orientation
1950s Buck skein: Duffle coat style. “Thermalized” lining
The bold patterns and bright colors of these blanket coats put them squarely into the “love it or hate it” category of vintage menswear, and outside of their native Canadian habitat can seem a bit out of context. While they can seem a bit flashy by modern menswear standards, these coats came from a rugged outdoor tradition.
Photo from LIFE magazine photo archive
Men’s striped blanket coats are still available from a variety of makers, but they seem to have shied away from the traditional vibrant colors, opting instead for more subdued earth tones and shades of gray. While the Hudson’s Bay Company still retails their blankets (they now sell between $370 and $580), in an odd twist, their former competitors in the camp blanket market are now working with them. The material used in their current production blanket coats is made by Pendleton Woolen Mills. The blankets are distributed in the US by Woolrich Woolen Mills.
Current and recent offerings:
Freewheelers (Japan) BC Coat $990
Hudson Bay Company duffle $950
Whether vintage or modern, find your inner Canuck and give a blanket coat a chance.
This one is long since sold, but is an unusual example. You don’t see too many green felts, to begin with. This one has delicate ventilation holes, a light colored sweatband, and a fancy bow. It appears that at some point the hat was reversed, maybe to even out wear so as to avoid a hole at the pinch? The model is “The Polo”.
Call it a fedora, call it a trilby. It’s super thin fur felt with a thin ribbon. Unlined for warmer weather wear.
