Winter coats were killed off by global warming – and a hatred of cloakrooms
Heavy winter coats for social occasions were a staple in yesteryear – ie among Oldie-readers now between 80 and 100. It was colder outside before global warming, and coats were a matter less of etiquette than of survival. For smart occasions, mink coats were favoured by grown-up women; dark, woollen knee-length overcoats by men. For less smart occasions, women wore Loden coats – in traditional dark green with silver or horn buttons. Men would not have been seen dead in a Loden coat in London, but might have donned a fawn-coloured covert coat, with a brown velvet collar, from Cordings. But, today, other than for weddings, funerals and memorial services, and on the racecourse, winter overcoats have become increasingly unnecessary. Why? One reason is that we no longer have the same standards of courtesy. As the late Hardy Amies pointed out to me, ‘If you are badly dressed when I...
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