Stories: Famous blue raincoats, etc

76 Responses

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  • Joe Wylie,

    I was bloody rubbish at singing.

    Then you probably never accompanied yourself by rapidly pulling your jacket's zip back and forth to make authentic scratching noises. Maybe it takes a certain kind of zip, but done well it's most convincing. I'm easily impressed by such things.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Never owned a pair of jeans. Proud of that -- but have the occasional twinge of regret now that I'm of an age where pants with drawstrings are starting to look comfy and practical...

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Megan Wegan,

    comfy and practical...

    Craig. NO.

    Welly • Since Jul 2008 • 1275 posts Report Reply

  • JLM,

    Because I have zero fashion sense and have lived that part of my life vicariously through my daughters, I remember mostly the clothes they commandeered, from when I cut the sleeves off my wedding dress so they could wear it as a dressup.

    I first really knew my oldest daughter had a talent in that direction when she was about seven and took one of our stripy katmandhu grey and red polyprop tshirts and wore it to school as a knit dress with red skivvy and tights. Soon after that I realised that it was a waste of money buying clothes for my kids that they had not chosen themselves and it was only a few years after that they had their own accounts and eftpos cards (but never credit cards, even to this day, to my great pride).

    The clothes of mine they did choose were mostly seventies florals and paisleys which got hacked and shortened and turned into patches and inserts for flared jeans. Having gone through their handmedown and op shop apprenticeships they have turned into beautifully turned out young ladies with their own understated styles. It gives me such pleasure to look at them, I wish I could do it more often (sniff).

    Judy Martin's southern sl… • Since Apr 2007 • 241 posts Report Reply

  • Martin Lindberg,

    Not so much a particular item of clothing, but I believe have owned at least one pair of Dr Martens (mostly 2 or 3 pairs) at any given time for the last 30 years. I would estimate that I have worn Docs for about 80% of my shoe-wearing-time.

    I guess I like them.

    Stockholm • Since Jul 2009 • 802 posts Report Reply

  • Rich Lock,

    A small part of me died recently when I realised my 1992 Faith No More tour t-shirt was too...distressed...to wear to their recent Vector arena gig. And for me to say that is really going some.

    I console myself with the thought that my 1993 White Zombie T-shirt is still going strong.

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    comfy and practical...

    Craig. NO.

    No, no. no!!! Next thing, you will be tucking your jersey into your pants ;-)

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart,

    Craig. NO.

    Tell us about Crocs, Megan...

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • Megan Wegan,

    Oh Emma, do you really want to start that? Surely, my views on Crocs are well known, and shared by most right-thinking individuals?

    Welly • Since Jul 2008 • 1275 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    I regarded it as indestructible, and never really did anything to look after it

    Yep, Tartan lining, black Jet leather. had it a good 25 years. Still goes. I relined the cuffs with moleskin as I couldn't part with the lining and it really is fortunate that I used to make leather jackets so relining, zips etc, easy peasy. I have got to a point where I don't want to clean it up at all, so it remains tatty but chic.Almost landfillesque. Bit like me, Hah!

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Tim Owens,

    Mine is a silver jacket - a former fireman's jacket. A gift from a departing flatmate, its shiny shell has saved me from the thermias at many a madcap function. Hardly a low profile garment, it made it easy for my friends to find me in a dim lit dance paddock, and saved me from getting run down at the gate. If the grass was too dry, a stop, drop, and roll could snuff out a spark. If the grass was too wet, it made for a waterproof (tartan lined) blanket.
    Waterproof, fireproof, windproof and dramaproof - sometimes I was a little too well insulated from the action around me. But that was then time to hang it off a speaker stack (the metal loop inside the collar fits nicely over a strop hook) and hit the dance floor/ground/mud.
    Countless coats of chrome later, it's languishing in a mate's shed in Carterton, after active service this year in the Wairarapa.
    Getting time for another mission...

    Since Aug 2010 • 1 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark,

    Well, after our little visit to the doctor (blood tests, neurologist asap, and round we go), I dropped off 4 huge bags of Ian's clothes - including his favourite leather jacket, favourite denim jacket, favourite pea coat, favourite shirts - to the City Mission. There was talk that I was clearing out his stuff while I had the chance. But I would never do that. Or would I?

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • Isabel Hitchings,

    When I was at uni I talked my Mum into buying me this shirt. It was long and black and striped in inch-wide bands of satin and sheer. It wafted beautifully around the body and looked like it was showing off even more than it actually was. Not only did it garner me many compliments but barely a weekend went by when one of my female friends didn't ring up asking to borrow the Shirt. Sometimes I was kind enough to lend it out and I'm pretty sure it got more than a few people laid.

    Christchurch • Since Jul 2007 • 719 posts Report Reply

  • Just thinking,

    Craig - if those draw string trou are linen and worn with leather sandles - go for it.

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report Reply

  • Just thinking,

    Docs go with out saying - they saved my anckles many times and I'm sure were the only thing holding me up from 22-25yrs after dark.

    The best item clothing I had was my shirt of many colours, 1990-91. Inspired by Jordan Lucks shirt. It was of many patterns and colours - all bright, made of a silky nylon material . I stood out in the crowd at pubs, in a time before txt msg that was a good thing. My mates would see me and the night would carry on.
    The only problem was the shirt was always blinding with the rays of morning sunshine and had to be removed, dumped in a hamper, burried under jeans in order to ensure it didn't blind anyone in the room.

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report Reply

  • Rich Lock,

    I used to make leather jackets

    Will have a wee chat to you at the blend about this, if that's alright.

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report Reply

  • JackElder,

    I don't get the antipathy towards crocs. They're just jandals without the toestrap.

    Wellington • Since Mar 2008 • 709 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Yes, fine Rich.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    I don't get the antipathy towards crocs

    I noticed many hospital staff around the radiology dept. wore them, and even commented on the benefits of their construction being appropriate for their hospital environment, with no studs, eyelets,no inner metals.(I was getting MRI's)
    My friend also says they are great in his restaurant kitchen, washable, protective, (as jandals are a "no"),yet breathe in a very hot environment.He uses them.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    Foot wary...

    I don't get the antipathy towards crocs.
    They're just jandals without the toestrap.

    it's a thongless task being an
    allegator of style crimes...

    yrs
    The Ruby Hat
    of Omar Khayyam

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Yelspal,

    There are a pair of Willy's winkle pickers from 1983 in my wardrobe somewhere. You had to order them at a funny dark cavernous clothes shop in Fort Street, then Willy, who/where/whatever he was, would deliver them back in 6 to 8 weeks. They cost $145 - double+ any other shoes in town. They were well made and well pointy I can tell you.

    Beside them, from the same era, are a pair of 16 eyelet docs - which had to be sent over by a mate in the UK cos Muldoon was restricting imports and you could not get them locally at all.

    Parnell • Since Sep 2010 • 1 posts Report Reply

  • Islander,

    Have size 9 (male fitting) Docs (kind of ordinary looking) to give away to good PAS home - I am a foot-paticularist (I've never had foot diseases, and always wear my footwear with socks.)Black air-walkers, with yellow stitching, 10 eyelet holes. Worn twice - when I realised that osteoarthritis in my feet demanded a different kind of boot...

    All you have to do is

    a)pay postage
    b)make a donation to either the hospice or Women's refuge nearest to you- your choice of how much-

    cheers

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Jacqui Dunn,

    Don't know why I didn't see this blog when it first came out, but hopefully it's not so late that everyone's gone home....

    My favourite piece of clothing for a long, long time was a green boucle overcoat with a mongolian lamb collar. I wouldn't dream of wearing m. lamb these days (the whole idea is too nasty for words: the skin of unborn lamb, although I suppose sometimes the mothers aborted naturally. I wouldn't like to bet on it though.) I got it in London in the swinging sixties. Patti Boyd - the model who married George Harrison and eventually Eric Clapton (and was the Layla of the song) - used to wear it, and I thought I was the coolest of cool in it when I got back to NZ. However, my brother's girlfriend put me off it completely by saying it looked like Shirley Bassey's housecoat.

    I also picked up a pair of the most comfortable black patent sandals in Naples which cost so little it was almost embarrassing. Had them for years and years until the leather wore through. I miss them still.

    Deepest, darkest Avondale… • Since Jul 2010 • 585 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    My friend also says they are great in his restaurant kitchen, washable, protective, (as jandals are a "no"),yet breathe in a very hot environment.He uses them.

    I've found plastic Birkenstocks pretty common in the hospitality industry for the same reasons.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    Don't know why I didn't see this blog when it first came out, but hopefully it's not so late that everyone's gone home....

    Not at all. Join the party!

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

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