Fashion For Boys : Pockets
What do you keep in your pockets on a day-to-day basis? Wallet? Mobile phone? Anything else? I can imagine that most men would keep at least some, if not all of these items on them at any one time; an Oyster Card (with or without holder), a Swiss Army Knife, a receipt from the pub you were in last night, a bunch of keys (half of which are completely redundant), a bottle opener, spare change to the sum of approximately £2.64, a chapstick thatís covered in fluff, a half empty pouch of tobacco, some loose filter tips and one single chewing gum pellet lodged in the bottom of it’s wrapper.
But what if there was a practical and stylish solution to carrying all these essentials around without stretching out the pockets of your neatly ironed new chinos? Well, there is and they have been around an embarrassingly long time: the humble Parka. The necessity of a mans pockets can be overlooked easily, especially in the exclusive world of menís tailoring but the need to find a home for everything all at once is not just addressed but solved by these coats that carry their military heritage into the battle for male practicality. Boasting massive pockets across all styles available, the Parka easily allows you to carry your whole life around with you and also protects you from the elements you may be exposed to along the way.
The current designs are a modern twist on the classic Parka that has long been a viable choice for anyone wishing to cover up and channel the spirit of the 60s Mod movement. Or even the modern Parka updates the look that even those who have never seen Quadrophenia will enjoy. These newly designed jackets widely dispense with the classic fur-trimmed hood and instead opt for fur linings or quilted inners but one thing still remains: massive pockets. And the more, the merrier. Inherent to the Parka style, you are blessed with the treat of a longer cut that means more pockets and also a lovely slim line silhouette.
That’s not to say that there isn’t shorter options available for those looking for a more formal option but the more material you pay for, the more pocket you get. The contemporary Parka designs also do away with the heavy cotton material of the classic models and upgrade them with weatherproofed synthetics and neat customisations and additions such as leather elbow pads or corduroy trims and Velcro cuffs. Vastly available in a range of colours, you can choose between the classic khaki from brands such as Bench, and blacks and charcoals from Cheap Monday to navy blues and even a lovely orange number from Nigel Cabourn. If you want to keep the spirit of the Parka’s heritage alive and embrace the urban counter culture it represents I would also recommend checking out the designs of a relatively new brand, Weekend Offender, whose bold colours, contrasting details and clean cuts are a favorite on the terraces and high streets of our fair city.
Unfortunately though, the Parka has a stereotype attached that is hard to loose, one built on hooliganism, football violence, lager and Liam
Gallagher. As such, my only advice for accessorising when wearing a Parka would be to avoid driving a white van, wearing conspicuous gold jewelry, glugging from cans of Stella in the street and randomly belching and/or lashing out at unsuspecting members of the public. Try to achieve as many of these as you can manage and you should be fine, although you might have trouble finding your Oyster card in all those stupid pockets when youíre getting on the bus and not into your Ford Transit.
