Serious Coat Habit.

Happy Birthday to my friend Mark Emberton who shares my addiction to outer garments. Unlike trousers or shoes, coats and jackets are just too easy to buy. Last week, in a charity shop I failed to resist an immaculate vintage 1960s Crombie overcoat. In its heavy cloth and black velvet collar, I was looking forward to strutting around the cold London streets, giving it the full Ronnie Kray. The sleeves were a bit short so I needed them taken down, just in case I needed to conceal the length of lead piping which was Ron’s weapon of choice. I collected the coat yesterday and it fits perfectly. One problem – the weather is now positively spring-like so it’ll be about a year before get to I wear it. But to a serious coat head, this doesn’t matter. Mark Emberton will understand. And former Hackney dandy, Mark Feld would have understood too.