The London Lounge

I am looking for a particular jacket that I would like for winter and I recall seeing it in Edward and Mrs. Simpson, worn by the POW in some of the earlier episodes. It is probably military in origin and is basically a short jacket made of wool (tan or light brown) and probably lined or insulated. It is cut like a Harrington, though perhaps a bit blousier to accommodate a quilted or insulated lining and maybe a sweater underneath. It has two large outside bellows pocket at hip level, though they are more towards the front and a shirt or maybe balmacan collar.

If there is a name for this kind of jacket, please let me know and a still from the video would be perfect. Is this the kind of thing that is still made? It looks like it might be a common military item and easy enough to find if I knew exactly what I was looking for.

It seemed perfect for weekend use when I don't want to wear a sportcoat (and I don't need the length of an overcoat for warmth except in the very worst weather).

Here are two versions that are suggestive of what I am looking for. The black leather one, without the epulets and in a heavy kahaki or light brown wool is more or less the idea. From the clothing section of a pilot's specialty interest website (they have other similar models, but this seemed closest):


This, in a heavier wool and with the pockets dropped would also be pretty good.
http://www.armynavydeals.com/asp/produc ... swool&ST=2 (Sorry, but I can't link directly to the images.)

From what I gather, a want a military surplus or military style short wool jacket, or maybe a flight jacket.

Perhaps, Dopey, you'd like an "Eisenhower jacket", so-called because the supreme commander of Allied forces in the European theater of operations in the Second World War was fond of wearing it as his daily service dress.

Had I your ability to post photographs, I'd put one here showing "Ike" in, say, 1944 or '45, but . . . I don't. 'Sorry!

The link (not the photo) shows a non-US version of an Eisenhower jacket. I haven't looked into exactly how they are different, but will.

RWS wrote:Perhaps, Dopey, you'd like an "Eisenhower jacket", so-called because the supreme commander of Allied forces in the European theater of operations in the Second World War was fond of wearing it as his daily service dress.

Had I your ability to post photographs, I'd put one here showing "Ike" in, say, 1944 or '45, but . . . I don't. 'Sorry!

Got it. Eisenhower modeled his jacket on the British Battle Dress. The latter is precisely what i was looking for, though I think I might want the pockets lowered. I have no idea if the Battle Dress jacket would be warm enough, but now I know how to describe what I want.

dopey wrote:I am looking for a particular jacket that I would like for winter and I recall seeing it in Edward and Mrs. Simpson, worn by the POW in some of the earlier episodes. It is probably military in origin and is basically a short jacket made of wool (tan or light brown) and probably lined or insulated. It is cut like a Harrington, though perhaps a bit blousier to accommodate a quilted or insulated lining and maybe a sweater underneath. It has two large outside bellows pocket at hip level, though they are more towards the front and a shirt or maybe balmacan collar.

If there is a name for this kind of jacket, please let me know and a still from the video would be perfect. Is this the kind of thing that is still made? It looks like it might be a common military item and easy enough to find if I knew exactly what I was looking for.

It seemed perfect for weekend use when I don't want to wear a sportcoat (and I don't need the length of an overcoat for warmth except in the very worst weather).

Hmm... the description would suggest you are searching for a jacket in A2 style, as depicted here:

http://www.uswings.com/ta2.asp

Kind regards,
Don

DonB wrote:

dopey wrote:I am looking for a particular jacket that I would like for winter and I recall seeing it in Edward and Mrs. Simpson, worn by the POW in some of the earlier episodes. It is probably military in origin and is basically a short jacket made of wool (tan or light brown) and probably lined or insulated. It is cut like a Harrington, though perhaps a bit blousier to accommodate a quilted or insulated lining and maybe a sweater underneath. It has two large outside bellows pocket at hip level, though they are more towards the front and a shirt or maybe balmacan collar.

If there is a name for this kind of jacket, please let me know and a still from the video would be perfect. Is this the kind of thing that is still made? It looks like it might be a common military item and easy enough to find if I knew exactly what I was looking for.

It seemed perfect for weekend use when I don't want to wear a sportcoat (and I don't need the length of an overcoat for warmth except in the very worst weather).

Hmm... the description would suggest you are searching for a jacket in A2 style, as depicted here:

http://www.uswings.com/ta2.asp

Kind regards,
Don

Yep. More or less, but in wool.

Dopey, if you are looking for pictures of the British battle dress version to show a tailor, there are several in the framing scenes of Brideshead Revisited, if you have access to that. Jeremy Irons as Charles Ryder, among others, wears one in most of the camp scenes in the first episode.

If you don't have access to it, let me know and I'll try to get a few screen grabs for you in the next couple of weeks.