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Are we "cool" now... and for how long

Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2019 10:24 pm
by JohnClimber
Today on the drive to work there were school kids standing in the rain waiting for their busses and 80% of them had down type jackets on......

And throughout the warm days of this summer (yes we had a couple) there were people walking around with down type jackets on as well.

Hey kids we've had these jackets for years now.... Does that make us cool now?

How long before they go out of fashion and we are un cool again?

And I must be getting old seeing them standing there in the rain in them I thought to myself "I bet they are not hydrophobic down"

Maybe I'm getting old :oops:

Re: Are we "cool" now... and for how long

Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2019 10:43 pm
by composite
There has been plenty of hot days this summer john. This alone tells me you are now a grumpy old bastard. :-bd :grin:

Re: Are we "cool" now... and for how long

Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2019 11:36 pm
by Jamesh
Doubt it makes anyone cool but it's interesting how outdoorsy brands like TNF, Patagonia (to some extent) and Canada Goose have all become massive in urban circles

Re: Are we "cool" now... and for how long

Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 4:51 am
by BigdummySteve
I think you may found the problem James, the danger is these brands turn into fashion items and the quality then drops.
I wore my OMM jacket riding through London the other day, have I accidentally become cool at 50 :shock: :-bd

Re: Are we "cool" now... and for how long

Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 6:34 am
by middleagedmadness
My young fella refuses to wear his down jacket anymore as it said it makes him look like a "road-man" asking what this meant he explained that they are the lowest of the low in society,grand I said but on top of a hill at night there is no society and I ain't having a battering of your mother for letting you get cold ,now pack your "road-man "jacket.

Re: Are we "cool" now... and for how long

Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 7:52 am
by Asposium
middleagedmadness wrote: Thu Sep 12, 2019 6:34 am My young fella refuses to wear his down jacket anymore as it said it makes him look like a "road-man" asking what this meant he explained that they are the lowest of the low in society,grand I said but on top of a hill at night there is no society and I ain't having a battering of your mother for letting you get cold ,now pack your "road-man "jacket.
:lol:

Re: Are we "cool" now... and for how long

Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 8:08 am
by BigdummySteve
Got my Rab wind vest on this morning, am I now a ‘chav, :???:

Re: Are we "cool" now... and for how long

Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 8:49 am
by Alpinum
The return of TNF Nuptse.

We had that over here about 18 years ago and now again. Fashion recycles itself and has never wanted to be practical...

I remember the Valandré ads in climbing magazines shouting "don't wear it for shopping" as there were a few winters in Chamonix' were more and more après-ski tourists wore their jackets, rather than alpinists. Must have been round about 15 years ago. I wondered why they had this ad in climbing mags, rather than airline gazettes :wink:
It was winter though...

Re: Are we "cool" now... and for how long

Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 9:11 am
by techno
Alpinum wrote: Thu Sep 12, 2019 8:49 am The return of TNF Nuptse.

We had that over here about 18 years ago and now again. Fashion recycles itself and has never wanted to be practical...
Loads of teenagers are wearing Patagonia and TNF like Jamesh says but down "puffer" jackets were fashionable when I was at school in the 90s. The endless recycling and appropriation of the "fashion industry" continues.hh

Footy hooligans also wear fjallraven and other expensive European brands, I doubt they go off to the woods for a bit of whittling and bushcraft afterwards but you never know!

Re: Are we "cool" now... and for how long

Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 9:19 am
by ScotRoutes
"Puffa" jackets have never gone away as far as I know.

I worked in Blacks for a while. The head office was very particular about the order of the branded display areas. TNF was always first in the door.

We'd get folk walking in wanting to buy a "North Face jacket". A little gentle prodding around what type of jacket - fleece, waterproof, insulated - would often result in a grunt and a finger pointing to a Puffa jacket. FWIW, Jack Wolfskin was next to TNF.

Re: Are we "cool" now... and for how long

Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 10:09 am
by sean_iow
JohnClimber wrote: Wed Sep 11, 2019 10:24 pm Today on the drive to work there were school kids standing in the rain waiting for their busses and 80% of them had down type jackets on......
In September! When I ride to work, even in the winter when the Garmin says it's just over freezing, the kids at the bus stop only have shirts on and the cool ones still have the sleeves rolled up, and you lot have the cheek to call us southerners soft. I think you need to hand out some 'stop being soft' stickers to these kid :lol:

Re: Are we "cool" now... and for how long

Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 10:40 am
by jay91
It's all full black tracksuits around here with those ******* Nike man bag things.
I'll give them one thing the all bloody ace at wheelies


When I was at school. It wasn't that long ago the cool kids use to wear fake stone Island gear :roll:

Re: Are we "cool" now... and for how long

Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 11:12 am
by Bearbonesnorm
Being from Derbyshire, if you wanted to be cool when I was 14, you wore a Donkey jacket and work boots. I don't recall that families really had the money for 'fashion' and you certainly wouldn't have had an expensive coat. I'm not sure that 'labels' existed except for Doc Martins maybe.

... but times change sadly (shut up you old b'stard) and I do smile when I see folk wandering about in the rain wearing expensive down jackets (or even cheap down jackets), I've always thought that having your outdoor clothing brand 'discovered' must be a short-time blessing and a long-time curse.

Re: Are we "cool" now... and for how long

Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 1:43 pm
by ChrisF
A gear tester friend of mine calls Patagonia “Patagucci”. Says it all.

Re: Are we "cool" now... and for how long

Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 1:57 pm
by Scattamah
I learnt the Patagucci term last year from some folks from Portland, Or. Apparently it's the in thing to be seen in by trendy people there. I had a good chuckle as I was wearing a Patagonia wind shell that's quite useful and I am the least trendy thing out there.

Greetz

S.

Re: Are we "cool" now... and for how long

Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 2:10 pm
by whitestone
The "Patagucci" moniker was certainly in use amongst climbers in the late 1980s, didn't think trends took that long to reach Oz! :lol: (sorry Scott!)

The outdoor "boutique" brands such as (The) North Face all seem to be those that got bought out by larger businesses and the shareholders wanted more return so they had to look outside the somewhat limited and often impecunious climbing/walking market. This led to the current race to the bottom where the only difference between such brands seems to be whatever price reduction the shop has managed to obtain.

Quality has also taken a tumble - I've a Mountain Equipment hooded fleece top that is at least 25 years old and has seen almost daily use. There's one small hole in a pocket where I've kept a bunch of keys but it takes some finding, even the hems on the cuffs aren't frayed. A couple of years ago we were in an outdoor shop in Pitlochry and one of the shop assistants noticed what I was wearing and commented ruefully - "They don't make anything of that quality anymore."

Re: Are we "cool" now... and for how long

Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 2:56 pm
by johnnystorm
jay91 wrote: Thu Sep 12, 2019 10:40 am It's all full black tracksuits around here with those ******* Nike man bag things.
I'll give them one thing the all bloody ace at wheelies


When I was at school. It wasn't that long ago the cool kids use to wear fake stone Island gear :roll:
Stone Island is the reserve of the smart football hooligan around town nowadays it seems.

As said above puffa jackets have been on the trendy merry-go-round for aeons.

Re: Are we "cool" now... and for how long

Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 3:00 pm
by johnnystorm
Wu Tang Clan '93
TNF Nuptse in full effect
fa6f4326bb09d272a088304ceb5477d6.jpg
(155.96 KiB) Downloaded 1889 times

Re: Are we "cool" now... and for how long

Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 5:33 pm
by techno
johnnystorm wrote: Thu Sep 12, 2019 3:00 pm Wu Tang Clan '93
TNF Nuptse in full effect
fa6f4326bb09d272a088304ceb5477d6.jpg
No doubt rocking some Clarks wallabies too. :ugeek:

Re: Are we "cool" now... and for how long

Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 5:44 pm
by ScotRoutes
I don't know if it's still the case but the North Face Summit Series is/was still considered to be excellent kit.

Re: Are we "cool" now... and for how long

Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 8:26 pm
by Gregsie
Bearbonesnorm wrote: Thu Sep 12, 2019 11:12 am Being from Derbyshire, if you wanted to be cool when I was 14, you wore a Donkey jacket and work boots. I don't recall that families really had the money for 'fashion' and you certainly wouldn't have had an expensive coat. I'm not sure that 'labels' existed except for Doc Martins maybe.

... but times change sadly (shut up you old b'stard) and I do smile when I see folk wandering about in the rain wearing expensive down jackets (or even cheap down jackets), I've always thought that having your outdoor clothing brand 'discovered' must be a short-time blessing and a long-time curse.
Remember when they were in fashion in Derbyshire too. Bet they still are in some bits.