A Bag Indiana Jones Would Carry to the Temple of Doom

To be honest, I’m quite a sucker.

As I said on my Columbia application, the fictional character that I would like most to be like is Dirk Pitt. Thanks for creating him, Clive.

To that end, I realise that I have a love for old cars and other things.

Also, I seem to have taken fashion cues from him as well. I would describe my personal sense of style as “Post-Apocalyptic”. To be more pop culture about it, perhaps you could call it “Sam and Dean kill demons”.

Despite their world-ending/saving credentials, the duo would sadly not really be called trendy. Not even by Mother Teresa standards of charity.

A character that I think is awesomely dressed (and more than manly enough) is Indiana Jones. The fedora, shirt and satchel.

I think my search for an Indiana Jones bag has ended today.

I have found Saddleback Bags.

For a demonstration of how hardy the bag is, see below (taken from the site):

First chance I get, Imma gonna getta me one ‘a those.

Words of Wisdom I Shall Try to Remember: Hardy Amies

Hardy Amies: “A man should look as if he had bought his clothes with intelligence, put them on with care and then forgotten all about them.”

The Trench Coat.

Recently, I walked into a Burberry store, and I wondered… How did the trench coat come about? Why are trench coats such a big thing for Burberry anyway? Somehow, in my mind, trench coat immediately calls to mind Burberry, and vice versa.

I did a little digging on the internet, and here’s3 of the more interesting things I found out.

Both Aquascutum and Burberry claim credit for inventing the trenchcoat. While Aquascutum’s claim was filed earlier (1850), it was Thomas Burberry’s design in 1901 (along with gabardine cloth) that made the trenchie a big thing.

Trench coats often come with a ‘gun flap’. Not meant for you to hide a gun in, these flaps close up the opening (which faces upwards) to prevent rain from falling into your coat and completely defeating it’s purpose (which is to be “a raincoat made of waterproof heavy-duty cotton drill or poplin, wool gabardine, or in some cases leather” – Wikipedia).

Nowadays, trench coats, like hem lines, are rising higher and higher. Early on, they were knee length or lower (a New York Times article from 1917 says they come “down to a soldier’s ankles”), but now, they barely reach the knee (for men’s models) and some just cover the butt (mainly for ladies). While trendy, this might be a hint that the trench coat has become more fashionable than functional.

If you’re interested in reading ANOTHER description of the men’s trench coat, here’s an interesting article.

If not, feast your eyes on Burberry’s Art of the Trench.

If not, then cheerio!