If there is one thing that marks the coming of Spring for me it’s the day it’s finally warm enough to get the trusty trench coat out. It feels like this has happened a lot later than usual this year – Winter appears to want to cling on exceptionally hard for some reason, I mean, can’t it just take a hint and bugger off already?? Either way, when I woke up a couple of weeks ago to blue sky and sunshine, I thought my luck was finally in and it was actually time for my favourite piece of outerwear to make it’s comeback. Heck, it was even warm enough to go bare ankled. Of course ever since that day the weather has decided to rain all over that parade – literally. Not just rain though, because this baby was built for rain. No, since that day we’ve had gale force winds, hail, overnight frosts and even snow. Freaking snow. So my beloved mac isn’t getting as much air time as I’d like right now. But it will be back again, oh yes, it will.
I really, really hate it when ‘fashion’ types wax lyrical about the evil of ‘disposable fashion’ and how we should simply invest in key pieces that cost a million bucks but will last forever. That’s all great in theory – IF you have disposable income to save up and play with. It’s slightly patronising of them not to realise that for many people, saving up a few thousand pounds to buy just a handful of key items simply isn’t an option. That said, I do believe there are a handful of pieces that really are worth spending a little more than usual on, and a mac would be one of them. That isn’t to say you can’t get a nice trench for a low price – I have a black and white striped mac from Primark that I love to bits and it cost me less than £20 – but it won’t last me a lifetime and I know it, so it only comes out on the odd occasion. A good trench is something that will never go out of style and in the slightly cooler months will not only keep you warm and dry , but go with any outfit you happen to be wearing, so if you’re anything like me, you’ll wear it so much that you will be devastated when it finally gives up the ghost. Bearing that in mind, it’s a good idea to buy one that will stand the test of time.
This one was actually a gift from my ex. It was a complete surprise gift as well, because I would never have thought about asking for one, but one night while watching the final scenes of Breakfast at Tiffany’s I mentioned I should really think about getting myself a good trench, and then lo and behold, a month or so later, I was opening one on Christmas morning. I have to say, the boy done good. This one is by Topshop – not known for as the highest of quality by any stretch – but nevertheless, they came up with the goods this time. For starters, it’s actually waterproof – beware the beautifully draped, butter soft trenches that are all over the shops right now – they look gorgeous, but you will likely find yourself pretty damp and less than toasty if you get caught in a rainstorm. Secondly, it’s extremely well made. I’ve been wearing it pretty much constantly every Spring for the last 6 years, and other than the odd loose button and split seam, all of which are very fixable, it’s in remarkably good nick. I’m pretty sure I will get another few years of wear out of it, which makes me very happy as I’m not quite ready to start thinking about replacements just yet. Lastly, I’m a real fan of the shape and little details – trenches come in all shapes and sizes, and lately there seem to be far more ‘androgynous’ styles out there. I’ve already explained how I just can’t pull those types of outerwear off, so I’m really grateful for the pretty peaked sleeves, buckle belt to accentuate the waist and button detailing down the back. All in all, it’s the ultimate cover up, and I can’t imagine life without it, I just hope the weather warms up enough for me to wear it a bit more this year!
Like most of the clothing I own, this trench is no longer available to buy (yeah, sorry, I’m pretty rubbish like that!) but here are a few other options you might be interested if you too are looking for the perfect mac….
Top Row L-R: ASOS Classic Mac, £60 – Hobbs Saskia Trench, £189 – Topshop Trench, £79
Bottom Row L-R: Uniqlo Trench, £49.90 – Warehouse Mac, £71.20 – Zara Trench, £59.99
Love,
Picking the Day 