Coat Tails (and How to Ride Them)

A little while ago, our man in New York Tin Tin did a series of posts involving Morning Dress. I will now unabashedly ride the tails of his Henry Poole morning coat shamelessly, and without apology.

A few months ago, I picked up this beautiful vintage morning coat, in charcaol grey flannel. It truly is a thing of beauty, a piece of art in the quality of it's tailoring. Despite the fact that it is made for someone much slimmer than myself, or the fact that I will never in my life have an opportunity to don such a garment , I felt compelled to purchase it. I shudder to think what it's fate may have been had someone like me (read: clothes mad, especially for old things) stumbled across it.

Perfectly cut peaked lapels, with a loop under the left one for keeping a flower in place. The perfect shade of dark grey.

Impeccably tailored...note the line of the shoulders and dramatically supressed waist as well as the curved seams across the back.

Perfect construction, with closed pleats runnung the length of each tail and a hooked vent, as it should be.

Even the lining is a thing of beauty. There's a concealed pocket built into the left tail.

Serious vintage from the Rogers Peet Company. Vintage isn't even the right word in this case. This thing is an antique, a truly wonderful old thing.

The trouble with being thrift obsessed is that one tends to accumulate too much stuff. Things like this coat roll along, and I feel like I'm rescuing a stray puppy, as though I have a duty to rescue these things from the dirt and grime and chaos that is a proper thrift shop. That's whya I started my online shop, sort of as missionary work...well that and to make money, you know. Anyway, I must have picked this coat up and put it back a half dozen times, talked myself out of it repeatedly, tried to listen to whatever shred of a voice of reason I may have. In the end, it still followed me home.

So, if you're clothes mad enough to want such a thing, and you wear a 38 jacket, a 32 waist, and are just shy of 6 feet tall, and you promise to give it a loving home, and you think you might actually wear it someday, I'm entertaining offers. Please not that there is one tiny moth hole on the back of the left shoulder, and a couple of the sleeve buttons need replacing, other than that, the conditon is perfect. Contact me via email if you're serious.

Edit: The coat is sold, congratulations Mr. T. I thank you all for your interest. Continue to look here for offers such as these, special antiques.

p.s.For the more "normal" among you, some new items that are infintely more wearable in the modern world have just made the shop. I've got Italian shoes if you've got size 13 feet. Check it out.