J.R.R. Tolkien in his lovely, furred number.
Friday, March 29, 2013
Old Knock Wardrobe: The Coat
How does the Old Knock stay warm on
those blustery days as he scrambles from his warm domestic dwelling to the
local chapel or library? Why, through
the use of his outer coat, of course. In
our modern age of well-heated everything, the importance of the outer coat—except
for outdoor activities—has gone the way of the Dodo. But, as with many relics of years past, the
outer coat is still in wide use among the Old Knock set.
As can be imagined, this outer covering
is, above all else, practical. Practical
in the sense that it keeps the wind and rain off of one—not practical in the
sense that it doesn’t get in the way at times.
As with the trousers and jacket, the outer coat provides the Old Knock
with yet another cache for a variety of useful items—pencils, string, books,
apples, pipe and tobacco, coffee mugs, etc.
For the shape and color of this
article, it too falls in line with the rest of the wardrobe—it is essentially
shapeless and it’s color is impossible to define. Both of these qualities come from the
hand-me-down origins of the item, along with the abuse it has taken. For it is not merely to be used as a coat,
but as a cushion for sitting on tombstones while making rubbings, or placing
under one’s head while napping under a tree.
Many an Old Knock’s coat is military in
origin—as many of this crew, being romantics at heart, have, indeed, served
their respective countries. However, the
military starch is gone (often times, along with the belt, which is why so many
are gathered about the waist with string or an old tie).
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