Tuesday, January 3, 2017

The 1970s green puffy coat

One of my surprises this year for Christmas was a new coat. Although I never would have asked for such a coat, I admit that I love it. It's a down-filled pink coat with a (swoon!) inside pocket. I'm a sucker for inside pockets that keep me from losing my keys. (which is another story that I really should, and will, blog about.)

A few days ago as Shane and I were driving around, I told him how much I liked my coat. And then I started thinking about how popular the nylon, down-filled coats these days and I remembered another coat, that was very similar but that I didn't love quite as much.

Sometime in the end of the 70s or early 80s, my parents got matching green nylon down-filled coats. I'm sure at the time, they were all the rage. But, when I entered the 4th grade and started noticing more, I realized how much I hated my mom's green coat. Not enough that I would ever say anything, but oh. When she would wear it, I cringed just a little. When my parents wore them together: gah, I can't even. Which is super strange, because my mom has really good style, and so why she endured wearing an ugly green (seriously, it was the color of 1970s kitchen appliances!) coat for the better part of a decade, I can't imagine.

I can totally remember my relief when she retired the puffy green coat. Its replacement, a pale pink wool number that tied and went to her mid-thigh, couldn't have been more welcome.

Which brings me to the thought I had as I traversed the tunnel today with my beverage: I can't be the only child on earth who hated something her parents wore. Which means my own children have probably hated something that I continue to wear, year after year, out of love or necessity. Maybe it's the Gap wool coat with the giant pockets and wooden buttons I've been sashaying about in for 7 or so years. Or maybe it was the $20 Old Navy puffy mcpufferton coat I had for a season (it was awful. And when I wore it with a long cardigan - well. I shouldn't have.) Hopefully it isn't my black Nike jacket, which serves not only as the perfect year-round jacket for any occasion, but also feels a bit like my security blanket.

I'm afraid to ask them.

What did your parents wear that you cringed a bit over? Please assure me I'm not the only one.


2 comments:

Melanie said...

I'm sure my mom wore embarrassing clothing, but I can't think of anything specific. I'm thinking that my kids will bemoan together the days when their mom lived in yoga pants. Actually, if I have my way in this life, those days will never end. ;)

Feisty Harriet said...

Ooooh, this list for me is long and distinguished. However, I feel super guilty about most of the things on it because we had so little money for so long and my Mom just wore (and re wore, and RE WORE) what she had....most of it was too bright, too worn, and/or too small. Gah.

xox