Fed up of all the gorpcore

[needmorebooks]

Is it just me? It’s everywhere. Look around a city centre and there’s just puffer jackets cropped and long and brightly coloured Rab or Patagonia jackets. Basically everyone dressed for climbing in the Peak District for a trip to John Lewis or Coffee1.

I own outdoor wear but it’s for well, long walks in the forest, going to the coast or going up mountains. Why has it become so ubiquitous? And it’s all ages and classes seemingly. I don’t get it.

It’s just boring and scruffy too imho. I want to see people looking nice in wool coats and looking like they take a bit of pride in their appearance. Sorry if that’s controversial, maybe this should be in AIBU? I hate feeling like I’m overdressed when I just have a long wool coat on, I hardly see others in the same. Just fed up of the sea of gore-tex and hiking shoes.

Anyone else?

It wasn’t meant to be ‘nasty,’ when it was pointed out you don’t use punctuation you said it’s because Polish is your first language. That suggests Poland doesn’t use punctuation, or maybe the punctuation is very different, so I asked for clarification. Some languages don’t use punctuation or use it in a different way, for example when I was learning Thai the punctuation was completely different, with spaces generally used instead of full stops and no question marks, exclamation marks etc. I have no idea if Polish is similar.

Sure ok

My main coat is angora (I think - it's old and the label is missing) and came from a charity shop, but I still have an ankle length black puffer coat for when it's very cold.

English is also my first language, but I haven't the slightest idea what a 'gorp' is.

Depends where you live, not every charity shop is going to be bursting with wool coats in every size and in many charity shops a good quality coat is still £10-£20+. A wool coat is not suitable for all weathers so you will still need to buy another for heavy winds, plus it’s not just about being able to afford the coat, a wool coat typically needs dry cleaning which is an additional expense. Obviously if somebody prioritises style then a wool coat is not unobtainable even on a lower income, but for many people who are just trying to get by choosing style over practicality is not going to be a priority. Wool is not weatherproof and it is not very practical to wash and dry so it’s not a great choice if you don’t have multiple coats to rotate between.

@Mikart

unless you’re gonna go hiking daily, it’s unnecessary to wear hiking boots every day. Whats wrong with trainers?

Your reply doesn't make sense. English isn't my first language. Are you accusing me of lying?

Yes, ultimately it goes back to the point that people need a coat for practicality, and anything beyond that requires resources. Not just money but time and headspace. To acquire, store and maintain.

Which is, whether people like it or not, an explanation for why some people are going for the coats OP disdains.

@SocksAndTheCity , Gorpcore - Wikipedia

I admit to having to google what gorpcore was as well. I have never heard of the term.

I would love to wear a smart coat more often, but the current weather dictates that practicality trumps looking smart.

If I’m car to car/shop to shop I don’t want a warm wool coat on as I’m barely outside and will be too hot, and it’s too cumbersome to carry round.

I have a wool coat that I love and wear at every opportunity. It gets an about 20-30 wears a year, mostly in autumn and early spring. I haven’t been able to wear it for weeks now as it’s been too wet, and it’s far too expensive of a coat to get wet. So I’ve been in one of my two superdry coats (one looks like a goretex walking coat and the other is a long football manager style puffer) depending on the temperature as these will both keep my dry in the rain, and suffer from getting a bit damp.

Sadly, damp winter weather doesn’t lend itself well to getting dressed up - and given I take my coat off when I get to most places, you wouldn’t know how dressed up I was underneath my puffer coat.

Thanks @UpMyself and @RampantIvy . I must admit the only people I see dressed like that around here are tourists - I've never heard the word before .

Whilst I certainly don't dress in order to protect the sensibilities of the snobbish and judgementaI, I won't be joining the gorps. But that's because Zone 1 - even the Barbican highwalks - really doesn't require it.

If I could only afford one pair of shoes, I'd probably try to get a good pair of walking shoes. Of course, if I could only afford one pair of shoes,they'd probably be beyond my means anyway. <channels Sam Vimes>

I must admit, post Covid I have fallen into the more casual way of dressing, in line with societal trends. I noticed my male colleagues wearing comfy shoes and warm and waterproof clothes for their commute and decided to do the same.

I do have some lovely coats and I like the opportunity to get dressed up, but I totally understand the temptation of slinging on the warm and waterproof top layer, when the weather is as miserable as it has been lately.

More broadly, I love discussing clothes and style on Style & Beauty and really dislike the posters that are having nasty digs at the OP and ragging her punctuation. There really is no need - it is the posting equivalent of mock Uggs collapsed at the heels & see-through leggings. Not cool.

I've just ordered one, they look wonderful - thank you @Floisme

To be fair, the OP has been somewhat unpleasant and personal as well. I would suggest that the whole tone of the initial post wasn't setting the groundwork for a positive, informed discussion.
However, digs at cognitive impairment and spelling issues aren't acceptable.

@EnterQueene , my comment about punctuation was in response to an arsey comment by the OP.

If you say so can’t be bothered arguing with people who can’t read

I love a smart coat but so impractical for me in the rain and wind.

Living in big dirty congested cities, you have to be practical. We walk long distances through some pretty bad weather and there's nothing bad about dressing for that weather. Dressing in inappropriate clothing for the weather leaves you vulnerable to the weather and other bad situations. We also don't have much closet space to keep multiple coats.

That puffer you deride, it's warmer than a wool coat and doesn't show the dirt. Bright colours are more visible at night when you're walking from the subway stop and crossing the street in bad weather. They're easy to clean and repair.

I wear Blundstones with buffalo wool insoles once the weather gets cold and I can throw a pair of little crampons on when it's icy. Try and walk on ice in heels. You'll break something, or several somethings. Plus my feet stay warm and dry.

You don't like it, stay mad.

Because it always pissng down outside. I own
3 wool coats and have barely seen them this winter and instead have been stuck in my stupid long puffer jacket - I’m as bored of it as you are.

Tbh I do think puffer / down coats look pretty cool.

I'll admit that I too had to google gorpcore. 🤣

I don't think it is common parlance and I had personally never heard of it. At all.

This isn't a coat though. In fact you coukd quite easily wear a nice waterproof puffer OVER that.

Good plan.

More broadly, I love discussing clothes and style on Style & Beauty and really dislike the posters that are having nasty digs at the OP and ragging her punctuation. There really is no need - it is the posting equivalent of mock Uggs collapsed at the heels & see-through leggings. Not cool.

Agree @EnterQueene. I actually think this is one of the nastiest threads I’ve ever seen on Style & Beauty. There are some people on here who seem to be getting a kick out of being unpleasant. Most of these unpleasant types also seem to have zero interest in Style & Beauty and I assume are petitioning behind the scenes for this board to be renamed to Practical & Poor.

I don’t care what other people wear. I wear wool coats.