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?

No it’s not. Someone in see through leggings isn’t dressing nicely. Someone wearing a hoodie to a restaurant isn’t dressing nicely.

Both things can be true.

I adore my wool coats. Yes I have several. But I wasn't getting much wear out of them until another poster (sorry I can't remember who you are) recommended Fulton Birdcage umbrellas. I used to despise umbrellas but this one has yet to blow inside out and, even better, the spokes point down so I no longer worry about poking anyone in the face. And the crook hooks over your arm so, if you're not using it, you can keep your hands free.

I still have 2 coats with hoods but I've only had to resort to them a couple of times since.

I'll concede though that no umbrella is much use if you're wrangling small children and push chairs.

https://www.fultonumbrellas.com/search?options%5Bprefix%5D=last&q=birdcage

I have a double faced wool coat which looks wonderful and is light enough for spring or autumn. My puffa coat is very warm but not suitable for rain as it’s down-so have bought a Janelle. The Janelle has seen most wear this winter. Like you, I wear technical gear for hiking but don’t want to wear it around town. I love my wool coat with a long scarf. I don’t understand the snarky comments. I totally understand being interested in clothes and not wanting to look like a mountaineer in town.

I'd rather have a Goretex coat than an umbrella.

Someone in an ill fitting, bulky wool coat in a dull colour isn't dressing nicely.

Neither my wool coat or wool jacket have zipped pockets or inside pockets whuch means that I need a handbag when I wear them. When I nip to Tesco I just take my phone which I can pop into the inside pocket of my waterproof coat.

Who on earth needs to grapple with a handbag when grocery shopping?

I have to assume 98% of the people who have replied to this thread think it’s in AIBU and haven’t realised it’s in Style and Beauty.

So many bizarre comments of “practicality trumps style”, “why do you care what people wear” etc 😅

I’m with you OP, it’s a shame people don’t wear lovely jewel coloured smart winter coats any more.

I have walking gear that I use several times a week, but if I am going into town I wear a nice wool coat and leather boots.

I think she's making snarky comments because she thinks that weather proof gear shouldn't be worn as a matter of course.
However, some of us live in rainy and windy parts of the UK!
Each to their own.

I have a gorgeous wool coat and a not so gorgeous outdoor coat but I end up wearing the outdoor one a lot as it's always bloody raining and I don't like being wet.

I thought people wear what they like but clearly I’ve got that wrong.

its cold and damp. Sometimes wool doesn’t cut it.

I love these thank you!

You're welcome op. That umbrella has changed my life.

I'm proud to be middle aged auntie, although I'm not sure I count as middle aged any more.

I worked as an outdoor Ed professional for 30 years. All I own is outdoor clothing.

It used to be the case that outdoor clothing brands just made ugly, practical clothes for rock climbing etc. Rock climbers bought them.

Then brands like RAB etc struggled to make money and started making‘fashion’ clothing. All the outdoor people ow swerve certain brands because they have become trendy and the clothing is useless for outdoor activities

I'm well past middle age, but I am an auntie!
My personal preference is to be warm and dry and stylish, so a dowdy, bulky woollen coat isn't for me. Luckily, the technology of fabrics has improved so that we can be dry, warm and stylish in a variety of coats!

‘Wear a Barbour’
That’s meant to be smart 😆 ??
The only people wearing Barbours I see have Range Rovers for the school drop off and too many Burberry clothes. Shudder.

Barbour sell more than the wax jacket.

Microlight or down jackets are much more comfortable than a woollen coat when going from one temperature to another.

Also, I’m not buying a coat I’ll hardly ever use just to please someone in a department store 😂.

I dress for the weather because I’m usually outside.

Oh how did people cope without gore-tex. All the women and men in the 50s with their wool coats seemed to do just fine.

How would you know whether they were 'just fine' or not?

The answer is that they got wetter, and drying out clothes was often very difficult, especially for the poorest. Hence the revealed preference of people, once better quality waterproofs became available, was to go for those instead.

Weird the way people in a damp and unpredictable climate might prioritise comfort and practicality over the aesthetic choices of random strangers isn't it!

That's neither smart nor stylish. It could be practical though if you're a dog walker for example. Each to their own.

Shop somewhere where people wear clothes that you approve of, @needmorebooks .

This thread is a good example of the different lives we all lead, I've got no idea what half of this means. I hope my basic duffel coat passes muster 😂

The average household income in the UK is £37,000 a year, I’m willing to guess your household income is many multiples of this. Of course you can afford to dress nicely and to own multiple coats and choose which one to wear for the situation. With the cost of living most people can’t afford multiple coats or to have different styles outfits for every occasion.

You’re also assuming everyone drives into town, but 25% of UK adults don’t hold a driving license and even more can’t afford to own a car or drive everywhere. Lots of people will be getting public transport or be walking into town, not everybody will drive

What this thread tells me is that you’re on a privileged position and unable to see that not everybody you encounter on the street lives the same life with the same income and luxuries as you have. It’s very easy to judge people, much harder to try and understand what another persons life might be like.