As I don't drive so rely on buses but prefer to walk if I can (and having to exercise the Springer Spaniel frequently) I have been trying different jackets with surprising results. I have walked out in my 1943-dated RN Duffel Coat: warm but too bulky, weighs a ton! USN A-2 Deck Jacket: love the warmth, ease of movement, inner cuffs but too short. RAF MK3 cold weather jacket: pretty similar to the USN jacket but again too short (cold bum!) Kriegsmarine Parka with lining: very warm but like the Duffel, too bulky, hood is useful though. Finally, a stalwart of British workers, 100% wool Donkey jacket, ex-parks Department (gravedigger!) recently bought in charity shop for £5.00: superb, very warm, comfortable, deep pockets. For non-UK residents, a Donkey jacket is like a Pea Coat but single-breasted. So I have chosen the non-military option and am pleased with the result, I satisfy myself that I can look like Joe Strummer or Ian Dury who at times both wore these jackets! I didn't dare wear my original Irvin so that didn't count.
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Jacket/Coats of choice in this weather (UK)
- Thread starter havocpaul
- Start date
John Lever
Moderator
RMNZ M445a custom 10 mm. fleece depth. Comfortable fit to allow layering and it has pockets for my phone and stuff.
Cobblers161
Well-Known Member
Big up for the Donkey jacket. Good thick working class wool.
N-1 so long as there are long johns under the LVC's and I found today in sub-zero temps that the RMJ Stagg B-10 is magnificently warm.
What I want however is a Duffle exactly like Trevor Howard wears in the Third Man. Loops on the hood and all.
N-1 so long as there are long johns under the LVC's and I found today in sub-zero temps that the RMJ Stagg B-10 is magnificently warm.
What I want however is a Duffle exactly like Trevor Howard wears in the Third Man. Loops on the hood and all.
MikeyB-17
Well-Known Member
My weapons of choice in recent weeks have been a Berghaus fleece under a cordura work jacket by a Swedish company called Dunderdon-fleece-lined, not dissimilar to an M-65, loads of pockets, very practical. I don't own a shearling jacket any more, and in any case I find the more modern stuff more adaptable-I would never have worn my B-3 in the rain, and the cloth stuff is less bulky. Looks cool, but in harsh conditions, give me modern clothing technology.
greyhound52
New Member
Ok we need a pic of the "donkey jacket" just sounds weird. Here in Northern CA temps are brrrr....43 degree F in the morning...wearing my MA-1 or CWU-45 which seems to do the trick.
Lots of snow and very cold winds over Holland these days. Good weather to wear my ANJ-4 over just a shirt or sweatshirt and today it was freezing cold so went out wearing my RAF sweater and Irvin, and always the Usaaf B2 cap. After a half an hour walk it became a bit too warm in the Irvin. Excellent jacket and sweater. All my children dislike the B-2 cap but it's gentle warm and I sure like it. On the less cold winterdays I daily wear a A-2 jacket over a sweater.
Regards,
Shiloh
Regards,
Shiloh
Dr H
Well-Known Member
greyhound52 said:
Try this one:
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=h ... 2520(Black).jpg&imgrefurl=http://patriotskins.com/jackets-coats.html&h=457&w=600&sz=30&tbnid=ojPn-zNg5O6TRM:&tbnh=103&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddonkey%2Bjacket%2Bimage&hl=en&usg=__W5msGYOsSpZKX_dieayL2_G7mmQ=&ei=SfpIS9STKtO64QbEr5j2Ag&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=2&ct=image&ved=0CA4Q9QEwAQ
Item ID: US13002
Classic jacket used by workmen (from all trades - my dad wore one as a telephone engineer for years) throughout the UK...
Shot a couple of pics of my Donkey jacket, indoors as I ain't going out again today!! Also Buzz, the Springer (he was named that by Battersea Dogs Home, everyone think I named him after my love of you know what!). Added a couple of pics of my 1943 RN Duffel Coat in perfect condition....is this like the one in 'The Third Man'?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/havocpaul/?saved=1
http://www.flickr.com/photos/havocpaul/?saved=1
greyhound52
New Member
very nice Paul. Looks good on you.
flightmac
Member
It's been hovering near freezing here around the Gulf Coast - 30's during the day and 20's at night with wind chills sometimes in the single digits. Really cold for us. I've been wearing my CWU-45 with the attached hood (mainly laying flat), an Air Force belted "trench coat" (with liner = warm), and even my 1979 (a P-6279J) N-3B.
johnwayne
Well-Known Member
Does anyone know why its called Donkey jacket?
I had one years ago - think I purloined it from somewhere! Basically its workman's jacket and as Havocpaul suggests, not unlike a peacoat, except it has faux leather shoulders/top of back as in the pic but for what purpose god only knows. My cold weather jackets of late have been a Schott leather peacoat and Schott quilted 'ski' style jacket. I also wear secondhand bargain - a Woolrich lumberjack jacket that cost me a mere £40 - I love it.
Co-incidentally, Ive often seen the very man in the pic, Mr Dexy's himself - Kevin Rowland, in and around the numereous vintage cloth shops/markets of Londons East end (Brick Lane etc).
Bit too 'fresh' for the A2's!!!!!
Cheers all
Wayne
I had one years ago - think I purloined it from somewhere! Basically its workman's jacket and as Havocpaul suggests, not unlike a peacoat, except it has faux leather shoulders/top of back as in the pic but for what purpose god only knows. My cold weather jackets of late have been a Schott leather peacoat and Schott quilted 'ski' style jacket. I also wear secondhand bargain - a Woolrich lumberjack jacket that cost me a mere £40 - I love it.
Co-incidentally, Ive often seen the very man in the pic, Mr Dexy's himself - Kevin Rowland, in and around the numereous vintage cloth shops/markets of Londons East end (Brick Lane etc).
Bit too 'fresh' for the A2's!!!!!
Cheers all
Wayne
John Lever
Moderator
I think the purpose of the plastic shoulder areas is to repel water.
Some reckon they were called Donkey after the use of the animal as a general worker, the jackets were usually seen worn by most British workers from dockers, workmen, dustmen, coalmen, miners, prisoners etc etc. The shoulder panels originally would have been of leather and applied to reduce wear to the shoulders from carrying goods or tools. They were also a choice for skinheads as a cheaper jacket to the Crombie overcoats and as a working-class statement. Apparently they are now a popular fashion item in Germany! With recent health'n'safety laws workers now have to wear reflective clothing so the traditional Donkey jacket has almost disappeared from its original use. I have fallen in love with mine and it has stamped on the inside the Crown and PD crest as issued to Parks Department workers especially grave diggers!
m444uk
Active Member
A watched a documentary on Tony Blair a while back that had a really cringe worthy moment in it.
Visiting his working class constituency he wore a Donkey jacket, no doubt dug up from his student days.
A pathetic attempt to become working class despite going to Private school !
A real Duffle coat,on the other hand, is very much the middle and upper class icon.
With a Navy one you can pretend to be on the bridge with Jack Hawkins in "The Cruel sea"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoQOyhB1 ... re=related
Visiting his working class constituency he wore a Donkey jacket, no doubt dug up from his student days.
A pathetic attempt to become working class despite going to Private school !
A real Duffle coat,on the other hand, is very much the middle and upper class icon.
With a Navy one you can pretend to be on the bridge with Jack Hawkins in "The Cruel sea"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoQOyhB1 ... re=related
