Hooded fatigue jacket (the hood folds away neatly), about £64
It has been a constant mystery to me as to where and how certain fashion people are getting hold of good khaki army jackets. I have been looking everywhere *EVERYWHERE* for a decent one for about 18 months now with no joy. I don’t mean an army “shacket” by the way – a shirt/jacket hybrid. I mean an actual jacket. With big pockets and an optional hood.
M&S are pushing this one at the moment, but if you look closer and really think about it, it’s awful: too short and boxy, too timid, too… M&S. And what is that cotton tape all about? You could wear this for about a fortnight in September and then it would get too cold.
And that is the sort of thing that is available to you and me at the moment. But I sense that proper fashion people are swanning about in all manner of delightful, perfect khaki utility jackets. How? It is a mysterious fashion thing, I suppose, where they are privy to better things, sooner than we are. Alas, alas.
There is, of course, J Crew’s Field Mechanic jacket, but that is £178! And I cannot justify that. No, wait – it’s not that, it’s that I couldn’t believe there wasn’t a better value option available.
It turns out that I am simply fashion forward and was looking for something that didn’t yet exist on general release. Like really fancying an actor in his very first film who goes onto be insanely successful but for ages they’re not in anything much and you’re stamping around going WHY WHY WHY DOES EVERY FILM NOT FEATURE TOM HARDY?? I mean, just for example.
Anyway now army jackets are really happening and as it goes, and Gap Men’s dept are doing a really very decent copy of the J Crew Field Mechanic Jacket – I like it better than the women’s version, get it in an XS if you normally take about a size 10/12 in a jacket. It is sturdy, robust. It will see you well into November. Use it to de-slut a denim mini skirt or a dress and be sure to wear with a proper pair of earrings or something lest you are mistaken for an actual Field Mechanic.
This has got nothing (everything) to do with the fact that when I met the CEO of Net a Porter – I promise I will stop mentioning that soon – she was wearing a J Crew Field Mechanic Jacket.
Anyway these have just arrived in store and I predict they are going to be absolutely bloody everywhere by October, so start buying and wearing yours right now.
Love this too and yes, so hard to find a non-shacket (what do I find myself saying?!) – had a great military jacket a few years back that was STOLEN from my car boot and I shall never see its like again. I was visiting someone in hospital so of course it couldn’t all be about ME and my jacket. But I was quietly gutted.
Not that I blindly obeyed your instructions and immediately bought one after reading this or anything, but today (2nd August) there’s 30% off full-price stock (incl. this jacket) on GAP’s website, just in case anyone felt like doing what I definitely didn’t just do.
Susanna if you DID do this you are only sensible! Tell me what you think when it arrives. I too got 30% off this in store yesterday, I didn’t realise there was a 30% off online – but I will tweet it now, thanks x
Gap also have some canvas totes just in that look rather J Crew/Ralph Lauren (preppy is what I’m getting at). Perfect for hauling around your groceries at a market, or the 78kg of utterly rando things that children always seem to require. Of course they’re madly priced for a canvas tote, but give it two weeks and they’ll be marking them down hugely like they always do.
Gap is an upmarket pound shop basically
oh yeay. I’m finally sitting comfortably with a glass of…juice and my laptop on the sofa, and the ruddy jacket has sold out!
no?! omg this is bad
Okay. I also purchased this online with the benefit of the sale and it arrived yesterday. I really like it (thank you for the tip!) but it has one of those optional internal drawstrings that always completely flummox me. Do I pull it in the attempt to give the jacket a tiny bit of shape, knowing that it may look naff and that, once pulled, it is nigh on impossible to return the jacket to its’ pre-drawstrung* shape?
*not a word
The burning question – to cinch the inner drawstring a little or no? I’m always flummoxed by them.
For me that is an absolute no, but on some people it looks fabulous