One of the first projects I ever shared here on this blog, was a trenchcoat refashion back in 2008. It was shapeless and missing some buttons, but after fixing it right up, I continued to use it for years.
I’ve worn it drinking coffee in Berlin….
… going to concerts in Chicago….
…. theater performances….
….. and to boat christenings. (Yep, that’s my mom. I even think she’s wearing the same yellow scarf from one of those pictures up there! And yep, we look a lot alike!)
It’s been a perfect not-too-heavy, not-too-light jacket that has travelled with me and seen me through summers, falls, winters, and spring-seasons alike.
Except now I don’t have it anymore!
I left it on an airplane visiting my parents a couple of weekends ago, and despite all my efforts, I cannot make it resurface again. One the one hand I’m desperately noticing the gap in my wardrobe from such a versatile and classic piece, and sad that I so absent-mindedly left it on a plane. On the other hand, I had most definitely noticed the increasing fading around all the edges, the buttons that have been falling off – even one of the epaulettes on the shoulders fell off, and when I was ready to sew it back on I couldn’t for the life of me find it again! So it’s definitely seen better days, and needed to be replaced at some point after 5 years of near constant use.
In some ways the timing is perfect. I seem to have seen a certain Canadian independent pattern designer come out with a certain trench coat pattern recently – does this look familiar?
Yep, I do think a Robson coat is in my future. Hopefully I get at least 5 years out of it before stupidly leaving it somewhere or it falls apart from constant use!
indigorchid 
That’s the worst. Happened to me, left my “figure-flattering jacket that made everything I wore looke pulled together” at a coffee shop. Called next day, it was nowhere to be found. Still so mad that it seems someone just took off with it instead of handing it to management. Would love to remake it just wish I had better pictures of it.
Ooo, sneaky fox. That’s what I’m thinking might have happened here too – someone liked the jacket and took off with it. In the end, that might be better than just lying in a box in a lost & found office! I was quite surprised to see that I didn’t have better pictures of this jacket as well – especially since I’d love to tweak the Robson coat to mimic this lost one. Slanted single welt pockets, lighty insulated lining, and a buckle belt are all things I’d love to have on my new coat too.
Oh, good. That password protected post I saw before had me worried!
Haha! With John travelling this week, I set it up so I could have him approve some of the pictures before I published. Only afterwards did I realize that of course everyone would see that there *was* a post, but not the contents! Ops…
What a shame! We’ve all been there though. I dropped a hand-knitted hat on the street and never found it again, despite having combed the streets several times later. Funny, you don’t think about the downside of hand-making and refashioning – that we might become too attached to things!
You’re totally right – losing handmades is way worse, we’ve really poured something of ourselves in them!
At least it was very well-loved! And as a consolation prize you can make the Robson. ;)
Yep, that’s the attitude I’m trying for! Actually, I think it’ll be great fun to make the Robson, so that’s something to look forward to.