Costume hunting.
It has just occurred to me that how I wish to dress is invariablly twinned with whatever story I'm writing at the time. (This has probably been blindingly obvious to everyone else for years, but apparently I've only just noticed.)
At the moment I'm writing stuff I really shouldn't about WWI. There are many *many* reasons why this is a very bad idea, but one of the more frivolous is that I'm lacking a jacket.
Aeons ago I bought an 'officer's jacket' from a costume sale at the Royal Opera House. It was single breasted, had epaulets and a mandarin-style collar and was beautifully made, properly lined and also stained with paint and dye to make it look like its last owner had died in a trench. I have no damn idea what uniform it was supposed to be. (Nearest thing I can find to it is the British Regiments Infantrymans Frock Coat halfway down on this page http://www.sutlers.co.uk/acatalog/boer.html, the pattern and cut looks right, although mine was more ragged and olive-khaki not sand coloured.) It never fit me properly, being a size too big and tailored for a man, but I loved it anyway. I pulled it apart for a larp costume at some point and later threw it out.
I'm currently regretting both these actions.
So. Anyone got any idea where I can get a jacket like it? I know girl's fashion is full of military jackets, but they'll all unlined, cheap-looking and undeniably modern. I want something that looks like it might have come out of a trench (so I can put dye and bullet holes in it and then look like I came out of a trench).
I know, I know, long shot. Um. Please?
At the moment I'm writing stuff I really shouldn't about WWI. There are many *many* reasons why this is a very bad idea, but one of the more frivolous is that I'm lacking a jacket.
Aeons ago I bought an 'officer's jacket' from a costume sale at the Royal Opera House. It was single breasted, had epaulets and a mandarin-style collar and was beautifully made, properly lined and also stained with paint and dye to make it look like its last owner had died in a trench. I have no damn idea what uniform it was supposed to be. (Nearest thing I can find to it is the British Regiments Infantrymans Frock Coat halfway down on this page http://www.sutlers.co.uk/acatalog/boer.html, the pattern and cut looks right, although mine was more ragged and olive-khaki not sand coloured.) It never fit me properly, being a size too big and tailored for a man, but I loved it anyway. I pulled it apart for a larp costume at some point and later threw it out.
I'm currently regretting both these actions.
So. Anyone got any idea where I can get a jacket like it? I know girl's fashion is full of military jackets, but they'll all unlined, cheap-looking and undeniably modern. I want something that looks like it might have come out of a trench (so I can put dye and bullet holes in it and then look like I came out of a trench).
I know, I know, long shot. Um. Please?