Whilst most people get obsessive about their sneakers or caps, I just can’t get enough jackets. Flannels, duffels, raincoats, sports jackets, blazers, over coats… I love a bit of outdoor gear, I do! Along with two wardrobes full of button up coats, there is always one season that troubles my choice of jacket when I go skating- the Autumn. From September to November the weather plays a nasty game of hot and cold, so no matter how you mix and match your layers of clothing, you’re bound to catch a chill. Hopefully this Autumn I can avoid catching a cold thanks to the Colonel, the jacket that is.
Cliché’s Colonel jacket is a simple windbreaker with fleece layering on the inside. The jacket cuts out the wet and wind, and keeps you warm on the inside. What more do you need? To break down the intricacies of this item, I can start by saying that it is completely black with the Cliché logo stitched in black up the side. I don’t suggest you ride around in traffic on a foggy night with this jacket unless you have good life insurance or neon pink trousers. Anyway, I like the darkness of it all because rainbow colours only look good on the catwalk, not a dirty carpark or derelict alleyway.
There’s a big zip pocket on the front which you can stash your walkman, wax, hat gloves and scarf into, no problem. Then there is the bonus of a secret stash pocket hidden in the underside of your left arm. I like to stash a small ziplock bag of herbal tea in there for laters. Both the hood and hem line are lined with elastic length that can be adjusted and tightened to stop the wind from sending chilly guffs up your body. Finally, you have two hand pockets stitched on either side, but these are the only letdown in my opinion. I think these two pockets could have been redesigned because they’re very small and positioned slightly too far back for comfortable hand-in-pockets slouching.
7/10
Ralph L-D