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#1 2009-07-07 12:49:12
- Taylor McIntyre
- Son of Ivy...
- Posts: 342
The Pac-A-Mac ?
Has this 'Mod' fashion been revived?
I was just talking to a Cat who reminded me of Clapton wearing one over his Ivy suits from Austins once upon a time. For a bit.
... It made me think of that scene in the Odd Couple...
http://www.tvland.com/photogallery/photos/The-Odd-Couple.jpg
^ Actually, that isn't quite the pic but I couldn't find the one I wanted. The one I was after is when O. & F. return home from work at the same time after their bust up and have that tricky ride in the lift.
#2 2009-07-07 13:20:26
- One Trick Pony
- Member
- Posts: 530
Re: The Pac-A-Mac ?
I think you'd have to be quite confident to wear one now. Like St. Michael's Bri-Nylon shirts. Too 'retro to go'?
#3 2009-07-07 13:30:45
- Kingstonian
- Member
- From: sea to shining sea
- Posts: 3205
Re: The Pac-A-Mac ?
From the Ivy period in the 60s the iconic pacamac enthusiast was Dud :-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR2o2YYqEck
Apart from that seaside pensioners.
I have never seen a clothes forum thread on the classic white muffler.
#5 2009-07-07 15:28:51
- One Trick Pony
- Member
- Posts: 530
Re: The Pac-A-Mac ?
For some reason I remember the buttons the best. Pete n' Dud chic I could definitely go for.
#6 2009-07-08 02:04:14
- The Beatnik
- Member
- Posts: 392
Re: The Pac-A-Mac ?
I spent a number of years as a child 'fully nyloned up' for school and take it from me this is one style that you don't want to see back.
I still glow in the dark, effect electrical goods, wipe video tapes clean and I often pick up Radio 3 in my fillings...
#7 2009-07-08 03:05:28
- Daniele
- Member
- Posts: 368
Re: The Pac-A-Mac ?
Are considered 'pac-a-mac' only the nylon ones or also those made in cotton?
The nylons packable macs were a staple in Italy in the 50s, early 60s, and usually came with a matching rainproof beret.
Other lightweight, unlined raincoats like the 'Watro' or the 'Sealup' were normally produced in cotton, hence my question.
The pac-a-macs are still available in Italy; beyond the already mentioned brands, also shops of the Boggi chain (they like to market themselves as the italian Brooks bros..) stock one, in blue nylon-ish material.
Sealup sells a 'rain-pack' including a bucket hat, a short brolly and a pac-a-mac.
I have an olive-drab Watro, I love it!
#8 2009-07-08 05:10:29
- The Beatnik
- Member
- Posts: 392
Re: The Pac-A-Mac ?
You make 'pac a macs' sound cool Daniele old chum. Nothing of the sort.
The British version was nothing more than a black nylon unlined 3/4 coat that resembled a bin bag. It folded right down and went into a little nylon package. You took them on trips out to the seaside etc. I can't see there being a big revival somehow, but the way fashion is... who knows? I never thought i'd wear leg warmers again!
#9 2009-07-08 05:25:07
- Natural Sole Brother
- Ivy, naturally.
- Posts: 782
Re: The Pac-A-Mac ?
Something about these garments has always appealed to me. I like the idea of an item of rainwear which makes no stylistic statements whatsoever and simply covers the items underneath in as aesthetically unobtrusive a manner as possible. In fact I've taken to not wearing my 'quality' rainwear if it is actually raining: perversity overtaking reason.
Press currently offer a ridiculously expensive black pac-a-mac. The Globetrotter Raincoat from John Helmer looks a potentially interesting option:
http://www.johnhelmer.com/prod.itml/icOid/42
#10 2009-07-08 05:41:24
- One Trick Pony
- Member
- Posts: 530
Re: The Pac-A-Mac ?
Ivy bordering on 'geek': nothing wrong with that - in fact, in some ways we might positively welcome it. There may be certain items we either need to wear with pride, reclaim as our own (in a 'non-ironic' way), or both. How many times has my wife accused me of looking like a golfer? Or an 'old man' in my Viyella Tattersall? I know Staceyboy has at least one shirt his beach babe derides as his 'schoolboy shirt'.
A word of warning: what looks good on Daniele and his mates ain't going to look good in Scarborough (to give a random example). You'll still look as though you're diving for the bus shelter in the wind and rain.
#11 2009-07-08 05:44:29
- Daniele
- Member
- Posts: 368
Re: The Pac-A-Mac ?
Thankyou for explanation Beatnik!
Here's the 'rain kit' off Sealup (a Milanese raiwear make since the 30s)
http://www.sealup.net/sealupuomo19-2.html
#12 2009-07-08 05:47:25
- The Beatnik
- Member
- Posts: 392
Re: The Pac-A-Mac ?
Christ, the Italians even make a pac-a-mac bloody stylish!
I'm diggin' the wild wild plastic beret man!
#13 2009-07-08 05:51:21
- One Trick Pony
- Member
- Posts: 530
Re: The Pac-A-Mac ?
We'll be reviving the Harold Wilson-style Gannex coat next. No telling where this'll end up.
#15 2009-07-08 06:02:23
- Moose Maclennan
- Ivy Inspiration
- From: Hernando's Hideaway
- Posts: 4577
Re: The Pac-A-Mac ?
Probably Made In China though which may be a deal breaker to many of us.
#16 2009-07-08 06:05:33
- One Trick Pony
- Member
- Posts: 530
Re: The Pac-A-Mac ?
Seriously, I've seen the odd picture of 60s mods wearing the mac/beret combination, and I guess they were aiming for a slightly Gallic look - you know, the copy of 'Le Monde', French stick under the arm - possibly before too many Brits were getting further than Calais. Unfortunately, however, it has nothing whatever to do with Ivy League: more an interesting topic of conversation for the brighter sparks on ModCulture. Which of us is going to volunteer to go around looking like Frank Spencer?
However:
"Do you remember
Being in the back of my Zodiac?
Me playing with your dress
Under your pac-a-mac..."
