Dear Lorraine,
I
bought a Goggle Hoodie,mentioned in your newspaper article, in Sports Direct
two weeks ago cost £30. The assistant said "You're not buying one
of those things are you?" She looked at me in disgust. A funny way for sales
assistants to promote sales. That particular chain store and other shops
must have sold tens of thousands of them.
I tried
it on at home put the hood up and tried to zip it up. It proved to be very
fiddly when I zipped it up I found I could see nothing out of the eye lenses.
My partner showed me you had to peel off the protective stickers, then I
could see O.K..
I thought I
would find breathing difficult but it was nt at all. There were plenty of
air holes round your nose and mouth.Nor was it too warm, little different
to the hood on Swedish parka. The parka was a short length only coming to
the waist. I usually prefer a knee length.It was not at all uncomfortable
to wear.
Dare I wear
it outside in public ? Im not a teenage yobbo but a 23 year old woman with
a responsible job. Could I wear it with the Goggle Hood fully zipped up and
go shopping for bread, milk and newspaper in the local shops?
With much laughter and encouragement my partner
pushed me out of the front door.The next door neighbour, not unused to my
hood wearing habits, shouted "Have they dropped the nuclear bomb? Penny you're
getting madder as you get older."
I walked the five minute walk to the shopping
centre. A few people gave me odd looks but no one crossed the street to avoid
me. A Community Support Officer looked me up and down and said "Feeling
Cold?" But took no further notice.
In the 7-11 the shop keeper looked a bit alarmed
when I went in. But said nothing as I went round collecting my few items.When
I got to the till he said " I shew kids out if they come in wearing
hoodies let alone chemical warfare suites."
I said "Hello" and he immediately recognised
my voice."You're getting worse, you wear great big parkas in the middle of
August now you have disappeared altogether. None of the Women in my family
have worn the veil since we came to England years ago, but, you, a non- muslim
totally cover up all the time. Its crazy!"
The goggle hood parka was comfortable
to wear nice and warm and a bit sexy.But not as good as an old skool snorkel
parka or a swedish M90 with its totally enclosing hood. I will wear it again
out on the tube.
Penny
