From F
Dear Lorraine
You ask for memories. We always have some very detailed ones in our minds of
long ago and of course some very fleeting, making it difficult to describe in
the detail that you are looking for.
One which I feel will meet your criteria is from 1953/4, the heyday of the mackintosh, with so many new rubberised fabrics and much more interesting styles and colours coming out. It was always a joy to go out on a wet day in town and watch the ladies walk by.
I also recall making a point of visiting shops selling mackintoshes to get the wonderful rubber smell that pervaded the shop or department. The mackintosh that I have at the front of my mind was a Dannimac. It was in a pale gold, fairly full and belted, (though I did see it worn unbelted - not so nice). It had a hat rather than a hood, which would have been preferable, but beggars cannot be choosers! The rubberised fabric was a type that I haven't seen around, though it may be similar to one of the rubberised nylon or polyester fabrics. It was in a rubberised crepe material, which glistened, but also, with the slight roughness of the crepe it made a wonderful swishing sound.
I do admit to slipping it on many occasions, which gave me a wonderful sensation and desire for more opportunities to do so. Sadly I was not aware of it being disposed of, as I would have ensured that it remained in my possession for my deep pleasure.
I do find it rather sad that so many ladies have turned their backs on the true mackintosh coats and capes and favoured instead some very dull cloth types. It is heartening however, to see the number who have turned to modem plastics in various forms. The shinier ones are preferable to me. I did see once a wonderful one, in shiny black vinyl. The coat had a very full skirt with no belt restricting the wonderful flow of the material and on turning it shimmered and moved with a life of its own. The wearer was just about to go out in the rain and she raised the huge hood, the type that can go well forward but is wide at the base (a bit like the hood on the cape of the Scottish Widow model). I was sadly only able to watch her walk away into the rain, but: wonderful.
I admit that I could be very wrong in my thoughts, but I get the feeling that those ladies who wear rubber mackintoshes feel something special about wearing them. When I see a woman wearing one and I am also wearing my mac I've been conscious of more than just a glance in my direction, as much to say, ah, someone else with a mac. As I say, I could possibly be wrong, but I now make a mental note to keep a discrete eye open to see if this reaction continues to be repeated.
Best wishes
F