Trenchcoats and Drive-by Insults

[Shadowed Intent]

You may have seen this thread in the generaly forum but I decided to post it here as well

I just bought my trenchcoat (actually a frock-coat) today, and was called a diiiiiiick in a very loud voice by a bunch of yobs, in a car which reflected their minds and their social status, the thing that confuses me is, that I have been walking up and down this particular street for 5 years, when I did and didn't dress in a gothic style, and I pose to you this question, what is it about trenchcoats that makes people behave so strangely?  

[AEtherclaw]

i get the same thing in a torn up and patched green hoodie

i think anything too close to columbine or too punk is engraved in to the common Psyche of mainstream society and especially the wealthy as the enemy. but isn't that what we wanted?  

[Shadowed Intent]

I never personally wanted anyone to hate me...
but I suppose that may have been part of Punks goal...  

[GilAskan]

The trench coat has been a symbol ingrained in pop culture's mind for many years, and in many cases, it's viewed negatively. Not always, but many people do associate the item with a number of different things-

High Officers of the Nazi party wore trench coats. School shooter teenagers often have worn trench coats, because they conceal weapons well. Flashers wear trench coats because they easily cover and uncover. Drug dealers and con-artists wear trench coats so they can hide their illegal wares from certain passers-by. The extremely wealthy wear trench coats to keep their well-kept selves from the dust and trash of travel.

Trench coats obscure; their length and breadth are meant to protect, to obfuscate, evoking certain feelings to those who may see them. Many people look at trench coats as a sign of duplicity, of hidden agenda, of cloak-and-dagger, of surreptitious goings-on.

Though, every coin has two sides.

Others view trench coats as a symbol of the brave trench-bound soldier, battling yard by yard for Queen and Country. The trench coat is a sigil of the hard-boiled Film Noir detective. It's a modern cape for a rogue traveling the vast highways of America. It's the duster to our heroic cowboys. It's a warm cloak for gentlemen and women alike, evoking a grand age now past.  

[Shadowed Intent]

Wow, I must say that that was one of the best and most well thought out replies I have ever read. thankyou for posting.  

[Rellik San]

Yeah I got it too, until the millionth time I pointed out to those poeple

"We live on the side of a mountain..... ITS ******** COLD HERE!"  

[GilAskan]

Rellik San

Yeah I got it too, until the millionth time I pointed out to those poeple

"We live on the side of a mountain..... ITS ******** COLD HERE!"

Likewise. Except about the mountain part. I'm just in Michigan, which is cold in general.  

[Henneth Annun]

I agree with Gil. I think mostly though it's the negative symbolism engraved into people's brains because of major events and media portrayal (and the Nazi thing).

I love trench coats. I have a red one and a black one.

My black one has a lot of little pockets inside of it wich is actually a pretty useful feature. I can keep important documents, money, knives, debit cards, IDs and passports in them but unfortunately the many secret compartments and my already shady apperance lead people to believe I'm a drug dealer, some type of criminal, or I have some sort of malevolent plan or I'm involved in shady dealings. My black one desguises and hides a lot of me. It makes it difficult to see me and to trust me on first sight because of all the negative associations. People often can't tell what gender I am either which makes for some amusing situations...It also keeps me warm in winter. People say my red trenchcoat makes me look like the devil or a super hero. It's less heavy than my black one so I wear in more in Spring and early summer when it isn't 110 degrees yet. (Around 35 I believe for you celcius people. smile ) The coats also keep dust and dirt off of you.

Whenever I wear my trenchcoats I always get checked in "random" security searches at schools or airports or special events. I understand where they are coming from though so I don't mind being searched. I'd rather be searched and have them see I have nothing than not searched and actually be found with something. You could hide anything under a trenchcoat. Sometimes I do carry weapons/potentially dangerous objects around with me when I'm in more dangerous areas. (It's for self defense, I don't mean to murder someone.)

I also wear trenchcoats because of the sense of mystery and obscurity that they evoke, and the resulting caution of the observer. I could be just a cold school kid walking to the park on a winter day or a criminal going to meet someone for some buisness dealings. I like the dulality of it too. People who get to know me find out that looks are deceiving, and duality also represents a mental condition I have. I find it amusing that I can use a simple coat to say something about myself. It's a message when I wear it, but people so often take the wrong message out of it. Silly humans.  

[Teriyaki Tsubaki]

I think that it depends o nwhat the rest of your outfit is as well.
I wore a really cool outit with my trench and people loved it/were really scared of me. 3nodding
I think that if you are in a social setting with several similar people then it is more accepted than walking down the street by yourself.  

[MediaclCunt]

I guess because of it's connections to Columbine and also mostly shady people wearing them. But,anyway, I can't wait until it's cold again so I can wear my black,velvet-ish trench coat. My mom ordered it for me for in like January,but, it was on back order so I didn't get until the spring. But,anyway, it is just such an awesome coat. I have one that I robbed off my friend,too, that she got from Target. It's Isaac Mizrahi. I heart my new one,though.  

[-Resurrected Writer-]

I've only worn a trenchcoat a few times. I'm just thankful that on those times, I haven't gotten any flak for it.

On a less serious note, did anyone else think "Family Guy" when they saw the second half of the thread title?  

[Henneth Annun]

-Resurrected Writer-

I've only worn a trenchcoat a few times. I'm just thankful that on those times, I haven't gotten any flak for it.

On a less serious note, did anyone else think "Family Guy" when they saw the second half of the thread title?

That was my second thought, at first I didn't see all of the title and thought they were talking about drivebys as in driveby shootings.  

[Keevan Draco]

I loved my trenchcoat....

it was my backpack, my catch all, the all purpose bag of holding that everyone needs from time to time just to get by in the world.

I first wanted one back in the 80's after I watched Doctor Who (tom baker years) and all the stuff he carried....the tidbits, the spare parts, the odds and ends, the ever present bag of jelly babies, ect. I so wanted to be able to carry all my stuff in my jacket.


flash forward to the early 90's......i'm out of high school, in college, spreading my wings, and learning an awful lot about myself and who I am in the process. I acquire a vintage WWI British officers trenchcoat (that ugly shade of brown color coat) at a now obsolete army surplus store. To accomodate my needs at the time, I had to modify it a bit....not drastically, but just enough to meet my carrying and storage demands. I ended up adding about seven extra pockets, 2 of which were extra large to carry my textbooks, and the rest were of varying sizes for whatever I needed them for....gods I miss that coat....I practically wore it down to nothing in the space of a few years.  

[Rellik San]

XWraith_LordX

My black one has a lot of little pockets inside of it wich is actually a pretty useful feature. I can keep important documents, money, knives, debit cards, IDs and passports in them but unfortunately the many secret compartments and my already shady apperance lead people to believe I'm a drug dealer, some type of criminal, or I have some sort of malevolent plan or I'm involved in shady dealings. My black one desguises and hides a lot of me. It makes it difficult to see me and to trust me on first sight because of all the negative associations. People often can't tell what gender I am either which makes for some amusing situations...It also keeps me warm in winter. People say my red trenchcoat makes me look like the devil or a super hero. It's less heavy than my black one so I wear in more in Spring and early summer when it isn't 110 degrees yet. (Around 35 I believe for you celcius people. smile ) The coats also keep dust and dirt off of you.