I’d estimate that this herringbone Brooks Brothers tweed is from the mid sixties, but it could just as well be from the 80s or the 50s. A coat like this is pretty much the same in any year. I bought it a couple years ago at the Salvation Army for ten dollars. The tweed was in great shape, and with a toothbrush and some Oxyclean I managed to address the bit of ring-around-the-collar that kept it from looking perfect. Outwardly perfect, anyway.
The only problem with the jacket was the lining – in the time I owned it it went from threadbare to hanging in shreds. I wear the coat so much that I decided it was worth replacing.
I had a scarf lying around the house that my mom had bought from an estate sale. It was a yard square, and with a bit of measuring, I realized I could line the whole thing with the silk from that scarf. I brought the jacket and the scarf to my tailor, and a hundred dollars later, it was completely relined.
I think the new lining looks like a million dollars, and I’m always happy to give old clothes new life. And – bonus – at my request he added an extra pocket for my phone.
