As autumn fast approaches and the facade of Scottish sun dissipates into the usual rain every student comes to be rather nostalgic for, a flurry of trench coats begin to appear along the three streets of St Andrews.
Cropped trench style jackets in navy and the traditional tan or perhaps the usual calf length Burberry or Burberry inspired coat. They usually have a thin knit scarf slug over them and the signature Longchamp on the wearer’s shoulder.
Whatever style you’re wearing or seeing they’re hard to not notice. The trench coat seems to be the staple transitional coat within our small town, but why?
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The trench coat has its roots in Scotland and Scottish culture, first made in the late 1800s by a Scottish chemist who alongside a British inventor desired to make a waterproof coat which would become known as the ‘mack’.
Becoming popular amongst soldiers for its practicality during World War 1, the trench became a cultural staple during the 1940s when old Hollywood stars like Audrey Hepburn and Humphery Bogart made the coat synonymous with class and style, cemented in Hepburn’s signature trench in the 1961 classic, Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
The most popular trench maker is of course the British brand, Burberry who have positioned themselves as the creator of timelessness and the epitome of ‘British’ fashion. The brand has been making trench coats for over a hundred years and I don’t believe that the Burberry trench’s signature tartan lining and its popularity amongst St Andrews students is a coincidence.
One of the many reasons why students are drawn to the St Andrews campus is the opportunity to be a part of Scottish culture. Whilst it may be superficial, tartan, haggis and the bagpipes are unequivocally the emblems of Scotland for people moving here. And just like you may begin to celebrate Burns night when you become a student here or start to eat tablet, you may also begin to slowly but surely dress a little differently.
Wearing heavier knits and tartan is something that we all go through, and the trench is a lovely little sliver of Scotland within your outfit. Not only that but the trench undeniably makes you look put together and ready to take on not only the day but the world.
Maybe it’s an ode to the current ‘frazzled English woman’ aesthetic that’s becoming popular on TikTok, or maybe it's the clear timelessness of the trench as an autumn staple. The trench is here and it's here to stay, at least until stormier weather arrives.
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