English hunting jacket (?) edit: Norfolk Jacket

[davidraphael]

I'm really pleased with this.

It's an English hunting jacket (actually, this is my question: IS it a hunting jacket, or something else?) made by Barlows of England. It's about 40-ish years old and has never been worn. And it fits me perfectly...
It's incredibly heavy, warm and quite stiff - it's like wearing tweed armour!

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[Tomasso]

Classic Norfolk jacket.

 

[davidraphael]

ah yes! of course! I should have guessed. Thanks

 

[Edward]

Gorgeous jacket. Ideal for shooting pheasant (not that I condone killing a living creature for sport, so do make sure you make a nice dinner of it )... or, of course, long walks in the country. I may well be wrong, but I suspect that the reinforced panels in the shoulder are designed with the use of a shotgun in mind. Here is a very similar jacket being worn (not by me) with a full outfit:

(I genuinely don't know how young Rupert managed this - it was over thirty degrees Celsius in London last weekend!) For the most tradition, mid-Twentieth Century look (I believe Rupert is more Edwardian here), I would pair with a nice deerstalker (never in town, of course).

 

[davidraphael]

A deer stalker is a great idea.
I do also like the idea of an Edwardian get-up - or perhaps even earlier: It appears that Norfolks became very popular in the 1860s...

 

[davidraphael]

Here's an interesting take on the look:

 

[Tomasso]

Nothing wrong with horn (?) but you might wish to upgrade the buttons..................

 

[davidraphael]

yes, indeed. those are the kinds of buttons I would prefer, especially the fatter, quartered design.

 

[avedwards]

yes, indeed. those are the kinds of buttons I would prefer, especially the fatter, quartered design.

As nice as the buttons Tomasso posted are, I would keep the original buttons in your position. I always find it a shame to alter original things where it isn't completely necessary.

Nice jacket though. I think Edward's probably right about the padded shoulders being there to make it easier to shoot a shotgun. I have a tweed hacking jacket with leather shoulders to prevent a shotgun slipping, and whilst I have no use for this I think it adds character to the jacket.

 

[MisterCairo]

Amazing jacket! And are those trousers peeking out from underneath, or simply the bottom of the hanger?

 

[davidraphael]

well, spotted! yes, I have a pair of tweed trousers beneath. But they don't match, unfortunately...

 

[budrichard]

Usually shooting jackets do not have a belt with buckle in the front to avoid interference with a shotgun or rifle. If there is a belt it's usually a half belt.
The reason for the double layer of fabric on the shoulders is to provide more protection from rain as 40 years ago the semi-permeable liners of today were just a dream.
Nice jacket on the whole but I really believe it was designed for walking in wet rough country in cold weather conditions.-Dick
BTW, I would also keep the original buttons for the previously Posted sentiment.

 

[Tomasso]

Nice jacket on the whole but I really believe it was designed for walking in wet rough country in cold weather conditions.

Who to believe........ You or the V & A.........