um, what are these loops for? and these buttons?

Better Dresses Vintage

Better Dresses Vintage

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Hi -- this is just your basic (albeit pretty nifty, nicely mod, and very well-made) 70s Misty Harbor all-weather coat.

So... what are these elongated loops on the interior (at the placket) for? If they were meant to thread something through (a belt, say) to tighten it up instead of wearing it "shift style," then why would they be so big?

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I know I am going to be embarrassed when someone tells me the blatantly obvious answer. But that's OK.

Liza

p.s. there are also buttons in the INSIDE of the uncuffed sleeves. What's up with THAT?
 
Could you show a pic of the cuff buttons? and a closeup that demonstrates where the long loops are sewn on?
I'm wondering if it somehow had a removeable lining, and the sleeves were kept from being dragged out by the buttons, the long loops are strange, I need to see them better.
 
Melanie, I thought the same thing, but the liner is NOT removable! It's just a lining, not a true "liner." Even odder, it snaps to the back of the coat in two spots, sort of like a French tack that you can "undo" (now why would it do that if you can't actually remove it, other than to perhaps access the interior for some reason? hmm.). The loop things are attached about mid-way down the torso, definitely north of the pockets.

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Just FYI, these "Misty Harbor" coats are neither rare nor particularly expensive. They ARE very well made. Oddly well made. Don't know if that's true for their modern counterparts, but this one is a VERY nice coat.

It looks like you can buy Misty Harbor coats from Blair. Here are my notes on that company:​
NPC fashions -- "New Process Company" founded by door-to-door salesman John Leo Blair invented a waterproof wool raincoat (using vulcanized rubber between layers of wool) he marketed to undertakers. He switched to direct market sales and added additional items for men and women. By 1986 was the world's largest mail-order company. Changed name to Blair Corp. in 1989.​

Don't know if Misty Harbor was always an NPC/Blair brand, or was bought by them, and don't see the need to spend more time finding out, as I'm keeling over from hunger and must get out of this chair!
 
I wasn't thinking that this lining was removeable, but something like a fleece or material lining we no longer have. The buttons on the cuffs don't match the interior ones (spare buttons I assume?) so I'm inclined to think they were added by the owner.
 
Ah... you mean a second (perhaps warmer), removable lining? Makes sense, and if it went over the silky lining, might explain the in-sleeve buttons (which I would bet money were not added by the owner -- for one thing, she'd have had to remove the silky liner and invisibly replace it to do so, as they are not sewn from the exterior). I am going to do a little research (belly's full, LOL)...
 
No help on the big loops I'm afraid: at first I thought they were ties, and maybe you tied it under the buttons (but that doesn't make a lot of sense either). I wonder.

As for the button cuffs, perhaps they're for gloves? I've seen loops inside cuffs to attach gloves so you don't lose them, perhaps this is something like that?

Nice coat.
 
I've seen those long bands on the inside of coats - usually fur jackets - so they could be worn over the shoulders sort of like a cape. But I've never seen them on an rain coat.
Marian
 
I think they actually are "concealed" cape straps. I did a search on Newspaper Archives - this is from a 1967 ad:

Their perfection is like a classic beauty,

with the marvelous high fashioned tailoring and surprising continental

touches like concealed cape straps for over-the-shou!der dash, silky

smooth lining, rich peal-like buttons. And best of all, your Misty Harbor

fashion raincoat will weather the worst storm and brighten the dreariest

days with never a single wrinkle*. All styles are designed from the miracle

Dacron Polyester & combed cotton blend that stays permanently water

repellent no matter how many times you wash it. Come in and take

your pick from natural or navy and brighten up on these rainy days
Click to expand...
 
I thought of cape straps too, but the placement looks awkward for that. But maybe, as Linn found that info....this is an odd one! Perhaps it was a way to hang up the coat when wet, over 2 (not 1) coat hooks or pegs, so it spread out and would dry better? Or is that crazy?
 
well the advert indicates it is water-repellent, so it doesn't sound as though it could get that wet. Not a crazy idea though ';)
 
Wow! That is fantastic, Linn. And you're right. That jogged my memory, and I recall some coat of my mom's, with these straps that would allow you to wear it "backpack style" when you didn't want your arms in the sleeves for whatever reason. That is surely what they are, as the ad quoted is for the same manufacturer, same era, same fabric (the coat is 55% Dacron/35% Cotton, and it's very much washable, but they're wrong that it's wrinkle-proof, I'm afraid). Funny how the language seems so old-fashioned. 1967 just doesn't seem all that long ago to me.

Any way to get a copy of that advert or a link I could use?

Hmm... not 100% convinced, but I suppose the buttons inside the sleeves could have been for gloves. Hmm...

Thanks, all!
 
I think that is exactly what it was. To be used as a cape. In the rain practical was key. Plastic hair scarves to tie on the head as well as plastic shoes to put over shoes was the norm.
 
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