In the mid-eighties, I was studying in Utrecht. In preparation for a weekend trip to London with a friend, I bought a tough denim jacket made of heavy denim material with some leather details. It was a loose-fitting model, as fashion dictated at the time. This was convenient because I could wear it in all seasons, just over a sweater in the winter. I also found the many pockets convenient because it made a handbag unnecessary. The jacket quickly became my most worn jacket and remained so for at least 15 years.
Since my student days, a lot has happened; I grew older, moved, and now had a family. The denim jacket no longer fit into my life in a new city and in the new century, so it had long been hanging in my wardrobe with clothes for the other season. During cleanouts, however, I never got rid of it because it was such a practical jacket and it wasn’t worn out yet. Besides, I always thought that such a super practical jacket could always come in handy. Just a handy jacket for: “You never know.”
And then, a year ago, I finally decided that the jacket should go to the thrift store, and I hung it on the coat rack until it could go with some other stuff. I had distanced myself from it, and I was very surprised when one of my sons said he liked the jacket and if he could try it on. I had no objections, although I wondered if it would fit him because he is 33 cm taller than I am. But as he tried on the jacket and looked in the mirror, to my surprise, my old jacket found a new owner in him, who was absolutely delighted with this vintage denim jacket. He even made a minor repair to one of the sleeves, and it turned out to be the perfect jacket for a laid-back summer outfit. So my old denim jacket started a new life after all.
May 2024