You could say I’ve been waiting over 35 years to bring you this outfit post.
Well maybe not quite that long, because – you guessed it – there were no blogs in 1986. But in theory it’s taken me that long to get this outfit together and photograph it, as I have had my eye on my mum’s vintage 80s green corduroy jacket since… since FOREVER.
It is, in fact, the only item of clothing that she’s handed down to me – along with the matching skirt (that, and an amazing 80s snake necklace which WILL one day make an appearance here). But pencil skirts aren’t my thing, so I’ll probably sell it. In my eyes, mum’s green corduroy suit was the stuff legends were made of, and to be honest it’s one of those outfits that I picture a 52-year-old Catherine’s mum wearing; her signature outfit, if you like.
The green suit, with a white blouse buttoned up at the neck, and black court shoes. It’s just so her.
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It was to my delight that, when my parents moved to their current home in a retirement village, mum had a clear out (as you do when you move house) and she said that The Green Corduroy Suit could be mine, if I wanted.
Er – YES PLEASE…!
The jacket is still in perfect condition – no moth holes or it’s-been-in-the-loft smell – and I just ADORE the colour. It’s actually been worn by yours truly quite a lot since it was adopted by my wardrobe, and here it is in all its emerald glory with lots of autumnal colours to really show off that deep rich tone of green and lush jumbo cord.
Yes, the shape is a bit “blouson-y”. I don’t care. The shoulders are now less Dynasty-esque due to me removing the shoulder pads. And fun fact: it’s from Next. The brand only started in the early 80s [rebranded from Hepworths, I know, but Next as we know it was born in 1982] so the suit really was from the early days of said fashion giant.
Another fun fact: I bought a pair of cream and tan two-tone brogues from one of the very first Next directories in about 1988 soon after I started my first Saturday job in Debenhams. (Uma Thurman and Christy Turlington were two of the models in it.) Don’t ask me why I remember this, but I clearly remember the shoes were £36. Thirty-Six. POUNDS.
It was a TREMENDOUS amount of money to pay for shoes back then. But I’d worked hard for the money and I treated myself and oh god I wish I still had them now…!
Do you have any treasured vintage pieces handed down to you from a family member? Tell me in the comments…
Stay safe, XOXO
Jacket: Vintage, my mum’s – mine now! (loving this one)
Trousers: Asos (love these)
Shirt: Anonyme (LOVE this one)
Tank top: Asos (similar)
Boots: Asos (similar)
Jewellery: Orelia – orb necklace, coin-spinner necklace, similar rope necklace, ear cuffs, chain huggie hoop earrings
Sunglasses: Can’t remember (similar)
Other green jackets and patterned shirts you might like:
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Your green jacket is soooo cute and I luv the way you have put your look together. Also think navy pants/slacks/trousers (no skinny pants please) with a looped scarf and white shirt/polo/sweater would rock it!
I wore my mother’s 60 year old knee length camel-colored cashmere coat just the other day. The only thing that dated the coat was the rounded collar so I threw a cashmere muffler around my neck and let it just hang. Several women commented they loved the look. Black trousers, black wedge tassel loafers and red sweater and lipstick and I was good to go! P.S….I’m 75. Luv your blog
What a special piece!
I love a ‘real’ vintage head turner.
That green is in-yer-face and I love how you clashed it to increase it’s impact.
I wear my late mother-in-law’s 80s sheepskin and I love the fact it’s VERY Blouson-y, like your fab jacket…. that’s why it’s cool!!
XXX
Samantha
P.S …. Next used to be really top quality back in the day and it shows with this jacket.
I’m not sure if it’s the angle of photos, but outfits with loose pants aren’t nearly as flattering as those of you in dresses. Colors are lovely and look great on you
Author
=sigh= I really don’t know what unwanted criticism of someone’s way of dressing achieves, and never have I in 11 years of blogging. It’s never made me change the way I dress in all that time – comments from other people should never change the way you dress. It achieves nothing 🙁
There’s nothing in styling that compares to a great vintage blazer- yours is divine and certainly worth the wait! Have a great weekend xx
Beautiful jacket! I love the colors you chose to put this outfit together around the splendid, vintage jacket.
Carol
Author
Thanks Carol! Isn’t the emerald green glorious 😀
I do!!! I have a lot of scarves and some jewelry, but my most precious hand me down is a black wool coat. It belonged to maternal grandmother. She got it in NYC I don’t know the date. She was a heavy woman so when she handed the coat down to her firstborn, my grandma, she took A LOT in. Then, 50 years later she gave it to me! (My mom never had that much interest on fashion so she was passed by). It has always git perfectly and it has all the original everything!! The liner in the pockets is open so you can’t use them but I fear that if I take it to be repaired they might change the whole thing. I love my coat even though it has no shape and my husband says I look like a potato sack but just knowing it belonged to my great grandmother and it is still in almost perfect condition makes me love it even more!!!
Author
Oh Pilar what a wonderful story – I’m now wondering how old it is/what era it’s from!! I’d be the same as you… I’d be holding onto it no matter the style or shape or whether it flattered me 😀
How wonderful! Such a beautiful shade of green, you suit it, and so on-trend for this spring. I love the way you have styled it. I could cry or scream at the items both my mum and grandma wore in their lifetime and are now sadly gone. I, unfortunately, was too young to hang onto them. My mum worked in a “high end” shop so, was always floating around in a Frank Usher or Bill Gibb creation, she was able to buy these things at cost price. I still remember the outfits. My grandma loved her shoes and handbags (ahead of her time) and as a little girl I would sneak into her bedroom open the boxes and try them on– I still remember the beautiful smell of the leather and the gorgeous colours. xx
Author
Thank you Alison – I agree about the shade of green, I’m so glad it’s not faded over the years!
And oh I can only imagine the clothes your mum and grandma would have had, I think the same about my mum’s clothes in the 60s and 70s… I remember specific items and think IF ONLY she’d kept them!!
What was it with the shoulder pads on the 80s? Mind you, we may ask the same thing about HD brows now 🙂 Fashion eh?
Love the mix of colours and if you had worn the skirt: that’s a lot of green to carry off.
I have a pair of knee boots passed to me that are nearly twenty years old. They seem to be of the style that never quite goes out (or in) to fashion. I think it’s quite something to mix much loved pieces with pieces of different seasons and ages.
Author
Hehe the shoulder pads were pretty outrageous on this jacket, Lynn!!!! And yes to the HD eyebrows… I put them up there with the hideous pencil-thin brows of the 90s. They will UNDOUBTEDLY be a “oh god what were they thinking” thing in the not-too-distant-future!
What a stunning, stunning colour Catherine! I love how you’ve styled it. It’s lovely to wear something that belonged to a loved one isn’t it xx
Author
Thank you Liz – yes the colour and the fact that it was my mum’s are both pretty special <3
This look is giving such Gucci vibes!
Danielle | thereluctantblogger.co.uk
Author
Oh now THERE’S a compliment!! Thank you Danielle x
My mum has wardrobe’s full of clothes she no longer wears, but can’t get rid. I’ve borrowed a couple of bits, but she always wants them back (not sure what for). This is a super jacket and looks very much in place on you. Thanks for sharing today. Have a super week. Jacqui xx
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Oh Jacqui how do you resist swiping loads of things from her wardrobe?!! LOL
Thank you my lovely x
How fabulous to be able to breathe fresh life into a piece from your Mum’s wardrobe. And that colour, wow! My Mum no longer has any true vintage items, but I fondly recall many of her 70s and 80s outfits – in particular a burgundy velvet jacket and several classic Laura Ashley dresses that she used to wear for work…
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Thank you Lizzie – and yes I’m the same with lots of items that i remember clearly that belonged to my mum! Plus I still long for a fabulous coat that my sister (10 years older than me) had in 1983… I saw one in the sale on Asos a few years ago that was almost identical, as I remember it anyway. Of course I had to buy it, it’s still one of my favourites now 😀
How amazing is that! I’ll bet it feels fabulous to wear that jacket. I remember my grandmother’s patent leather, with a bow queenie heeled pumps that she wore on my parents wedding day in 1966. Gosh, that’s started my love for shoes!
Author
Wow how lovely to remember them so clearly, Nancy! I can see how that’d start a love for shoes 😉
I have inherited a lot of jewelry (costume and fine) from various relatives and a dear family friend. My favorite pieces actually happen to be some emeralds that my late Aunt gave me, but I have some wonderful rhinestone pieces from my Grandmother.
Author
Emeralds, Michelle?! WOW! I have one or two pieces of jewellery from relatives as well… nothing over valuable, just very special <3