Authentic military-style long hooded field jackets are not on the list right now. Instead of the typical heavy feel of a field jacket, I've selected three easy-to-throw-on jackets instead. There's Low Tide's Essential Soft Blouson in dark grey and red, which has a hood hidden in the neckline, and MARGESHERWOOD's windbreaker jumper in lime with cheerful color blocking. Lately, the trend has been for rugged field jacket details to subtly slip inside neat blousons or crisp windbreakers like these.
The M-51 fishtail parka, the very symbol of field jackets, was originally plucked out for style in the 1960s by Mods youth in London, England. Young men dressed up in tailored suits riding Vespa scooters began layering military parkas over them to keep oil stains and mud from wet roads from splattering onto their clothes. The military uniforms bought for cheap to protect their suits blended with patches from the rock band The Who, solidifying into the Mod look that symbolized rebellious youth culture.
The practicality of military wear, which once blocked street mud, remains today as urban outerwear refined with light, smooth fabrics and clean silhouettes. Would you prefer a blouson jacket with a hood tucked inside the collar, or should we look toward a cinched, jaunty string windbreaker jumper?
↳ To hidden hood jumpers
I've picked four hidden hood jumpers that stash their hoods inside the collar. Low Tide offers the Essential Soft Blouson Jacket with a soft exterior in dark grey and red, while MARGESHERWOOD offers the lightly filled Lightweight Padded Jumper in black and pink. It's a practical design that lets you wear it neatly with a stand collar on regular days, then unzip and pull out the hood when the wind turns cold.
The method of rolling a hood into a zippered collar was first conceived in 1965 for the US military's M-65 field jacket. Earlier uniforms required buttoning on a hood and were easily lost on the battlefield, so a thin, integrated hood was concealed behind the collar to immediately counter Vietnam's fierce monsoon downpours. In everyday wear, the stowed fabric firmly supports the shape of the collar, which is why it has endured as a standard detail in modern outdoor gear.
The pieces selected this time can also be worn normally to highlight the collar's volume, and the hood can easily be taken out whenever needed. Which would you like to narrow down to first: the fleece-lined blouson, or the lightweight padded jumper? I can also pick them right away based on dark colors or under KRW 250,000.
![ESSENTIAL SOFT BLOUSON JACKET [DARK GREY] - Low Tide](https://img.hmmm.pub/brands/lowtide/products/e85bb347-696e-4d6e-b40c-87a949e3849c/66b73fc8e96ea00f-320.jpg)
![ESSENTIAL SOFT BLOUSON JACKET [RED] - Low Tide](https://img.hmmm.pub/brands/lowtide/products/e66cdd6c-1756-4752-8c42-0e864e9da498/0-320.jpg)
↳ To fleece-lined blousons
Fleece-lined blousons aren't on the list right now. Instead of outerwear, I've narrowed it down to three tops that still deliver the cozyness of fleece: Centaur's navy fleece hoodie, plus ALLENO's LLP Hoodie in black and melange grey. They're great tops to layer under outerwear when a cold wind blows or to wear on their own.
The navy color used for the Centaur hoodie got its established name in 1748 when King George 2 of Great Britain chose it as the uniform color for naval officers. There is an anecdote that the king picked it after being charmed by the Duchess of Bedford's deep blue riding habit, but it was also practical because deep indigo dye held up well against discoloration from sea salt and sunlight. A color that began with naval discipline has now become the neatest, most foolproof staple in our wardrobes.
If you are looking for outerwear, we could sweep through the list again for jumpers or jackets, or we could move on to other cotton tops for light indoor wear. Should we look for jackets or jumpers, or narrow it down to tops without a brushed lining?
Final Selected Products
