#inthecloset is a feature in which someone chooses an item of clothing of particular significance to them and tells us about it and why it stands out to them among everything else in their wardrobe. The idea being to gain an insight into someone’s life through what they choose to wear. That and to look at some nice clothes.
There was a limited choice for what clothing item I could have written about. Quite worryingly, I have very few clothes now that I owned two years ago. That’s not because I’ve outgrown them – I still remain the same height as when I was 15 – but rather because I am the quintessential consumer who is constantly purchasing. But there is one item that I just cannot replace: my blazer.
It was my first piece of tailoring. I purchased it at Topman during the days where my lame alternative side had outlived its heyday. It’s slim-cut, navy and made of herringbone: the perfect material for those bitter, rainy, British months. Yet, there’s something within me that just cannot relegate it to the deep dark parts of my wardrobe during winter.
On any occasion, in any season, it transforms me from a slob with Kit-Kat smeared around my lips, to a (relatively) sophisticated-looking guy. With a crisp white pocket square poking out of my breast pocket it made me feel like a Mad Men extra within a sea of shiny silver and loose-fitting suits during sixth form.
What makes it irreplaceable is that it’s laced with sentiment. I wore it with confidence and sass to my Ivy League interviews; it accompanied me whilst I viewed my first live fashion shows at London Fashion Weekend; even on my first serious date where I needed to be on my sartorial a-game I couldn’t help but don it. And for me to go on a second date, I truly believe that this blazer has some supernatural power.
Just by gazing at the intricacy and beauty of its v-shaped weaves I can reminisce about past events – something that will serve me well in the future when my memory isn’t so sharp. When my eye is drawn to the fading splodge of blue acrylic paint just below the left lapel I can reminisce about my times in the art studio where I worked my craft for endless hours. This, and the many other minor details, create a beautiful canvas of faded memories.
People find it disturbing how attached I am to my blazer and to tailored pieces in general. Some say I’m a bit of an objectophile for them. Others speculate that I sleep wearing a three-piece.
I can neither confirm nor deny such rumours.
Josh Lee
Josh is a History student at UCL. Although often caught dreaming about his return to Manchester, he can also frequently be found on a mission to find the perfect pair of brogues. Standing at a meagre 5 ft 7, he is still patiently awaiting his growth spurt at the age of 19.
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