Fashion Thursday: The Parka

Okay, this is a little bit different than my usual Fashion Thursday, but bear with me. I think it'll be interesting.
Parka (n) - par•ka /ˈpärkə/ : (as defined by Google) a large windproof jacket with a hood, designed to be worn in cold weather
From Wikipedia, by George R. King
It goes without saying that every parka doesn't fit this definition. According to Wikipedia (this isn't a college essay, so I can use them as a source), the parka was originally created by the Caribou Inuit of northern Canada as a coat meant to protect against extreme arctic weather. I live in Maryland, so the only time I face arctic weather is when my mom puts the thermostat below 75ºF. Still, the parka has served a practical purpose for me while also being a fashion statement.

My parka is from GAP (although for a while I thought it was from Banana Republic, but I made a mistake and told a lot of people that, sorry). It's 100% cotton, and I would consider it a medium weight parka. The purple-brown color isn't my favorite, but it gets the job done. I'd say the medium weight makes it pretty versatile. Even when it's humid outside, I can use this parka to protect myself from the rain. I was able to ride in it without any issues when temperatures were in the fifties. While I know it wouldn't do much in a downpour, it's a useful outer garment, and it's adjustable and easy to layer.

OOTD 6/18/15

My OOTD, not exact, but close

If you face real arctic temperatures in your area, parkas close to the original design are available as well. Parkas can be a bit less bulky and puffy compared to a winter coat, which is important to me when riding and doing barn work. With that being said, by all means layer up when you head out to the barn, but once you start moving, a simple lined parka can act as a sufficient top layer. Emma also talked about a few upper body layers that can keep you warm in the winter.

SheInside
Forever 21
TL;DR: Get yourself a parka because you deserve nice things in life.
Category Is

Comments

  1. emmaJune 19, 2015 at 9:02 AM

    i mean, yes now is the time of year to buy these things (woo hoo sales!).... but i may or may not be overheating a little just looking at those pictures lol

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Unspoken Rules of the Hunter Ring

Image
Ever since I started riding, I've been a part of the hunter ring. It's not an easy sport, and it's kind of difficult to really fit into a hunter operation if you've never experienced it before. So, if you're about to switch disciplines or just dipping a toe into the sport, keep these bits of information in mind. From one hunter to the next, good luck! 1. Only black or white saddle pads are allowed. I cannot stress this enough. It's about being profeshunal, people. Just because the page on Dover said HUNTER green, doesn't mean it's allowed in a hunter barn. Common mistake. Don't make it. sin!!! sin, I say!!! 2. Your everyday riding attire will be as follows: solid colored polo shirt (tucked in), beige Tailored Sportsman breeches, a black belt, black tallboots (either Ariat, Tredstep, or Parlanti). The only time you can divert from this is at shows. Then, you are allowed to school in a quarter zip, but that's it. Also, I'd like to r...
Read more

The Regionals Swing

Image
Yup, that time of year again. I still didn't qualify for regionals, but after seeing how last year went, I didn't even put it down as a goal. Eh, I might try senior year. I don't feel too pressured about it. Reaching (in vain) for my taco My parents and I made the 2.5 hour drive on Saturday morning. We actually arrived early, so I started helping bring horses in and unblanket them. Everything ran smoothly during set up. I was only schooling Leia, which went fine except her being super slow. Over the past year and a half, Leia has gone from being super strong and forward to fences to being a leg ride the whole time. We started with some trash distances but got it together for a good school. Unfortunately, so was just as slow and chippy with most of the people who rode her. Eh. Horses are kind annoying anyway. Looking for free tacos I spent a decent amount of time cuddling with Carlos in the morning before helping tack up Murry for the flat classes. I also finally...
Read more

A fortunate snow day, believe it or not

Image
So, yeah, it snowed, and waaayyy more than expected. Forecast said we'd get 3"-6". Final totals were anywhere between 8" and 11" for the Eastern Shore. My Saturday lesson was cancelled, and the sub-freezing temperatures haven't let the snow melt at all. It's supposed to warm up tomorrow and Wednesday. We'll see. Still, it's fortunate because guess what's happening down in Wellington??? I'm still on Anne Kursinski's ride , but her horse and the information she's giving is a little bit more relevant to my current riding state than the whole session was last year. First, the horse she's on is quite similar to Silver. He's an apparently laid back gray gelding that, every once in a while, loses focus and gets dramatic. He's even weaker to the right and occasionally swaps off behind, just like Silver. Big difference is that Anne's horse is significantly less dramatic than Silver. He swaps off, thinks for a minute,...
Read more