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Do you remember foam backed coats???

(73 Posts)
H1954 Fri 20-Mar-20 08:42:05

This might sound bonkers but I woke up this morning thinking about clothing in the very early 60's. I have a very clear memory of foam backed coats; our parents used to take us to C&A every autumn for a new coat. Do you remember them? Did you have one?

Deedaa Tue 24-Mar-20 20:29:29

I had a rather smart mustard yellow one from C&A . Must have been about 1962/3. Worn with black shoes and stockings of course.

LadyGracie Mon 23-Mar-20 20:56:20

My mother had one, I always thought she could move and the coat stayed still. A bit like Alma Cogans dresses, I used to imagine she could spin inside her dresses they looked so stiff with space to twirl within them

Nanna58 Mon 23-Mar-20 20:25:13

I had a faux leather; ( read plastic!) coat that was foam backed, from C&A, happy days!!

jacq10 Sat 21-Mar-20 08:37:50

I had a pale blue coat which was bought for a wedding from C&A. We had to travel to Aberdeen as it was our nearest. Loved Clockhouse and saved for weeks before a visit. When living in Spain (near where Urmstongran is right now!) I always took home some nice things for DGS as they would be different from his friends

M0nica Sat 21-Mar-20 07:45:38

Only if they went near a fire and CH was just taking off at that time. The first house we bought in 1968, a newly built house, run of the mill new estate had central heating, as did all public buildings from offices to schools and hospitals.

grannybuy Sat 21-Mar-20 00:49:26

They would have been a fire hazard, surely.

grannybuy Sat 21-Mar-20 00:48:02

Yes, circa 1965. Mine was red jersey wool, complete with the foam filling. My friend's was emerald green. We went to Bible class together - a right pair of bright sparks.

Hopikins Fri 20-Mar-20 23:23:22

How strange H1954. I started to think of just the same thing in bed the other night. Foam backed coats! Who on earth thought they were a good idea, I can't imagine, but I do remember feeling very smart in mine( C & A) again.
Does anyone remember fibre glass curtains. I remember my dear Mum buying them and being so proud as she hung them up.
They frayed like mad and were nearly impossible to sew.
Perhaps we are all remembering the past to keep from dwelling on the present

JanaNana Fri 20-Mar-20 23:16:52

I had a bright red one which was my favourite colour in those days. Mid 1960s. It was also from C & A very loose fitting almost like a swagger coat.
I hadn't been working very long and saved up from my wages to buy it but can't remember now how much it was.

Callistemon Fri 20-Mar-20 23:03:35

I found the black and white photo of me wearing my black and white coat at the wedding, in my hat.

The hat looks like an inverted plant pot, but I did think it looked good at the time!

Claudiaclaws Fri 20-Mar-20 22:54:37

I had pink flecked one. My boyfriend's gerbils got out and chewed all the way down the edge of the lapels.
I was not very happy to say the least.

BlueSapphire Fri 20-Mar-20 21:06:22

Oh yes, I had a pink one and a grey one, thought I was the bees knees!

Thisismyname1953 Fri 20-Mar-20 20:56:17

I had one for school I don’t know what material it was but it was iridescent and looked different in different light but started off as brown. I loved it

Alexa Fri 20-Mar-20 20:46:28

I remember an advertisement for them . It said "THE WONDERFUL FOAMBACKS!" and line drawings of the coats.

t42and24t Fri 20-Mar-20 20:39:59

I had foam back iridescent navy rain coat,cycling to school wore the foam away on the back and it went to wrinkles !!

M0nica Fri 20-Mar-20 20:31:22

I had a grey one, but beyond that fact I can remember nothing more about it, when I had it and what I wore with it.

HettyMaud Fri 20-Mar-20 20:16:14

TERRIBLE memories of foam-backed coat. Our school uniform was navy mack with belt and hood. But my Mother insisted I had a foam-backed one. Just like a tube, totally shapeless. I hated it so much that I carried it everywhere whatever the weather. Dreadful thing.

Txquiltz Fri 20-Mar-20 19:21:49

Yes, a faux leather frosted green one with a foam lining! I thought it was beautiful, but it did nothing to keep you warm.

Nannytopsy Fri 20-Mar-20 19:17:23

Yes! I had a pale blue one from C&A, worn on Sundays for church.
I later had an orange pinafore dress from M&S which was foamy too - yuk!

Purpledaffodil Fri 20-Mar-20 17:44:54

Don’t know if it is a false memory inspired by these, but I seem to remember my Going Away outfit in 1970 was a red and cream coat and dress.? Fairly certain both were lined with thin foam so they stuck out in the appropriate way. I was torn between that and a long Laura Ashley dress. Think I made the wrong decision in hindsight. ?

Greymar Fri 20-Mar-20 17:28:05

Gosh, I don't remember the foam thing. I had a gaberdine and an oversized duffle coat.

CBBL Fri 20-Mar-20 16:53:11

I had a turquoise foam backed coat and I put it on over my wedding dress (06.03.1965) to walk from the Church Hall (where the Reception was held) to my Mother in Law's house (just two streets away), where I changed out of my finery. None of our friends or family had cars at that time!

Lettice Fri 20-Mar-20 16:38:28

I think we have had one mention of the foam underskirts under our sticky-out dresses. I had one in bright yellow with white lace trim that really did the job, but was a bit startling when you sat down quickly. I don't remember a foam backed coat, but I still have two coats bought in C & A. One is heavy, in shades of brown tweed, and the other is a tailored black one with a slightly stand away collar. Both still look good all these years later. (I do have other coats)

mary51 Fri 20-Mar-20 16:19:08

This has been hilarious reading. I have vague memories of that disintegrating foam in something I wore.
smile

RomyP Fri 20-Mar-20 16:02:14

You're right Boheminan, it was Clockhouse, I loved that bit of C&A, as did my daughter in her early teens.
It was only when they closed down in UK that it suddenly occurred to me that the brandname "canda" didn't rhyme with panda but was actually C&A not using the ampersand, lol, only took me about 55 years to work that one out! ?? I had beige foam backed skirt from my auntie's catalogue, I quite liked that, and a brown jacket from C&A, it was terribly sweaty to wear so never got zipped up. It didn't keep the wind out either so wasn't even warm to wear.