Swedish M1909 Field Coat - The Bane

Army Parka (The Bane)

I'm suddenly fascinated — this week at least — with the classic M1909 Swedish Army parka. For winter military coats, I think it takes one hell of a beating.

This dålig pojke was introduced in the 1930s, I believe. Sweden has a reputation for being a fairly pacific nation, but surely wearing this coat would summon the inner Viking in anyone. Its rugged good looks will add, at a guess, 20% to your masculinity gauge. It was, after all, the coat that inspired the one worn by the highly-talented Tom Hardy playing Bane in The Dark Knight Rises. If you put one on, you may feel tempted to overthrow and destroy a decadent metropolis yourself. Stranger things have happened.

The coat's warmth is its USP  — just look at the pile of cosy sheepskin hidden away beneath that unassuming heavy cotton drill. The coat length sensibly comes down to the knees. You also have that sheepskin collar to pull up and secure around your neck.

The coat has some nice practical touches too. The two billows pockets at the front are roomy enough for packing for a weekend away. The classic style of the coat would certainly not look out of place today. In fact, if you're a mod and thinking of heading down to Brighton in the cooler months before the May bank holidays, then this coat may be a suitable alternative to the fishtail parka.

I'm going to try and track down an original for next winter; or something similar inspired by this very post. The one you see here was landed by The Clothing Vault in the U.S.A. It's in the more common army green, but white versions were also produced for Arctic cover, as far as I can glean.

If any of our Swedish readers know anything more about this coat — or they have one spare in a 38" chest and tip-top condition — beans may be spilled below and received with much appreciation.