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The 20th-century battlefield served as a proving ground for practical pieces like the M-65, khakis, and the trench coat. The garments returned to civilian life and rebel style with a hero’s welcome.
MILITARY
THE CHINOS
Brush off the ivy league associations (and the go-to-hell colors) in favor of classic earthy military shades and wider fits and those classic khakis will shed their aristocratic leanings in a heartbeat. Whether tilling the soil or sipping gin and tonics, they’re a backyard classic for very good reason.
Benzak do an excellent modern chino. Other excellent options include UES, Warehouse, Runabout, and J. Crew. For something with heritage bona fides, look up Cushman, Bryceland’s, and Buzz Rickson’s and Freewheelers.
Illustration by Florian Bayer
The M-65 from Buzz Rickson's
THE M-65
The ultimate style chameleon, the M-65 changes meanings dramatically depending on how it’s styled. It may have been designed for combat in Vietnam, but it found its eternal home in concrete jungles, where its fighting spirit has been deployed again and again by anti-establishment forces.
Alpha Industries made the original, and they are still the silver standard. For a step up from the original, try Cockpit USA. For the gold standard, you’ll need to head to Japan, where brands like Iron Heart, Real McCoy’s, and Buzz Rickson’s have placed their indelible stamp on the category.
Illustration by Florian Bayer
THE COMBAT BOOT
The need for durable and, most importantly, water-tight footwear during both the first and second world wars forced the hand of shoemakers. They responded by producing combat boots, which continue to ground hard-nosed and aggressively rebellious styles.
Whether on the job site or the street, combat boots can still get the job done. Army surplus remains your best bet if you want to really look the part. They’ll often carry Corcoran Jump Boots.
Sturdy work boots from Dr. Martens and Solovair will also look the part.
THE PARKA
Originally made from animal skins, the parka has been the world’s warmest coat for centuries. Perfected as a tactical garment during the Korean War, the fish-tail parka became a key component in mod style in the ‘60s and 70s in England. In the ensuing decades, modern versions of the parka stuffed to the brim with down have become equally important status symbols.
Iron Heart and Buzz Rickson’s do excellent versions of the M-51. If you need to brace for arctic conditions, though, look for Canada Goose, Cockpit USA, or Rocky Mountain Featherbed.
THE CARDIGAN
Whether formal or casual, a cardigan can really tie an outfit together. And while the stereotypical wearer might not exactly fit the typical definition of the rebel, even the flintiest tough guy has a soft side. Pick the right one and you’ll find that, beneath its cozy and plush surface, the cardigan rolls hard.
Wear it like the Dude in Pendleton’s original Westerley Cowichan. RRL is far from the cheapest, but their cardigans are worth the premium. Scotland’s Colhay’s, Brooklyn’s Indi + Ash, Dehen, and Allevol x Inverallan all knit beautiful warmth-giving wooly delights.
THE TRENCH COAT
Called the Gore-Tex of its time, gabardine was a massive innovation that made waterproof outerwear pleasant to wear. The gabardine trench coat might be the most elegant item in the rebel’s wardrobe, but it passed its first (and still its toughest) test in the trenches.
Burberry still makes the classic trench, and Aquascutum occasionally releases versions. Mackintosh do the trench very well, but our favorite is France’s De Bonne Facture stunning wool version.
THE SAFARI JACKET
The safari jacket, popularized by big game hunters like Teddy Roosevelt and Ernest Hemingway, was hunted nearly to extinction in the ‘70s. Modern versions tend to focus on the jacket’s utility, easing up on the big spread collars, skin-tight fits, and oversized pockets. When done right, it can be ever so comfortably cool.
Anderson & Sheppard do top-rate heritage versions, The Flat Head do an excellent Safari Shirt, while Bryceland’s give the classic jacket a modern twist.
THE BERET
Don’t let cartoonish stereotypes of beret wearers fool you; the classic flat and felty French headwear has a long and bloody-knuckled history.
It’s been at the centre of rebellions (both armed and peaceful), and more than once it’s found itself on both sides of conflicts. Get a good one from H.W. Dog & Co, Laulhère, Berkeley Hat, or Italy’s Borsalino.
CARGO PANTS
A popular choice among suburban survivalists, cargo pants were born battle-ready. Their capacious pockets can be stuffed with hiking supplies or a paperback. But avoid the convertible cargo pants/cargo shorts hybrids.
British heritage makers Nigel Cabourn lead the charge in this category, while Japan’s orSlow and Italy’s Incotex have contemporary versions and fits. For meticulous Vietnam-era reproductions, Real McCoy’s are your best bet.
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Illustrations from The Rebel’s Wardrobe, gestalten 2022.
