Fashions in gardening come and go. The “in” design or “must have” plant are all the rage for a while and then are superceded by the next shift in attitude and fashion.
Can the same be said of gardening clothing fashion? When I was gainfully employed, the dress code for men was lounge suits, collar and tie. Then the company introduced “dress down Friday” and I really kicked over the traces – I took off my tie! When my line manager challenged me over my lack of enthusiasm for this new, revolutionary concept, I patiently explained that I had two sets of clothing – work and gardening, with not much in between. Because my wardrobe is fairly limited my choice of gardening attire has remained the same for many years. For me, comfort trumps elegance, so it is cotton work shirts and jeans that are the order of the day all year round. Go-to footwear in fair weather is work boots – the ones that give support by coming up over the ankle bone and have safety toecaps – and for inclement weather, what else but wellingtons? Monty Don is known for his denim jacket and baggy trousers with braces, Joe Swift is a fashion icon with his Panama hat and I am set apart from my fellow allotmenteers by my fondness for overalls, aka the boiler suit. In my opinion the best outdoor garment EVER! They have a myriad of pockets, they keep your other clothes clean and dry and they keep you warm – all in all, the ultimate practical “onesie.”
Looking around the allotment site most people seem to wear clothes that would not be appropriate for a Buckingham Palace Garden Party but they serve their purpose. We did have one lady who used to arrive on site looking as though she had just stepped off the catwalk at the London Fashion Show but she was a one off amongst her scruffy neighbours.
Let gardening fashions have their day but I shall remain loyal to my longstanding choice of clothing.
Best outfit ever