the parka of ridiculousness
Tuesday, January 22, 2013 at 4:28PM This post brought to you by the temperature -25F.
Make no mistake: this parka is ridiculous.
Every time I put it on, people laugh at me.
No lie.
Let us enumerate the ways in which its ridiculousness abounds.
1. The hood. I have never seen a more extraordinary -- and I do mean that in a bad way -- hood.
It's enormous. I could fit an entire conehead in it.
It's shaped badly.
It has a strange Teletubby antenna on top.
2. The sleeves. They are too short. Not only do they look ridiculous, they leave my poor wrists exposed to the -25F temperatures.
3. The shape. It makes me look like a giant fuchsia Teletubby marshmallow. As if I'm not naturally smooshy enough.
4. The color. I normally love bright fuchsia, but as I say in my workshops, color is all about context.
In the context of a marshmallow-shaped, too-short-in-the-sleeves, extraordinarily-bad-hood parka, it adds to the level of ridiculousness.
Why didn't I return this, you ask?
I'll tell you. It was on clearance.
Why keep it around at all, you ask?
It's the warmest coat I've ever owned. Rated to -40. Filled with down.
I only bust this bad boy out when it's truly so freezing my life is in danger. Last year, that was not at all.
Today, school was closed because of the cold.
That almost never happens.
Darn you, Parka of Ridiculousness.
I hate you.
Why do you have to be so warm?
Reader Comments (22)
Well, even in the Parka of Ridulousness, I think you are adorable!!! Honestly, at -25*, I would wear anything regardless of look or style to stay warm. Come visit us in Oklahoma again! It was 70* only 2 days ago and it was almost 50* today. I will, of course, volunteer to be the official baby holder if you want to come to warmer climates!
Love it!
Oh come now, it's not that bad. *chuckle*
Tee hee! I'm sorry but I think you look cute,love the orange with the pink. They are calling for lows of -42°F here in a few days. In December it got REALLY cold for a long stretch(which makes it so much harder to deal with!) we had lows of -52°F. It wasn't fun.
Funny! I feel your pain. I put on my ankle length down coat just to walk across the yard to the mailbox today. You can't be a slave to style if you want to keep from freezing to death. :)
Okay, so it's a little bright, big, short armed and antennaed but, I've got to say the deer hunter orange old man hat really makes it all better. As a fellow northlander who wore every color of the rainbow this morning to get to work, I appreciate a good warm coat.
All you need to go with that coat is a pair of long fuchsia gloves. They should be at least elbow length.
I think it's a fabulous coat!
Not only is it non-conformist and warm, people will always remember you passing by, they'll be able to spot you easily if you get lost, and you even make people laugh on days when most people's facial expression seems to be frozen in a frown.
Why would anyone want to be anything other than ridiculous, anyway?
Love it!
The Teletubby widget is a bit strange, the rest of the coat looks good. As for your poor wrists, if only you knew someone who knew how to knit, who would make you some wrist warmers....
All that matters is that you're warm. It's adorable, and I'd never laugh at you in that coat. In others, maybe, but not that one. :-)
I am with Marion--calls for wrist warmers in, say, some really wonderful yarn that has oranges and pinks in it? :) Great smile in all that PINK.
I love this post. You should pretend that everyone is looking at you and wishing THEY had a coat that was as warm as yours. (To be honest, it's quite possible that they are.) And knit yourself some fingerless gloves to wear under your other mittens.
Maybe it's time for a new pattern--long mittens. Personally, I like the "hanger" on the hood. It is the picture of practicality. You don't have to fight the thing onto a coat hook--just stick the ring on the hook and off you go! Also, when it is that cold, does anyone have a shape? I am imagining several warm layers under the coat.
Thank you for sharing. I pretty much feel that ridiculous in my winter gear on a daily basis;P
I was walking into work today and there was a lady all dresses up business like and she said it is soooo cold (it was 10 above here this am). I giggled to myself and said "at least we aren't in Minnesota it is -25 there." Then I remembered your coat and smiled wishing I had one. Maybe not so bright, but warm would be great!! I have to wear 2 coats to keep warm here:). Thanks for the great pics and bringing a smile to my face today!!!
i think this down jacket is sensational. What a great hood. Can you imagine how tiny & flat-headed a normal hood would look on top of a healthy-sized down jacket ? this one seems to have enough room to contain an entire inner hat that peeks out plus an air insulation space.
colour is perfect. The only defect is too-short arms but sometimes we have to accept shortfalls in life. At least there are knitted inner wrists. 2 pairs of mitts including a large outer pair in fair isle would be smashing.
very chic.
(signed)
it'sevencolderuphere
Hello Sharon
I've just popped over from your mum's blog.
I think your coat is lovely, bright and cheerful. I can't wear such bright colours because of my high colouring. :( Obviously I've never actually met your mum, but somehow that last picture on your post reminds me of her? Now, why would that be?
I had a lovely time giggling over the post you wrote about weird/embarrassing knitting patterns. The picture of the knitted shorts almost had me falling off my chair.
Abdichtung ist ein wichtiges Merkmal eines jeden Parajumpers Jacke, denn wenn keine Feuchtigkeit in Berührung kommt, mit Ihrem Körper kann es schnell fühlen Sie sich kalt und sehr unbequem.
AnyParajumpersJackesollteneinige einfacheFunktionenin dem Bemühen,hilfreich sein,auf der Pistehaben, esmusswasserdicht seinund mussausreichende Isolierungbieten Ihnenvor Kältezu schützen.Parajumpers Jakke 2013