The great cravat hunt.
The memsahib recently asked me to take her to one of those large
‘factory outlet’ complexes. I of course
agreed (with as much enthusiasm as she agrees to accompany me in the open car
on a cold and/or wet day!). I decided to
make the trip worthwhile by purchasing a cravat or two, a plan which proved
overly optimistic. All the shops there
looked very much the same and catered for the young and beautiful – or, from
what I saw, the not so beautiful. Not
one had any cravats for sale. I use a courier service called Hermes and why
they are also involved in expensive clothing I do not know, but if they think
they can sell me an insubstantial scarf for £130, they should stick to
collection/delivering parcels! We both came back with nothing, except a
determination not to go there again.
(I hope I do not
have to justify cravats. If one is a politician trying to curry favour with the
public, or someone who cannot afford proper neckwear, I suppose an open- necked shirt has to do,
but a gentleman does not expose his upper chest in public and an elderly
gentleman also keeps his scrawny neck under wraps too. Standards!)
It is important
to be sartorially appropriate when driving old cars and the cravat is just
right on a summer’s day. Of course any damned fool can be wet, cold and
uncomfortable, so take appropriate precautions when winter driving. Tonneau covers will keep out light showers and
drizzle - I only put the hood up if I absolutely have to. Of course if you do
not have a hood, then like my good friends John & Kay, you take a bailing
bucket and a dish cloth and a bung in the floorboards is also a good idea! I have seen golfing umbrellas used in
extremis, but they will restrict your speed and make gear-changing a bit
tricky!
But back to one’s
personal attire. I favour leather and
lambs-wool for the cold and yachting gear for the rain. Accessories include a
flying helmet and goggles, plus a scarf (but not of the Isadora Duncan
variety!).
When it is cold and
raining, I find that a good hostelry allows one to thaw out, dry up and refresh
oneself whilst waiting for the next gap in the weather - or perhaps the gap
after that. After all, what's the hurry?
In Kurze
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