Cashmere coat care

[RIT Style Guy]

Hello all,
  I am looking into a new coat for the chilly weather that is quickly approaching, and I seem to have found something to fit the bill.  It is a wool/cashmere mix three quarter coat from BR.  Now my only concern is how the coat will hold up through the winter months.  I am especially concerned with the cashmere, the softness of the material is what sold me on the piece in the first place.  Should I have the coat treated in some way to preserve the fabrics, or do you suppose the coat already comes with some degree of water resistance?  Thanks in advance,

Kevin

 

[bengal-stripe]

Cashmere or cashmere blends has been used for outer garments since time immemorial. The material is light in weight and keeps you very warm. It will last without problems for quite a few years as long as you don't use it for the most strenuous outdoor activities. When the coat gets wet, let it dry gently, brush it occasionally and that's about all that needs to be done.

The danger comes in the summer when you don't wear the coat. Moths absolutely adore cashmere. They eat the soft, fluffy bits and leave those tougher mesh bits behind. Protect against moths.

 

[RIT Style Guy]

Advice well taken, thank you bengal.  This is my first piece of cashmere so I was a bit unsure exactly how much care was entailed.

Kevin

 

[Joe G]

 It is a wool/cashmere mix three quarter coat from BR.  Now my only concern is how the coat will hold up through the winter months.  I am especially concerned with the cashmere...

The coat should be fine through wear, mostly. If you have an American car with icky, fuzzy, velcro-like upholstry (since you mentioned BR, I assume you're in the States, ergo use a car for general transport), then definitely take it off before you sit down. Also, at bars or whatever, make sure not to sit in any chairs with splinters or exposed screw-heads in the back or sides. (I speak from experience here. I ruined a Karl Lagerfeld sportcoat of Super 130's cloth by Loro Piana once that way. Sure, I bought it in a thrift store, but I still liked the jacket.)

As for water. Bengal hit that one pretty well. I'll just add that it should dry completely. Wearing it damp could cause it to become misshapen.

As Bengal Stripe notes, storage is the key. Assuming you don't spill anything on the coat, you should have it professionally cleaned before you put it away. Also, I don't think you'd be amiss to put the coat in a cedar chest.

I've recently moved into a new house that has moth problems, and I'm pretty concerned about it. So I'll pass on any strategies I get to combat these vermin.

Peace,

JG

PS: What colour are you considering? I ask because often men go for a navy or black overcoat, without realising that both of them have limitations. (Either colour looks dumb over the other.) If it's available in a camel or maybe a medium-grey colour, that would be worth considering as it's more versatile.

 

[RIT Style Guy]

Addressing the car situation, I drive quite a bit for school and work, but I am fortunate to have a leather interior so no worries there. Â I was primarily concerned with the winter weather, the conditions can get rough in this area, and I was worried that the material may shrink or lose its luster if it got throughly wet out in the snow. Â So far the household is insect free - as far as I can tell. I will be careful to store it in a way to prevent any damage from those pests. As for my color selection, I was initially considering black as the most basic of colors, but as you mentioned I had some trouble concieveably matching it well with some of my clothing. Â I am getting the grey version to allow for easier pairings, plus I think that a grey has the versatility of classy/casual, depending upon the pairing. My first choice was the longer topcoat, but that was only available in black. Â I thought that wearing a long black trenchcoat really says something about a guy too....... In any case, thank you both again for the advice, and be sure to keep me updated on the insect battle Â

Kevin

 

[Abe2]

fyi: A trenchcoat, by definition, must be full-length and waterproof and usually contains removable lining and a wide belt.

So cashmere trenchcoats don't exist.

Sorry, but I'm anal.

 

[RIT Style Guy]

the trench was wool, the three-quarters coat has the cashmere.

Point well taken.

Kevin