Would you ever wear North Face jackets or any other hiking jacket as a fashion statement?

Outdoor jackets have been popular with hikers and people who enjoy walks outside for many years. Why? They are of course perfect at protecting you in any conditions, making them great for the British climate. However, outdoor jackets have also now become a fashion statement to the British public who do not actually intend on wearing the outdoor jackets for hiking in, oh no, they intend on wearing them as a fashion statement. I do not know how this came about but I do think that it is a very strange concept but if it is something that will evolve in to a much bigger trend remains to be seen. I sincerely hope not though!

This trend in wearing an outdoor jacket as a fashion jacket seems to be most popular within the teenage groups. I have seen an increasing amount of school children wearing their North Face, and Berghaus jackets. I have also witnessed children who appear to have worn the same outdoor jacket every day for about a year. Why, oh why is this popular at the moment?

You would never catch me dead wearing one of these jackets as a fashion statement? The biggest reason why I would not wear one of these jackets as a fashion statement is because they really are not fashionable at all!  I am a big fan of fashion and looking good in the clothing that I wear and it is beyond me how anyone thinks this looks good in a fashionable way. The majority are made up of horrible patterns and are usually only marginally better with the range of colours.

In addition to this, there is a certain group of youths who tend to wear outdoor hiking jackets as a fashionable item; some people may call them ‘chavs’. These particular groups of youths can use the design of these outdoor jackets to their advantage, as they usually have hign knecked collars which can be tightened so it can conceal every part of your face except for your eyes. Certain youths use this technique in a way to intimidate people and look threatening. A group of twenty youths stood on a corner with their hoods up, completely concealing their faces is not good for society as it can mean that they can commit felonies and avoid any punishment as they have no way of being identified.

So, if I did happen to think that these jackets looked attractive and would look good if I were to wear one as a fashion statement then I would still chose not to where one as I would not like to be associated with such a culture. I want to see these sorts of problems being removed from our streets and I would not be happy with myself if I were to encourage the popularity of this kind of fashion, and the kind of culture that sometimes goes along with it.

I really do not see how anybody in their right minds could wear these outdoor jackets a fashion statement. I am not denying that they are excellent jackets for hiking in and they look good when you go hiking but when you are in social town centres, it is just not the same. They do not look nice in any way and I really do hope that thi fashion trend ends, leaving these jackets to be worn as intended, hiking!