A Leather Addendum to Thoughts on Athleisure

Northern China and Wearing the Animal

Widespread indoor heating of homes hasn’t been around in Northern China for more than forty/fifty years. Nighttime temperature hover at 15-20 degrees Fahrenheit, like minus whatever Celsius. The peasants of the region wore quilted jackets, pants and coats indoors. They were encrusted on the body by the time spring came. With a good beating, one great washing of winter clothes in the spring released all that funk into precious vats of water. The great coats of the People’s Liberation Army were not just prestigious, they were warm.