S.E.H Kelly Cinnamon Ventile cotton seam jacket

The cloth is a special heavyweight version of Ventile cotton, which is wind-proof and rain-proof. Water just rolls right off it. Ventile was invented in Manchester in the mid-1930s and is 100% natural and 100% cotton. It works because it is so tightly woven; made from the finest 2% of the world’s cotton crop.

The jacket has a large collar with rounded points. Attached to the collar is a detachable hood: it buttons to the collar at the sides and back. There are umpteen ways to wear this hood — such as fully fastened, with the throat-latch buttoned right across, and the collar buttoned up as well.

Of course, with the hood being detachable, the jacket can also be worn without it. The only sign that something is missing are the five small horn buttons, which sit underneath the collar — and are hidden when the collar is worn down.

The jacket has a four-button front (with only the top button visible when it is fully fastened). All buttons are real horn, and are thus all a little different in shade and markings, from one to the next.

The seam, which runs all the way around the jacket, conceals two large patch-pockets at the front, which can also be accessed from the side. These entry points at the side have been bar-tacked to strengthen them (see left). Inside the jacket, meanwhile, is a large patch-pocket with button fastening.

The jacket has a buggy-lining of cotton, the colour of which is a lighter complement to the cinnamon Ventile. All exposed edges and seams inside the jacket are bound with a marle-grey cotton.