Vintage Winter Wonderland (All Things Hudson Bay)
You would think someone as obsessed as I am with all things vintage, let along someone who grew up an hour shy of the Canadian border would be little better versed about the Hudson Bay Co. All I know is my stepmother pulled this coat out of her closet when I was home for Thanksgiving and said, “Ruth have I ever showed you this vintage coat?” I couldn’t answer back… because I was DROOLING.
Instantly I asked her what she’d sell it for and she just laughed and politely told me she'd never part with it. After a quick google I understood why. I didn’t know that in doing research for this blog I’d actually learn a fun little history lesson! So cool! Ok, I’m a nerd but here we go.
According to the Hudson Bay Website:
“Although HBC did not introduce its first commercial Hudson’s Bay Point Blanket Coat until 1922, fur traders, voyageurs, and Indigenous peoples had already been styling Hudson’s Bay Point Blankets into coats for nearly 200 years. Like the iconic Point Blankets themselves, Point Blanket Coats share a similarly long and interesting history.”
Ummmm that’s cool. So apparently, the Plain Indians traded their buffalo robes for these Hudson Bay blankets (the company goes back to the 1600s!) WAY back in the day. And after seeing the style of jackets the traders were wearing they fashioned the HBC blankets into robes kinda like ponchos called Capote’s. (That comes from the French word for cape.) Hudson Bay later copied the look to make these amazing jackets. And here I am over 200 years later in 2018 geeking out about this super cool coat that lives in the back of my step mom’s closet!
Oh yeah… if you want to buy a new one for yourself, you can… For $795. 😏
HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY X Smythe Blanket Swing Coat
That’s DEFINITELY not in this gal’s budget. I’ll just go ahead and add that to the perma wish list.
Here’s a SUPER cute HB coat I found on Etsy on sale for only $120! That’s starting to sound a little better.
1960s HUDSONS BAY striped wool blanket coat
Actually… can I please just have this whole outfit? Ok thanks…
And here’s a sweater from Molly Green that sort of looks Hudson Bay inspired! I actually got this for my stepmom for Christmas because it reminded me of her coat. And she loved it!!
Fotina Sweater
Me being this avid DIYer that I am I immediately started searching Pinterest for Hudson Bay inspired projects. I found a couple baby blankets, and some beanies, a painted trunk… But nothing that really inspired me. So you know what that means!!! Now that my HB creative juices are a flowing check back soon for whatever cool DIYs I come up with! I’m thinking throw pillows!!!
Do you guys have any vintage pieces floating around in your family that you are obsessed with? I wanna hear all about them in the comments!!
