Trenchcoats are not just a Columbine thing

I was a senior in 1999 when Eric and Dylan were and I remember kids in my school (in Florida) wearing trenchcoats as well. This was before the massacre. I think it was inspired by The Matrix movies. Did kids in your school wear trench coats before Columbine?

Bam Margera wore one in the first CKY :')

I've never seen people wear them in my high school, I wonder if it was more of a trend in the states?

When I was a child, I saw teens/young adults wearing trenchcoats, primarily black or dark brown ones, in the later 80s. And I saw it well into the 90s, long before columbine. A good number of kids in my high school wore them, too. I am from Massachusetts (Boston area), by the way.

I wore a black trench coat (1998-2000) and it had nothing to do with Columbine. I only liked the style. But of course is was moore a "girly" coat, waisted and no leather.

Greetje wrote:

Bam Margera wore one in the first CKY :')

I've never seen people wear them in my high school, I wonder if it was more of a trend in the states?

In the Netherlands the tough guys wore 3/4 leather jackets in 98/9

The Matrix was only released just a view weeks before the massacre, btw

I only got into high school a year after Columbine, so I don't know what it was like before. I remember seeing a few of the older guys walk around in trenchcoat-esque styles, though. I don't think the 'trend' took off here half as much as it sounds like it did in the States. (We had more of a bandshirt-phase and those freakin' wide pants and random chains that looked like they were coming out of your ass going on trend-wise..   )

thedragonrampant wrote:

I only got into high school a year after Columbine, so I don't know what it was like before. I remember seeing a few of the older guys walk around in trenchcoat-esque styles, though. I don't think the 'trend' took off here half as much as it sounds like it did in the States. (We had more of a bandshirt-phase and those freakin' wide pants and random chains that looked like they were coming out of your ass going on trend-wise..   )

Haha overzeas! I wore those in high school.. Dark times..

They were wearing them before the Matrix movies came out.

Yumeko-chan wrote:

They were wearing them before the Matrix movies came out.

That was what I said! The Matrix movie just came out a couple of weeks before the massacre. So, that couldn't be the reason, right?

They were wearing them for several years before the shooting. Not to look cool, but just 'cause they were warm.

And they weren't technically trenchcoats, right? I thought trenchcoats always had two rows of buttons and a belt, sort of more elegant, a-la Burberry

They were not trench coats, no. They were actually Australian dusters. A trench coat is actually a kind a rain coat made to wear in the rain/snow.

maninthebox wrote:

And they weren't technically trenchcoats, right? I thought trenchcoats always had two rows of buttons and a belt, sort of more elegant, a-la Burberry  

I think they were referred to in a lot of places as "dusters" or even "Australian dusters."

At my High school and where I live most kids wear them to stay warm or to hide food/drugs which the cops always end up finding one way or another. I Wear a more shorter/white Duster.

jettfyre80 wrote:

I was a senior in 1999 when Eric and Dylan were and I remember kids in my school (in Florida) wearing trenchcoats as well. This was before the massacre. I think it was inspired by The Matrix movies. Did kids in your school wear trench coats before Columbine?

I wouldn't call them trenchcoats as such, but a group of kids (me included) did occasionally wear long black coats pre-1999. I had two of them if i remember correctly but they were more of a girls version, one of mine was made out a cotton type material as opposed to leather. But i do remember at least one friend of mine owned one of the more traditional looking trench coats / dusters, although i think they wore that more for warmth rather than fashion. The actual trench coat / duster was never popular at my high school, but some form of long black coat was just something the goth kids would wear.

thedragonrampant wrote:

(We had more of a bandshirt-phase and those freakin' wide pants and random chains that looked like they were coming out of your ass going on trend-wise..   )

I cringe when i think about the amount of wide pants / chains i used to own. I still love my band shirts though   I had to wear a school uniform at my high school but you could get away with wearing a band hoodie as long as it wasn't offensive and you took it off in class. I would say for me personally and my group of friends this was more of a trend than anything else.

maninthebox wrote:

Duster mafia... TCM sounds cooler!

"Duster mafia"  

In Florida there was really no need for them, but kids wore them along with those huge baggy black "bondage pants" (that's what we called them with the straps and stuff hanging down). I remember one kid in particular would wear a woman's black trench coat and makeup and he was a guy. People in my school never teased him about it. It was like "Oh that's cool! He's being different."
I miss my school so much! lol I can't believe its been 15 yrs.

Yumeko-chan wrote:

They were wearing them before the Matrix movies came out.

Ahh ok. Everything before 2005 is a blur to me. lol

Trench Coats are one of the classic pieces that will never go out of style. I highly recommend the Burberry trench coats for those who can afford it. I would love to wear a trench coat but like Eric I'm very tiny and would look like I'm drowning in one like he did.

thedragonrampant wrote:

I only got into high school a year after Columbine, so I don't know what it was like before. I remember seeing a few of the older guys walk around in trenchcoat-esque styles, though. I don't think the 'trend' took off here half as much as it sounds like it did in the States. (We had more of a bandshirt-phase and those freakin' wide pants and random chains that looked like they were coming out of your ass going on trend-wise..   )

Better then a view years before that...trainingsuits and pumped up kicks with bold heads. Yuck! I hated the Gabber-look  

A close friend wore a trench exactly the same as E & D from 1995 to 1999. My sibling who was a senior student during Columbine got the speech from teachers about school shootings and violence. Kids with trenchcoats were looked at disapprovingly. You just could not wear a trench anymore after that.

jettfyre80 wrote:

Yumeko-chan wrote:

They were wearing them before the Matrix movies came out.

Ahh ok. Everything before 2005 is a blur to me. lol

I second that!  

when im in the rain i wear a trenchcoat because it reminds me of a raincoat

I just remembered that the 'rebel' character in 'The Breakfast Club' wore a trench coat.