How did that happen?

It seems that after years, decades even, of being a man defined by his complete lack of style and elegance, I have somehow, accidentally, become fashionable. On Friday I had to attend a meeting at one of the college's other sites which I haven't visited for ages. One of my erstwhile colleagues greeted me and then looked at me and told me that I was looking stylish. Given that I was wearing what I always wear, which is about as unstylish as it's possible to get without actually wearing rags, I was somewhat taken aback. I suspected her of having a little joke. After all I was wearing a perfectly ordinary shirt and perfectly ordinary trousers, neither of which fit me terribly well since I went on my diet. What could she possible have meant? Seeing my look of utter bewilderment she explained to me that it was neither the shirt nor the trousers. It was the Parka jacket. Apparently they are now the height of cool fashion. Given that I've had mine for years, ever since I visited the Army and Navy stores shortly prior to my holiday in Iceland, it seems that not only am I fashionable for this brief moment, but I am a bona fide trend-setter.

I of course dismissed this as either a joke on her part or, at the very best, a little sartorial hyperbole.

Then today I picked up a copy of this week's Shortlist, a magazine for men that is handed out free on the nation's city streets. There, in the middle, is a long article, with lots of photographs, explaining how - in their words - "the ubiquitous outdoor staple is back on trend this season". One of the ones pictured is very nearly identical to mine. I am, it seems, at the cutting edge.

Of course the one that looks like mine has one big difference. It costs £250. My ex-Norwegian army one cost £45. Still, I should wear it every time I go out for the next couple of months. Being fashionable is a novelty that I'm not used to and of course it won't last. A little way down the road they will suddenly be supplanted by whatever the next trend is and I shall go on wearing mine because it's warm and waterproof and I won't be fashionable any longer. I will however, henceforth, at least be able to say that there was a time when I was.