In the 17th Century, Anne of the Rack decided to make a coat with a convenient hood on it, that kept out the rain. Naturally she was accused of witchcraft from not getting her hair wet, and thus she was sentenced to death. She narrowly escaped the executioner's blade when he chopped her hood off instead of her head.

Then she escaped from the big castle by using the hood as a parachute. After many years in hiding she opened a shop in the woods to show others her wonderous creation, and thus the Ann-o-rak was born. If you believe this, you probably believe anything.

Seriously Now...

Anoraks were originally made from caribou or seal leather, invented by the Caribou Inuit (Eskimo) of the Arctic region, who needed clothing that would protect them from wind chill and wetness while hunting and kayaking. Certain types of Inuit anoraks have to be regularly coated with fish oil to keep their water resistance.

The word 'Anorak' comes from the Kalaallisut Eskimos. It did not appear in English until 1924; an early definition is "gay beaded item worn by Greenland women or brides in the 1930s". In the early 1950s it was made from Nylon, but changed to poplin by 1959, when it featured in Vogue magazine as a fashion item.

The words anorak and parka are now often used interchangeably, but when first introduced, they described somewhat different garments, and the distinction is still maintained by some.

In Britain, the word anorak is also a term for people whose interests are perceived to be nerdy, or who have more expertise in an arcane topic than seems rational.

Anoraks are very fashionable these days. It's amazing how many people wear Anoraks. If you go to the right places you can suddenly see legions of them.

Peter Storm - King of the Anoraks

Peter Storm was founded in 1954 by Noel Bibby. The company soon became famous for innovative design, helped by Bibby's experiences with the Royal Marines in World War II and his passion for outdoor clothing. Bibby, who passed away in 1989, helped to establish Peter Storm as a successful outdoor brand across the globe.

A highlight of the range, the Peter Storm cagoules became hugely popular in the late 1970s and the early 1980s following the emergence of the football casual subculture. They were paired with split Lois cords or bleached drainpipe jeans as well as the latest training shoes.

This look is captured in last year's Awaydays (based on the novel by Kevin Sampson) with the clothing of 'the Pack' but the film makes use of replicas (produced by Adidas) as opposed to the real thing.

The look quickly evolved and other labels became more prominent, but the recent vintage craze has ensured that Peter Storm cagoules have and will remain an iconic piece of clothing for casuals and outdoor enthusiasts alike.

There were more iconic cagoules of the eighties. Izod Lacoste and Patrick both became famous for their efforts, but king among them were the Peter Storm cagoules, true icons of terrace style which became famous when worn by match going lads during the explosion of casual culture in the late seventies.

Casual Connoisseur

Some say, that the Casual Connoisseur (www.casualco.com) might be producing a direct replica of the Peter Storm cagoules and anoraks.

The original cagoules were indeed fairly innovative at the time with such advances as increased breathability, the Connoisseur cagoule will be updated yet further with several technical advances being used to bring a new slant to this classic piece of outerwear.

You may think that these anoraks and cagoules are little more than a rip-off of the original efforts, they do indeed have the blessing of Mr. Paul Bibby, Noel Bibby's son and successor at Peter Storm until its takeover by Millets. He's even gone as far as to give them the manufacturer's he used and personally we think it's nice to see a label go about a reinvention in the correct way.

Details are scarce at the minute but we believe that the cagoule will be available in three different colours. Any preferences, anyone?