Parka

Parkas and anoraks are staples of Inuit clothing, traditionally made from caribou or seal skin, for hunting and kayaking in the frigid Arctic.

Some Inuit anoraks require regular coating with fish oil to retain their water resistance.

[6] Up until about two years of age, the child nestles against the mother's back in the amaut, the built-in baby pouch just below the hood.

The mother can bring the child from back to front for breastfeeding or for eliminatory functions without exposure to the elements.

The outer shell material also was changed to a sage green cotton-nylon blend, with respective percentages 80–20, 65–35, and 50–50 being used at various times.

Original manufacturers of this parka for the government included Skyline, Southern Athletic, Lancer, Greenbrier, Workroom For Designers, Alpha, and Avirex.

The basic N-3B parka design was copied and sold to the civilian market by many manufacturers with varying degrees of quality and fidelity to the original government specifications.

adopted the orange lining and a slimmer fit when producing their VF59 model parka which is now more popular than the military version.

Following the end of the Second World War the US army recognized the need for a new cold weather combat system, resulting in four main styles of fishtail parka: the EX-48, M-48, M-51 and the M-65.

The name fishtail comes from the fish tail extension at the back that could be folded up between the legs, much like a Knochensack, and fixed using snap connectors to add wind-proofing.

It features a removable quilted liner made of light nylon / polyester batting which are modern synthetic materials.

Designed primarily for combat arms forces such as infantry, they are to be worn over other layers of clothing; alone, the fishtail parka is insufficient to protect against "dry cold" conditions (i.e. below about -10 °C).

Because of their practicality, cheapness and availability from military surplus shops, the parka was seen as the ideal garment for fending off the elements and protecting smarter clothes underneath from grease and dirt when on the mod's vehicle of choice, the scooter.

Its place in popular culture was assured by newspaper pictures of parka-clad mods during the Bank Holiday riots of the 1960s.

[11] It may have a full-zippered front opening, or pull over the head like an original anorak and close with snaps or a short zipper, has an integral hood, and elasticated or drawstring cuffs.