Time to finally say goodbye to the embrace of an old friend

A well-made coat can get you through the coldest of winters. If it's good enough, it may protect you winter after winter, becoming an outer skin that you hang in your closet. It waits patiently from spring to fall, eager for a chance to yet again stand up to winter's chill.

Before coming to China in 2012, I did not own a heavy winter coat. I was living in the southern half of Florida, in the United States, where palm trees are common and winters are mild. It's also an area that attracts wealthy retirees fleeing the snowy winters of the northern US.

That also means that great deals are to be had in the area's secondhand shops, which are full of good-quality used clothing donated by wealthy people who frequently change wardrobes. My new bride and I made good use of that as we chose clothing for colder climes.

In one such place, I found a full leather, quilted coat. It was made in Pakistan of very heavy leather that was nevertheless soft and pliable. I could see how it would be wonderfully protective from the cold without requiring a person to bundle up in bulky clothing to stay warm.

The lapels were wide, a fashion trend that has been cyclical over the years, but which was last popular in the 1980s and '90s. The label was Oakwood Classic, which meant nothing to me.

The price was $35, which was a little expensive for a thrift store, but I decided that it was worth it.

The coat first proved itself on my half-hour walks home at midnight from the newspaper where I was a copy editor in Shanghai. That lovely city, especially on rainy and windy winter nights, can be wickedly cold.

Two years later, I moved north to the historical capital of Beijing, with its bone-chilling winters. Sometimes I would need a layer or two of shirts beneath my coat on the coldest days, but frigid winds would virtually bounce off my coat.

Year after year, I would welcome my old friend out of the closet in November. It would be a constant companion for about four months, and then it was returned to the closet to slumber through spring, summer and fall.

The top button had to be sewn on a time or two. Once, when my friend seemed a little sad, we had the leather reconditioned, which returned its healthy glow.

Now, however, the time approaches when I will return to a warm part of the Americas. It's a little sad to have to let it go－I'm amazed that after eight winters, it still looks great on the outside and just needs a little repair on the quilting inside.

It turns out that the coat I bought for only $35 has become somewhat of a collector's item. On eBay, an online marketplace, and at a few vintage clothing sites, Oakwood Classic coats that look like mine have been advertised recently for $100 to $200.

I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. Genuine vintage clothing has become popular and a big business. Leather jackets, used by pilots in World War II for protection from the cold, were popularized by Hollywood in the 1950s.

If anyone is interested in adopting my trusty old friend, let me know.