When I did the fall semester of my junior year abroad at the Harbin Institute of Technology 20 years ago, we were all encouraged to buy these big padded coats to survive the winter. The army ones were a dull green and available everywhere, but the navy ones were hard to find and a lovely blue, navy blue?, so all the stylish American exchange students got a blue coat. I was reminded of that when I saw this bum wearing one earlier this week.