As smoking has been an important part of human history for a very long time, it shouldn’t be a surprise that there have been dozens of interesting smoking accessories that have been used over the centuries. While many of these products deserve to be retired for good, there are nonetheless a few that deserve to have some more attention. Whether it be due to their fashion significance or sheer versatility and functionality, in this article we take a look at a few nifty smoking accessories that will not only enrich your smoking experience – they’ll help you look great while doing so!
Smoking jackets
In the same way that women used cigarette holders as a way to keep ash off of themselves while smoking, smoking jackets have traditionally been a very popular choice among men who wanted to smoke in a highly cultured fashion. Originally designed in the 1850s for keen smokers of the time, smoking jackets often looked like robes and were made of velvet or silk (or a combination of the two), and were often highly ornamental in appearance. Their position among gentlemen of the higher classes meant that smoking jackets were a highly regarded item of clothing, reserved only for the most prim and proper of the smoking elite. Although they often looked incredible as a garment, smoking jackets had a highly functional purpose – men put them on before retreating to their smoking rooms with the intention of having the fabric of the smoking jacket absorb the smell of the smoke, in addition to protecting his expensive clothing from any falling ash from either his pipe, cigarette or cigar. Although it might seem like a trend that finished up in the 19th century, smoking jackets continued to be popular throughout the 20th century as well, even being popular accessories with such popular personalities as Cary Grant, Dean Martin, Hugh Heffner and Frank Sinatra.
The smoking cap
Smoking caps carried much of the same purpose as smoking jackets during the 19th century, but for the most part acted as a kind of complementary piece to a smoking jacket. They were also worn to help absorb some of the smoke during a smoking session, but interestingly, smoking hats differed in that many were presented by women to men as a gift. This is because the intention of wearing all of this smoking garb was to prevent smelling like smoke around women, who were perceived as being quite delicate during this period of history, and as a result of this it became a kind of custom for this exchange to occur. Women often handmade these smoking caps, which allowed them to introduce a highly unique design just for their partner, but if a man were to buy his own smoking cap, designs were usually reminiscent of patterns from the Middle East or China, which were very much in vogue at the time.
Who doesn’t want to look great while smoking?
For anyone serious about having a nice, relaxing time while smoking, investing in a smoking cap and smoking jacket are great ways to not only look amazing while smoking, but to help prevent the related (and unwanted) smells of smoking. Plus, these accessories are fantastic for keeping you warm during the winter, and are even just a lot of fun to wear on their own!
