Annoraaq is an Inuit word for a hooded garment which was usually made from animal skins. The word and the garment have been much ‘westernised’ over the decades and Blacks of Greenock were one of the first to introduce the ‘anorak’ to the outdoor fraternity in the 1950’s using cotton, canvas and in this case ventile instead of animal skins. Just about every outdoor person wore an anorak in the 1960’s along with the rather ‘geeky’ trainspotting fraternity who gave rise to the modern, slang version of the word, translating as a somewhat obsessive person focused on one particular person or sport. Anoraks (the clothing version) were warm and cosy, with the hood making it even more so. There were oiled cotton versions and this ventile one which kept out the rain (some of the time!) negating the need for a waterproof. Putting them on and off over the head was a hassle and various zip up jackets along with fleeces and lightweight waterproofs sounded the death knell for anoraks though they are still available and there has been a mini revival of ventile versions. The word and the garment has taken another curious twist in the past couple of decades…it is now called a ‘hoodie’