Coat Stands, Not All Of Them Get To Dance

I first fell in love with a coat stands when I watched one dancing with Fred Astaire in the 1951 classic film, A Royal Wedding. Of course, Fred ended up with the girl, not a coat holder, but just the same I knew that when I had a house of my own, I’d have one just like it. Of course, that was a very long time ago, but classic coat trees like the one that tripped the light fantastic with Fred are still available at better furniture retailers, along with some exciting new renditions. Not all of them can dance, but they all serve a quite useful purpose.

Coat stands, (also called coat trees or in some areas, hall trees) are designed for the express purpose of holding ones outerwear (coats, jackets, sweaters, hats, etc.) when you enter the house. This being the case, you’ll usually find them in the entry or foyer of the main entrance to the home. While some look like trees, others resemble benches with raised poles on either end sporting brass hooks to hang items. Many even include a metal bin for umbrellas.

While coat stands tend to get more use in the wintertime, wet weather gear often finds its way to the coat tree’s branches in warmer months, too. In homes with large families, it isn’t unusual to see a regular coat stand and a long row of hooks on the wall beside the door for hanging the rest of the household’s coats. After all, no one wants to have to lug a coat upstairs to hang it up.

As for me, I did manage to achieve at least that one childhood dream, and proudly hang my coat on a tree very like the one that danced with Fred in the movie. Mine doesn’t dance, but I love it anyway.