I noticed something on a rewatch about the arc of Aziraphale's coat. When it gets hit by that paintball, he says, "I've kept this in tip-top condition for over 180 years."
So, since 1839. 20-odd years before the fight / breakup in St. James's Park, which is the earliest we see it.
But wait, I says to myself, he wasn't wearing that coat in the 1940s Blitz scene in the church. He wears a different outer coat in that scene, one that looks new, made of a material that's stiffer and slightly shiny.
[Of course, one typically wears nicer and more uncomfortable clothes to one's wedding, and Crowley also looks very sharp and more buttoned-up than his typical look in this scene, but that's neither here nor there.]
After that, after Aziraphale realizes Crowley still cares for him despite their fight, and realizes he loves Crowley too, he switches back to the 1800s coat for good. When he appears in the Bentley in the 60s, he's back in the old coat, and he wears it every scene after that. [He does have that other gray cardigan-like jacket, but that's for relaxing in the bookshop only.]
In that argument in the park, he feels such a strong need to push Crowley away, for Crowley's own protection. (Every other resistance to collaboration, from the Globe onward, his argument is that *Crowley* would be in danger if they were found out; only in the park fight does he argue that *he* might be in danger. He's saying to Crowley that they need distance to protect him, Aziraphale, because even in his agitation he knows that Crowley's #1 motivator is protecting Aziraphale). Maybe after that, he tries to move on, switch to a modern new coat. And maybe Crowley coming for him again in the church lets him know it's okay to be himself again, to go as slow as he needs to, because Crowley will always come back for him.
Aziraphale's Blitz coat looks much more similar to the jackets worn by the other angels. Take a look at Michael and Uriel's jackets here. They are stiff and have that sheen to them, and the lapels point up.
Like Aziraphale's Blitz jacket.
Compare that to the lapels on his trusty old coat. This coat is soft, just like Az. And the lapels point down.
Okay, okay, so what about demons? We know they deliberately did the miracle gestures with Aziraphale's snap pulling something down from Heaven and Crowley's pulling something up from Hell. If the angels have upward-pointing lapels, it would make sense for demons to have downward-pointing lapels, if my theory is going to hold.
Yup, that checks out. Hastur and Ligur have floppy sad ugly lapels that droop down toward Hell.
So, the final piece to this puzzle.... how about Crowley's lapels?
Outrageously spiky upwards-pointing lapels. Because of course. I rest my case.
[Okay, a couple of caveats. (1) I'm not an expert on fashion or clothes, so I welcome corrections and additions. (2) It's possible that Az's soft, favorite jacket is a summer jacket and the stiffer one he wears in the Blitz is a winter jacket. Not clear what season it is in that scene. (3) Stay tuned for a follow-up post about Gabriel and Beelzebub's lapels. (4) Also, I haven't compared any of the other outfits throughout history, and I only looked at Crowley's 2019 jacket. (5) Sorry if the gifs are weird, I don't really know what I'm doing. (6) Also sorry if this has already been discussed; I try to only post stuff that I haven't seen elsewhere, but I know I'm late to this party!]
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