I can’t wait till it’s cold so I can really start dressing.
So it’s cold now, but have you really started dressing? As someone who lives in a place that gets harsh winters, there’s an irrefutable upside in being able to add more layers and more layers to the fit. More layers just means showing off more clothes at the same time. The whole fit is greater than the sum of all its parts, but I’m here to tell you there’s one part that’s greater than the rest, outerwear. And in this case, a big coat (literally and figuratively) is the quintessential piece of clothing this season.
My apologies to all the homies who live in a place where it doesn’t get cold enough, but coats come in all fabrics, shapes, and sizes, and we’ll find something for you too. Coats have traditionally been seen as a #menswear item, and there has been a tendency to shy away from them because they are too ‘dressy’ or ‘formal’. You can pretty much throw that out the window, I would bet your favorite brand probably has a coat offering this season. The right coat will elevate any look or outfit you plan on wearing with it. As it usually is with these things, fit is king. Choosing a coat can be a daunting task, but if you’re reading this it’s not too late, you’re already halfway through the battle.
The first step in choosing your coat is finding the right fit. The versatility of your coat has a lot to do with the way it fits, you want just enough room to be able to layer it with a hoodie, but not too big with just a tee. Let’s call it a ‘relaxed fit.’ You want the coat to drape on top of you, when you put one on that fits well, you’ll know what I mean In terms of length, anywhere between the thighs and knees is a safe bet. Yes, that means eliminating peacoats from the equation. Peacoats definitely lean formal and traditional, and I’d argue if you’re gonna go double-breasted, you might as well go all the way.
With the fit out of the way, it’s a good time to review the different types of coats. This will narrow down your selection based on the style you want.
Most of the differences come in the collars. We have the Top Coat, which is the most common and straightforward. It has a single lapel and typically has 3 front buttons. No flash, no frills. The next is the balmacaan or sometimes known as the car coat. These coats typically have more buttons running through the whole coat and a higher collar that resembles more of a shirt collar. Lastly, you have double-breasted coats, my personal favorite. Similar to a topcoat but with the extra detail of having the coat overlap with itself when it’s buttoned up. I know some are gonna ask, well what about a trench coat? It’s really just a double-breasted coat with lighter materials, typically cotton or nylon. Lastly, there are hooded coats. These typically have toggle enclosures and are typically wool. To keep things simple, let’s stick with these kinds of coats and go from there.
There’s an almost infinite amount of fabrics and materials to choose from, but wool is the most standard. Like I said earlier for the homies who are un/fortunate enough to live in warm places during these times, you can get lighter materials like cotton or nylon to fulfill your coat dreams. Most coats you’ll come across will have some blend of wool though, and this is pretty standard across all types. The upside of course is there are so many different patterns and colors you can choose from. This is the part I try to convince you NOT to get a black coat. I totally understand the appeal of just getting a black coat and being done with it, but I’m a big advocate for having a statement coat.
The beauty in a coat is it’s almost its own thing, so you can get away with more than just a black wool topcoat. There are a ton of gorgeous patterns to choose from like herringbone, tweed, houndstooth, plaid, etc etc etc. And most of these patterns work great with each other as long as you’re not clashing colors. If you are deadset on getting a black coat, focus on the details. Consider a double-breast, or a balmacaan, just something to elevate the look without forcing it, maybe you can even go GORE-TEX. The possibilities are endless, and I know having too many options is not always a good thing, so start with your favorite brand and go from there. AwakeNY, who I wouldn’t normally think of for this sort of item, has made 2 of the best coats of the season.
To narrow down your list of choices, here are some of my picks at varying price points. Uniqlo and Abercrombie are the best budget choices in my opinion. Both punch above their weight when it comes to pricing. Uniqlo is always great for wardrobe staples and it’s no different here with coats while Abercrombie will give you trendier options. One of the coats I get asked about the most is surprisingly from Abercrombie, so don’t be so quick to dismiss them. As I mentioned earlier, Awake NY has 2 gorgeous double-breasted coats and is a great option in the mid-range. Thisisneverthat’s Harris Tweed Coats are also great in this price range. The Beams Plus Balmacaan Patchwork Coat is my favorite coat of all time, it took me 3 years to track down, but luckily for you, they’ve brought it back this season at various retailers. If you only live luxe, the 4S Designs Morning Coat is one of the most exquisite pieces I’ve seen.
The biggest thing when it comes to wearing these coats, or pulling them off, is just to not overthink it. My go-to winter fit is just tossing on a coat on top of a sweatsuit. At this point, you must be thinking ‘a coat and a sweatsuit?!’ If you’ve never tried this before, I guarantee it will change your life.
See, the coat is really just a cheat code, and this is the perfect look to test it out with. Take a look at this campaign from Drake’s, one of the biggest names in menswear and tailoring, we can see Josh Peskowitz effortlessly and expertly pairing his coat with a very understated sweatsuit and some Grey New Balances.
Here’s a look at Aimé Leon Dore showing they were so ahead of the game in 2014, styling a camel coat with some sweats and Chicago 1’s.
What I’m trying to say is, getting dressed is about to be so much easier for you this season, it starts and ends with a big coat.