Purchasing an issue peacoat

[TWF]

Hello, this is my first post here.
I found this forum from searching about issue peacoats and found Peacoat's thread about dating them. I've decided to purchase one myself and I have a couple of questions.

First, where should I go to buy? The pickings are slim on eBay. I found this site through google, and the photos of the tags look legit but I'm a little wary. For one, they mention 'melton' wool for some pre-1980 peacoats, which conflicts with what Peacoat's post says.

Second, how is the sizing on them? I'm a very thin guy (roughly 33" chest). My suit size is a 36R but I usually need tailoring in the torso. I know issue peacoats run snug, but how snug? Would it be a bad idea to buy a 34R?

 

[Jeff M]

Hello, this is my first post here.
I found this forum from searching about issue peacoats and found Peacoat's thread about dating them. I've decided to purchase one myself and I have a couple of questions.

First, where should I go to buy? The pickings are slim on eBay. I found this site through google, and the photos of the tags look legit but I'm a little wary. For one, they mention 'melton' wool for some pre-1980 peacoats, which conflicts with what Peacoat's post says.

Second, how is the sizing on them? I'm a very thin guy (roughly 33" chest). My suit size is a 36R but I usually need tailoring in the torso. I know issue peacoats run snug, but how snug? Would it be a bad idea to buy a 34R?

THe site you are referring to was linked to in this concurrent thread;
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=53610
as a good place to look for vintage pea coats.
They also sell modern pea coats.
"Peacoats" thread (stickied at the top of this forum section) is a great one for helping people determine what era a peacoat comes from.

Re; fit....
In that same thread I linked to a an older thread where "Peacoat" goes into detail about peacoat sizing/how to measure them if they don't have a size on their label.

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=50805&highlight=peacoat+sizing

They fit "true to size"...a "bit" of a slim fit.

I wouldn't go for a smaller size. If you usually wear a size 36 R jacket, I'd get a size 36 peacoat.
If you went smaller it may fit your torso a tiny bit better...but I'd guess you would notice the chest being a bit tight.
Remember, these weren't made to be "taylored" items. They were mass produced to fit a variety of body styles of enlisted seamen.
A peacoat that is a bit large in the body on you will look just fine....and feel much better than one that is a bit tight in the chest.

 

[Jingo Mastapone]

I've found that peacoat sizing is very forgiving and that you can use this fact to achieve different results is you like. I wear a size 42 suit jacket and my size 42 peacoat fits great. I wouldn't call it slim. However, I also have a size 36 that fits very well too. It I would call a slim fit. So don't worry too much about the nominal size; lots of different sizes will fit most people just fine.

You do sound really slim, though, so I guess it would be wise to try to get a smaller size. I would say that a 34 would work just fine.

 

[TWF]

Thanks for your responses. I think I'll go with a 36R. If I buy one from vintagetrends that they claim is melton wool but was made in '58 (this one), can I be sure that it will actually be kersey?

Also, are they made in a way that makes the sleeves easy to hem? It looks like the 36R sleeves will come down over my knuckles.

 

[Jeff M]

Thanks for your responses. I think I'll go with a 36R. If I buy one from vintagetrends that they claim is melton wool but was made in '58 (this one), can I be sure that it will actually be kersey?

Also, are they made in a way that makes the sleeves easy to hem? It looks like the 36R sleeves will come down over my knuckles.

If you look at the "stickied" post on peacoat dating by "Peacoat", post #3 shows a close up photo of a tag from a ca. 1950's peacoat that is identical to the one shown on the coat you link to.

USN peacoats issued prior to 1980 were made of Kersey wool.
Ergo....this jacket is made of Kersey, not Melton.


I'd contact the seller directly and ask them if they made a mistake in describing the coat as being made from Melton wool.

 

[dep126]

Been looking at that site as well upon recommendations here. What lining do the vintage coats have? Seems the new ones have a full fleece lining. I would guess they would be quite warm. Are the vintage coats going to be as warm as a newer one based off the better wool?

 

[Jeff M]

Been looking at that site as well upon recommendations here. What lining do the vintage coats have? Seems the new ones have a full fleece lining. I would guess they would be quite warm. Are the vintage coats going to be as warm as a newer one based off the better wool?

I don't believe I have seen a peacoat with a "fleece" lining.
The official USN issued peacoats have, I believe, a quilted lining. Helps to make up for the Melton wool not being as warm as the Kersey wool used prior to 1980.

Pre-1980 issued peacoats have a simple lining...not sure what material it is. I believe it is satin.
It is not padded/quilted. Didn't need to be. The wool did the job.

 

[dep126]

Been looking at that site as well upon recommendations here. What lining do the vintage coats have? Seems the new ones have a full fleece lining. I would guess they would be quite warm. Are the vintage coats going to be as warm as a newer one based off the better wool?

 

[Jeff M]

Been looking at that site as well upon recommendations here. What lining do the vintage coats have? Seems the new ones have a full fleece lining. I would guess they would be quite warm. Are the vintage coats going to be as warm as a newer one based off the better wool?

I don't believe I have seen a peacoat with a "fleece" lining.
The official USN issued peacoats have, I believe, a quilted lining. Helps to make up for the Melton wool not being as warm as the Kersey wool used prior to 1980.

Pre-1980 issued peacoats have a simple lining...not sure what material it is. I believe it is satin.
It is not padded/quilted. Didn't need to be. The wool did the job.

Deja vu all over again. :lol:

 

[Peacoat]

Been looking at that site as well upon recommendations here. What lining do the vintage coats have? Seems the new ones have a full fleece lining. I would guess they would be quite warm. Are the vintage coats going to be as warm as a newer one based off the better wool?

Because the newer coats are made of a lighter wool, they have an insulated lining between the shell and the inner lining (which, as someone noted, pills up quite a bit). So they are as warm as the vintage coats, but not as windproof or as water resistant, as the older coats have a tighter and thicker weave to the fabric. The wind will cut through the newer coats a bit more, thus taking away some of the warmth in cold weather.

As noted above, the peacoat pictured on Vintage Trends website is made of Kelsey wool, irrespective of what the description says. I have found Vintage Trends to be fairly accurate in their descriptions, but everyone makes a mistake every now and then.

Edit Note: I see that after I started my answer, and before I posted it, there were other posts on the same topic. Sorry, but I was multitasking on another computer (planning a route for a motorcycle ride Saturday), and it took a while to finish this answer and post it. I believe between the three of us, we have well answered the question!

 

[dep126]

double post

Not quite sure how that double post happened but my apologies. My thanks, however, for all the helpful answers!

 

[Juanito]

Hello, this is my first post here.
I found this forum from searching about issue peacoats and found Peacoat's thread about dating them. I've decided to purchase one myself and I have a couple of questions.

First, where should I go to buy? The pickings are slim on eBay. I found this site through google, and the photos of the tags look legit but I'm a little wary. For one, they mention 'melton' wool for some pre-1980 peacoats, which conflicts with what Peacoat's post says.

Second, how is the sizing on them? I'm a very thin guy (roughly 33" chest). My suit size is a 36R but I usually need tailoring in the torso. I know issue peacoats run snug, but how snug? Would it be a bad idea to buy a 34R?

You are in Seattle. Can you make it down to Eugene, Oregon? Action Surplus in Eugene/Springfield has lots of genuine peacoats, and not the crappy later versions--mostly mid 1960's era jackets.

 

[TWF]

Yikes, sorry to necro this thread, but I settled on a coat. After happening across a 36 in a vintage clothing shop and finding that I swam in it, I ordered a 34R, 1968 issue, from vintagetrends. It arrived a few hours ago:

It fits great and is in excellent condition. As you might notice, it still has a patch sewn on to the left shoulder. I assume I ought to remove this, but does anyone know what the patch means?

 

[Michael Carter]

Looks like Aviation Electrician's Mate third class or PO3. I sometimes can't get my head around Navy enlisted ratings and ranks.

 

[TWF]

After some searching I concluded it was some form of petty officer 3rd class patch. I removed it because I want to actually wear the coat, not have it as a collector's item, and I don't want to look like some kind of navy poser (furthermore, I figure wearing the patch might be illegal as it could be construed as impersonating an officer).

 

[Peacoat]

Did you have a good experience ordering from Vintage Trends? I have recommended potential peacoat buyers have a look at their website, but have never dealt with them myself. Just wondering how you liked working with them.