Show Us Your OVERCOATS

[Benproof]

Not at all....have a peek over at the leather jacket thread and then the notion of 'too many coats' comes into mind

Yes we don't have brands like that. Either the British overcoat died somewhere between the Great War and the post-war, or its post-war scavenging mutation dwarfed into into a man-frock, then the peacoat. This kind is the worse offender:

It is so heavily sculpted that it cannot flow and sits in this frock position with so much darting going on that there is no expanse of uninterrupted fabric once you get up close. Shouldn't a proper overcoat, go 'over' a blazer and not be some kind of blazer with a skirt pulled out from underneath of it to make a peacoat?!

I love alpaca - as grizzily ticklish as it is

 

[Benproof]

Some old photos showing vintage overcoats. The first one is a crime scene, I've censored the dead bodies. The second photo is two plainsclothes police flanking some mobster. Everything looks normal until you see the height marker and notice that the tallest man is only about 5-6 or 5-7, minus hat.

The long coats make them all look like gangsters there!

Maybe now I know why I like long coats

 

[Michael A]

Some old photos showing vintage overcoats. The first one is a crime scene, I've censored the dead bodies. The second photo is two plainsclothes police flanking some mobster. Everything looks normal until you see the height marker and notice that the tallest man is only about 5-6 or 5-7, minus hat.

Great photos of coats and hats. I notice the guy on the right in the second photo has a pocket square in the coat breast pocket. Great trousers on him as well.

Michael

 

[Doctor Damage]

Here's some publicity photos and on-set photos of Alec Guiness starring at George Smiley in the original BBC television series. The first four photos of him standing in a market are not in costume, just publicity shots. The rest, with him wearing glasses, are in costume. The overcoat is the same, a dark blue. I couldn't find photos of the coat's back, but my memory is telling me that it has a fixed half-belt, no buttons, just a wool strap sewn into the side seams (but I could be remembering wrong). John Le Carre is the man standing with him in the last two photos. I like this coat because it's got only four buttons on the front, the lapels are wide but not in a 70s way, and the double-breasted overlap is considerable.

 

[Michael A]

Not at all....have a peek over at the leather jacket thread and then the notion of 'too many coats' comes into mind

Yes we don't have brands like that. Either the British overcoat died somewhere between the Great War and the post-war, or its post-war scavenging mutation dwarfed into into a man-frock, then the peacoat. This kind is the worse offender:

It is so heavily sculpted that it cannot flow and sits in this frock position with so much darting going on that there is no expanse of uninterrupted fabric once you get up close. Shouldn't a proper overcoat, go 'over' a blazer and not be some kind of blazer with a skirt pulled out from underneath of it to make a peacoat?!

I love alpaca - as grizzily ticklish as it is

That does look like it's cut about as close and short as a frock coat. Not that I have anything against frock coats, but they don't make good overcoats for sure.

Here's some publicity photos and on-set photos of Alec Guiness starring at George Smiley in the original BBC television series. The first four photos of him standing in a market are not in costume, just publicity shots. The rest, with him wearing glasses, are in costume. The overcoat is the same, a dark blue. I couldn't find photos of the coat's back, but my memory is telling me that it has a fixed half-belt, no buttons, just a wool strap sewn into the side seams (but I could be remembering wrong). John Le Carre is the man standing with him in the last two photos. I like this coat because it's got only four buttons on the front, the lapels are wide but not in a 70s way, and the double-breasted overlap is considerable.

A couple of classic designs on Sir Alec in this set. I like the slant on the pockets and the weighty look of the wool. I wish I could wear a coat with the aplomb he does.

Michael

 

[Michael A]

Today it's a Klee Bros and Co coat out of Chicago.
12-10-2016 Today's Clothes by Michael A2012, on Flickr
Raglan sleeves, zip out wool check lining, pass through pockets.
P1220298 crop by Michael A2012, on Flickr
A fair bit large for me as I bought it when I was a fair bit larger through the middle.
P1220282 crop by Michael A2012, on Flickr
P1220283 crop by Michael A2012, on Flickr
The union label says it is pre-1962, so I'm guessing sometime in the 50s.
P1220286 crop by Michael A2012, on Flickr
Too many pictures?
P1220304 by Michael A2012, on Flickr
P1220293 crop by Michael A2012, on Flickr

I think I have one more large one to go and then it's time to start cycling through them for the next 2 or 3 months.

Michael

 

[VintageEveryday]

I have an early 50s overcoat and I'm wondering if it's proper etiquette to wear it without a suit jacket underneath. Because it doesn't accommodate a suit jacket underneath on me. It's too small for that, but with just a sweater, it's fine. Was that commonly done back in the 30s-50s?

 

[rocketeer]

I have an early 50s overcoat and I'm wondering if it's proper etiquette to wear it without a suit jacket underneath. Because it doesn't accommodate a suit jacket underneath on me. It's too small for that, but with just a sweater, it's fine. Was that commonly done back in the 30s-50s?

Theoretically it's called an overcoat as it is meant to go over something be that a blazer or suit. i have just had a bespoke tailor(not an alteration specialist in a dry cleaners) shorten and take in the sleeves of an old coat. He asked me if I wore a suit or would it be just normal clothing so I guess it does not matter these days.
As it is not the, lets call it 'golden era', and things have changed a little in how we wear clothing I would say wear it how you like as I would.
I do mean to post a few pics, my Mrs does not like my coat because it looks old fashioned, but then a walk in our high street you see the same clothes with a slight modern twist. Probably as the clothes of the 30s did compared to those from 30 years earlier.
If you love it wear it how you wish.

 

[Doctor Damage]

^ what rocketeer said, if you like the coat wear it... there really aren't any rules

 

[Doctor Damage]

Michael

Not only is that a nicely proportioned and detailed coat, the weave is quite interesting. I don't know what that weave would be called but I've only seen it once before, on the following overcoat worn by Sir Nicholas Soames, a British MP (look closely at the headshot photo and you'll see what I mean).



He also wears a dark blue crombie, sometimes.

 

[belfastboy]

I have an early 50s overcoat and I'm wondering if it's proper etiquette to wear it without a suit jacket underneath. Because it doesn't accommodate a suit jacket underneath on me. It's too small for that, but with just a sweater, it's fine. Was that commonly done back in the 30s-50s?

I have a number of vintage cashmere overcoats that I purposefully purchased one size down so I could wear them without a suit jacket underneath. I love my overcoats and I don 't wear suits. Wearing them presents one of the few upsides to winter!

 

[Michael A]

Not only is that a nicely proportioned and detailed coat, the weave is quite interesting. I don't know what that weave would be called but I've only seen it once before, on the following overcoat worn by Sir Nicholas Soames, a British MP (look closely at the headshot photo and you'll see what I mean).



He also wears a dark blue crombie, sometimes.

Yes, it is a nice coat. And it was certainly the weave that first attracted me to it. My eyes aren't so good, but I think I can see the similarity with the coat photo you posted. I tried to get a good closeup of my fabric a couple of minutes ago, but it was too fuzzy. I need to set up the tripod I guess. I notice Sir Nicholas has a pocket square in the brown coat photos. And he is certainly in imposing figure.

Michael

 

[Hal]

I have an early 50s overcoat and I'm wondering if it's proper etiquette to wear it without a suit jacket underneath. Because it doesn't accommodate a suit jacket underneath on me. It's too small for that, but with just a sweater, it's fine. Was that commonly done back in the 30s-50s?

I don't think it was much done in the period you mention, but that's no real reason for not trying it. A relatively formal overcoat is surely best worn over a suit (or sports jacket) and tie, but many overcoats - especially those with raglan sleeves - are not formal and could certainly be worn over a jumper. I largely agree with what has been written by others except that I would find it strange to wear an overcoat directly over a "dress" shirt.

 

[Doctor Damage]

actor Michael Gambon in an interesting short overcoat (click for larger)

 

[Doctor Damage]

here's a very interesting Harris tweed overcoat which I saw on The Bay recently (click for larger)

 

[Doctor Damage]

large image of Guinness in Doctor Zhivago (click for larger)

 

[Doctor Damage]

Loden coats have always been a source of interest to me. Here's Prince Phillip in one with classic details (click for larger). The royal family's annual march to the Sandringham chapel for their Christmas service is interesting because the whole lot of them show up in overcoats. I'll post more photos from that event when I dig them out of my collection.



Here's a minor member of the royal family in a kid's size loden coat.

 

[tropicalbob]

I have a number of vintage cashmere overcoats that I purposefully purchased one size down so I could wear them without a suit jacket underneath. I love my overcoats and I don 't wear suits. Wearing them presents one of the few upsides to winter!

Exactly what I used to do. Yes, overcoats were meant to be worn over suits, but if you look at old photographs you'll see all kinds of variations. As we saw on another thread some time ago, in Europe during the mid-20th century leather jackets were often worn under topcoats. I always thought a cashmere overcoat over a heavy, turtleneck sweater was perfect winter casual attire, and, if it was bitter cold, a sport jacket was also involved. Later on I discovered the wonders of the Loden Coat, especially the Shneider's version. I think that sometimes, here on the Lounge, we overdo the idea that something "simply wasn't done:" my father's Uncle Harry, who worked with the gangster Dutch Shultz, was always impeccably dressed and would never have worn anything but a suit and tie under a topcoat, but his brother Tuggy, who (as the name implies) captained a tugboat around NY harbor, wouldn't have thought twice about wearing a sweater under one.

 

[tropicalbob]

Notice: Tweedydon has just posted one of the finest Loden coats to be found anywhere in the Classifieds. A gorgeous, warm coat with just a touch of military style at a ridiculously great price. I bought one thirty years ago and still wear it when I head up north in the winter.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Here's another Harris tweed coat (click for larger).