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The classic Chesterfield

Spatterdash

A-List Customer
Messages
310
In consideration of the coming fall and winter, I thought I'd mention an old favorite.

Of all dress coats for men, the Chesterfield may be the one coat style I consider eternally classic.
My trench is nice, going from a lightweight raincoat to a winter coat with the addition of the liner. It's versatile and practical and it's benefits well appreciated by this crowd, no doubt. But a smooth wool or cashmere coat, gray or tan, single or double breasted (I prefer double breasted with peaked lapels) topped off with that black cotton velveteen collar is simply the best and the one true item of elegance that can still be worn today without looking unusual, IMO.

I've read that the collar was intended to be removable, and was black to keep staining less visible. The one area of a coat that gets noticeably dirty seems to be the collar and the cuffs. So the Chesterfield could be any fine dress coat that has the addition of this collar protection, if I understand correctly.
That being said, was the velveteen layer slipped over the collar and kept in place with small buttons out of sight (under the collar and inside the shoulders)? Does anyone have a Chesterfield with the black collar attached and not removable? Has anyone taken a classic dress coat to a tailor to have it made into a Chesterfield? Anyone ever bought one off the rack?

For those unfamiliar with the Chesterfield, you will see a number of variants worn by the primary characters in the film "Mobsters" with Christian Slater. Not the best film of the era, but a fun one and the music is great.
 

Hemingway Jones

I'll Lock Up
Bartender
Messages
6,099
Location
Acton, Massachusetts
I love Chesterfields as well, though I have never had the pleasure of owning one. I saw a beautifully soft gray textured wool one with that black velvet collar recently, but it was too small.

They are the height of sophistication. A Homburg would top it well.
 

Marc Chevalier

Gone Home
Messages
18,192
Location
Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California
They've become a symbol of elegance (and the most appropriate overcoat to wear with a tuxedo), but in the 1800s and early 1900s, chesterfields were worn by every class of men. In the early '20s, Sacco and Vanzetti sported them with handcuffs on.

It was only in the 1930s -- in America -- that chesterfields began to be seen as "formal". Europe took longer to change its perception.

.
 

jml90

One of the Regulars
Messages
264
Location
NEPA
I just put aside a gray heringbone coat at my local tailor today they're putting the Chesterfield collar on it.
I went in for a trench coat....
 

herringbonekid

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,016
Location
East Sussex, England
I'm not a fan of the chesterfield. they have too strong a 'wide boy' or 'gangster' association in england. give the wearer a kind of cocky arrogance that i wouldn't feel comfortable with. now that suit on the right...that i would definately feel comfortable in !
 

Wild Root

Gone Home
Messages
5,532
Location
Monrovia California.
See, that makes no sense seeing if it were cold out the man would wear a top coat anyway. :rolleyes: An inch more of fabric isn't going to keep your gluteus maximus from freezing! lol... it's just silly.

=WR=
 

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