Trench Coat - the 'Ultimate' Thread!

[Doctor Damage]

Some scenes from Foreign Intrigue, which I'm halfway through watching.

 

[moehawk]

^ You got lucky, man: that's an excellent coat and you should have paid a lot more!

I was going to say the button config is the later version, but you found the tag which proves it. As to the different manufacturers, it's possible the coat and liner weren't issued together but one never knows with older military stuff. The supply sergeant who tossed it over the counter didn't give a damn about the manufacturers, you can be sure of that!

Thanks! I'll feel even luckier when the rain starts!

 

[Big J]

I'm sure I've said it somewhere before, but I'll say it here again;

I use a black cane-handled umbrella as a parasol when I'm wearing a suit in summer here, but when it's raining and the wind is blowing, I can't stand the attention an umbrella demands. Because of this, I've been wearing a What Price Glory trench coat for the last 5 years, with one of John Penman's excellent Casablanca fedoras.

The WPG trench coat is awesome quality and has a heavy sturdy feel. I've taken out the wool liner, and have never needed to use it. The buckles are a little 'rough' and would benefit from a little filing to remove some burrs, but the quality is very, very good overall; heavy tight weave cotton with oilskin interlining. It's always kept me dry.

And with one of John's bespoke beaver fedoras, to can't go wrong IMHO.

There's a reason Humph chose this look; it was timeless class, and it still is.

I always wear mine with a blue silk polka dot scarf from Aero, a la Micheal Redgrave in The Lady Vanishes (1938).

The thing is, if you wear this, you look like a movie star, so you better have the confidence to pull it off, or these clothes will wear you.

The older I get, the easier it is (I'm 45 now), but sometimes I still don't feel up to it, and step out in gore-tex and sweats.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Burberry coat, good condition, mostly. It's hard to tell condition from photos but if you look at the components/ingredients tag you can gauge how much wear: that tag will be fully legible on a nearly new or lightly used coat, but on a well-used coat the white lettering rubs off as in the photo below. That's not to say it's not in good shape, or fully wearable (in fact they look better with a bit of 'character') but if someone is describing a coat as "new" when the tag looks like this, then they're lying. Also, note the back of the collar in the rear photo - the throat flap has pulled loose at the pointed end on the left, which means it's no longer sewn down. This is a damage which I've seen on several coats. Burberry sews it on with a small triangle, which I assume is sometimes insufficiently strong for regular use, hence sometimes it pulls away. It could be sewn down again by someone competent, but just be aware when buying used.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Here's a couple of official images from Aquascutum. The first photo shows their classic Filey raincoat, still available, hanging alongside two of their more modern shorter trench coats (they still offer a long traditional trench coat, now called the Bogart, as others have posted about previously in this thread). The second photo shows the Princegate, a coat available only in Japan, for some reason. The really short rain flap, which doesn't hang free, is actually a very traditional Aquascutum detail which you see on coats from the 1940s and 1950s.

 

[bn1966]

Here's a couple of official images from Aquascutum. The first photo shows their classic Filey raincoat, still available, hanging alongside two of their more modern shorter trench coats (they still offer a long traditional trench coat, now called the Bogart, as others have posted about previously in this thread). The second photo shows the Princegate, a coat available only in Japan, for some reason. The really short rain flap, which doesn't hang free, is actually a very traditional Aquascutum detail which you see on coats from the 1940s and 1950s.

looks like a 16D to me

 

[Doctor Damage]

looks like a 16D to me

That's a private joke, for those who are wondering what BN1966 is talking about. Recently I had told an e-bay seller that the trenchcoat they had listed in the men's outerwear category was actually a women's coat (rain flap on left side, tag size 16D). The seller thanked me politely, but said it really was a men's coat and her grandfather use to wear it. Things that make you go hmmm...

 

[bn1966]

You don't need to justify yourself Doc..we are living in an enlightened Society..Sorry couldn't resist it Some Ebay sellers can be a Drag ..think I've had too many Beers Tonite.....

 

[Doctor Damage]

Mitchum in "Out Of The Past"

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[/URL]

 

[Doctor Damage]

Joel McCrea in "Foreign Correspondent"

 

[Trenchfriend]

Burberry coat, good condition, mostly. It's hard to tell condition from photos but if you look at the components/ingredients tag you can gauge how much wear: that tag will be fully legible on a nearly new or lightly used coat, but on a well-used coat the white lettering rubs off as in the photo below. That's not to say it's not in good shape, or fully wearable (in fact they look better with a bit of 'character') but if someone is describing a coat as "new" when the tag looks like this, then they're lying. Also, note the back of the collar in the rear photo - the throat flap has pulled loose at the pointed end on the left, which means it's no longer sewn down. This is a damage which I've seen on several coats. Burberry sews it on with a small triangle, which I assume is sometimes insufficiently strong for regular use, hence sometimes it pulls away. It could be sewn down again by someone competent, but just be aware when buying used.

Nice! And polycotton is never a bad thing! Surely ultra-robust.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Nice! And polycotton is never a bad thing! Surely ultra-robust.

Like you I prefer blends, for the water resistance and robustness.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Mitchum in Burberry.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Good close-up views of the Burberry throat latch in operation.

 

[Hal]

Like you I prefer blends, for the water resistance and robustness.

I once had an excellent coat in Grenfell cloth, no less, whose water-resistance was truly excellent; but, being all-cotton, its cuff edges frayed quite badly after a time.

 

[Doctor Damage]

London Fog coat, from a few years back. They don't make these classic designs anymore as far as I can tell.

 

[bookster1uk]

I kept a London Fog for years. It wasn't the best fitting choice. I had to get a "tall" in order to get the sleeves to fit at all, and even then, when sitting my suit cuff would stick out way too far. And the length of the bottom was too long. I would step on it walking up stairs. I even bought a second one used online, when I found London Fog had gone out of business.

I looked around and found they were beginning to be very rare. Burberry still offered one but it was $1000. Way too much! I kept an eye out and about two years ago Bookster offered one that was perfect. It was pricy but several $100 less than the Burberry. I kept an eye out and when they did a 20% off offer I pulled the trigger. It turned out to be a beautiful coat. It is the standard khaki color, but has a mossy undertone to it depending on how the light hits it. It also corrected the size problems with my London Fog. The sleeves were a touch longer. Or perhaps just better fitting arm holes. And the length was a touch shorter. Still below the knees but not so far that I walk on it.
Checking back though, they no longer have it offered on their website.

We shall be bringing the Trench Coat back in due course, our aims these days are to make to a standard not simply a price and work back from there. The TC typified the start of our move in that direction. That said we are mindful of our roots and that not all of our customers are flush so we continue to offer even higher standards than when we started and that the range includes garments within reach of all. We are also able to introduce models now we could only dream of in the past Take a look http://www.bookster.co.uk/men/ready-to-wear/bookster-heritage-collection/

 

[PADDY]

Please note that the TRENCH coat is a double breasted raincoat with belt and epaulettes. The ones being shown with a single breasted and no belt is a TOWN coat (as per HRH Prince Phillip ).

Just a point Gents. Thanks.

 

[Trenchfriend]

An alltime-question, for example:

Is a trenchcoat without shoulder-straps a trenchcoat or not?

I would say, it's not. To me, a trenchcoat without the typical officers-greatcoat features is never a classic trenchcoat. But, maybe, some people don't find it that important.

 

[-Ariel-]

So, does anybody knows what is the trench was in 'Casablanca'? It is not the Aquascutum or Burberry, because they making only reglan sleeves.