Philalethes
A-List Customer
- Messages
- 466
- Location
- Southern New Jersey, on a Farm
I was never a peacoat guy. I never understood the baggy black coats my friends would wear. And why did they have anchor buttons? They just didn't seem right to me.
Then a few months ago I tried on my father-in-law's peacoat - probably from the 60s or so. It was warm and comfortable. I liked the lapels. I didn't even mind the anchor buttons.
So I started browsing Ebay for a deal - anything with corduroy pockets. I became fascinated with the idea of the throat closure, so I kept an eye out for a WWII coat. A few weeks ago, I found one.
It is one of the best jackets I own. I usually do not like navy blue, but the midnight blue of the peacoats, which doesn't really come across in pictures, is superb. The coat is heavier than many knee-length overcoats I have worn. It is warm. I haven't worn it in rain yet, but it laughs off wind. And the throat closure is fantastic. While it isn't quite as warm as a scarf, since it doesn't sit right on the neck, it is adequate - and fun, since few wool jackets have that option. The corduroy-lined pockets are great. And the fact that the jacket is truly double-breasted - buttons up on both sides - is a detail I appreciate, even if I don't want to button up on the left like a girl. It just seems right that those buttons could be put to use, if I wanted them to.
Is there anything wrong with the coat? No, put it might be worth mentioning that a WWII peacoat is a very snug fit. My peacoat measures 20" underarm-to-underarm. My chest measures 37" (38"+ with layering), and the fit is slightly tight in the chest and restricting in the arms. If one likes a looser fit, one should either consider a later-era peacoat or go up one size - although the latter will not be an option for most of us: the largest WWII peacoat I have seen is size 42. Most for sale seem to be either 36, 38, or 40.
Then a few months ago I tried on my father-in-law's peacoat - probably from the 60s or so. It was warm and comfortable. I liked the lapels. I didn't even mind the anchor buttons.
So I started browsing Ebay for a deal - anything with corduroy pockets. I became fascinated with the idea of the throat closure, so I kept an eye out for a WWII coat. A few weeks ago, I found one.
It is one of the best jackets I own. I usually do not like navy blue, but the midnight blue of the peacoats, which doesn't really come across in pictures, is superb. The coat is heavier than many knee-length overcoats I have worn. It is warm. I haven't worn it in rain yet, but it laughs off wind. And the throat closure is fantastic. While it isn't quite as warm as a scarf, since it doesn't sit right on the neck, it is adequate - and fun, since few wool jackets have that option. The corduroy-lined pockets are great. And the fact that the jacket is truly double-breasted - buttons up on both sides - is a detail I appreciate, even if I don't want to button up on the left like a girl. It just seems right that those buttons could be put to use, if I wanted them to.
Is there anything wrong with the coat? No, put it might be worth mentioning that a WWII peacoat is a very snug fit. My peacoat measures 20" underarm-to-underarm. My chest measures 37" (38"+ with layering), and the fit is slightly tight in the chest and restricting in the arms. If one likes a looser fit, one should either consider a later-era peacoat or go up one size - although the latter will not be an option for most of us: the largest WWII peacoat I have seen is size 42. Most for sale seem to be either 36, 38, or 40.
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