A Closet Staple for any Gentlemen – The Men’s Classic Pea Coat

One of my personal favorites in my closet is my very own tried, tested and true wool pea coat. Great for autumn days and cool summer nights. If you like me and was at first thinking what’s a pea coat? Well, Pea coats are wool coat or jacket depending on how you’d like to call them normally double-breasted and originally worn only by sailors. When I heard that the single part of my mind thought “women love a guy in uniform” I bought my pea coat in classic navy blue, it’s made of heavy, course wool which protects me from harsh weather up here in Canada.

Just so we clear things up pea coats are not named after the vegetable. Back in the day let’s say in the early 1700s, pea coats were made from pilot cloth, this cloth had a rough course outside and a smooth nap like inside. Later the name pilot cloth was replaced by the abbreviated form of P-cloth. The jacket soon became referred to as a P-jacket, and later, a pea coat.

There we go an uncommon fact that can make you look smart when people ask you about your jacket.

Today, classic pea coats are still seen and used in the Navy, but like many other military items like dog tags, they have gained popularity with civilians and now are a fashion trend around the world. Pea coats are worn as work coats, overcoats, and even dress coats. You’ll find businessmen and college students, blue collar workers wearing them. Authentic pea coats will be made double-breasted with a melton shell, full fleece lining with satin sleeves and yoke, slash pockets, cash pocket, inside breast pocket, convertible collar, wide rounded lapels, vented back with parallel tack, and of course, the traditional anchor buttons.

Since pea coats are slightly bulky due to the wool, they are normally fitted and snug. It’s suggested that you go up a size for a comfortable fit

Normally boring there are incredibly stylish pea coat designs that offer a great selection. You’ll now find the use of camel, engraved buttons and the silky smooth interior lining on most coats. Also, the patch pockets and the half belted cuffs make the classic pea coat a definite buy before the weather turns sour. You’ll be hoping for the cold air to roll in just so you can pull this out of your closet on a Saturday morning to take a fashionable stroll with starbucks in hand.

Let’s be honest this is a coat, it has the harsh takes of keeping you warm in crappy weather. If you take care of it, it will last well in to six of seven seasons. By then you'll wear it simply for nostalgia’s sake and you'll think of all the stories, chance encounters and confidence your coat gave you along the way.

These coats do, however, have a distinct upper-class town and country feel to them, so you’ll have to keep a few dress shirts and clean jeans at the ready to this genre to keep this coat as a functional addition to your wardrobe. Pea coats, like most military paraphernalia, reflect the roughness and durability of goods designed for use by military men.

Remember, men in a uniform.