Not many wardrobe items have had quite a history, like a trench coat. A couple of brands claim to be pioneers, but that’s not our focus. Besides being lightweight and waterproof, the coat also has multiple pockets and straps, making it functional as well. In this article, we’re going to be telling you what is a trench coat and how you can wear this cosmopolitan, versatile outerwear to look stylish and trendy while feeling comfortable at the same time.
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What Is A Trench Coat?
If you want to know what is a trench coat, you should start by studying it’s features and properties. Despite knowing so much about the garment, there’s very little that you know of it from a technical perspective. We know that it’s practical and extremely comfortable, but what more? Well, to begin with, it has some serious water resisting properties that can easily protect the wearer from harsh weather conditions.
Talking about the fabric that is used to manufacture trench coats, you have several options ranging from gabardine cotton to real leather. This indicates the durability of the outerwear. As for the standard and features used for identification, a trench coat can be identified by its double breasted silhouette that is further elevated by shoulder epaulettes, belts, side lapels, functional pockets (both internal and external), and storm flaps, etc.
The overall look of the trench coat is pretty military and uniform, and despite that, it can be used as a fashion model. The versatility of the garment proves it to be a wonderful outerwear for transitional weather. By now, we hope you understand what is a trench coat. But do you know the history of this incredibly elegant outerwear? Let’s touch basis with that, shall we?
What Is A Trench Coat – A Lesson in History
The classic trench coat has a much more interesting history than most people think it is. To find the trench coat’s origin, we have to rewind time to an era before world war I, or back then known as the great war.
This piece of apparel became a common sight in the first world war, where soldiers would use it in trenches to shield themselves from the rain and mud. Hence the name “trench coat.” Hollywood then adapted this style in its movies, and thus it came to the mainstream.
Trench Coats During The Great War
In the early days, the trench coat served the purpose of a stylish raincoat. The trench coat was originally made out of gabardine fabric praised for being waterproof while also looking good. If we were to ask a person back then, “what is a trench coat, and what purpose does it serve?” They’ll most likely tell you that it is used to cover the whole body against the rain & dirt.
During the great war, the hooded trench coat design was modified a bit and was sent to soldiers fighting in the trenches. Since carrying an umbrella in the middle of a war was not really an option, the trench coat quickly found itself on every soldier’s back. This is also where it got its name, which stuck with it to this day.
Hollywood Embraces Trench Coats
After the war, many actors and performers started appearing in Hollywood movies with trench coats. The usability of this coat combined with the style and looks made it an instant hit. Everyone was asking, “What is a trench coat, and where can I get one?” Men, especially business folk, were some of the biggest customers for trench coats. When we think of 20th-century cities and urban areas, men with long trench coats and hats, going about their life, come to our mind.
After a while, several female actresses and movie stars started wearing trench coats in movies and TV shows, which cemented the idea that anyone can wear a trench coat, no matter what gender they belong to.
What Is A Trench Coat In The Modern Era
Unlike some other clothing items from the previous century, the trench coat has remained relevant to this day. It is not a relic of the past that puzzles the modern generation into asking what is a trench coat. Some can even argue that it is more popular now more than ever, and their argument might be true. A trench coat is much more than a fancy raincoat now. It is a fashion icon and a centerpiece of any outfit you pair it with.
With the endless style, material, and color possibilities, the trench coat has found a firm place in an ever-growing fashion market, and it is not going anywhere, anytime soon.
What To Wear With A Trench Coat? Styling Tips
A trench coat is an elongated version of the coat with some defining features such as double-breasted, belt waisted, and epaulets. These particular features give the trench coat its unique look that we all love. Gaberdine was the fabric that was initially used. Gaberdine is a tightly woven fabric constructed to resist the rain and other weather elements.
Similarly, if we look at what is a trench coat’s original color, it was a khaki trench coat.
However, over time, the trench coat has taken multiple shapes and forms, and the definition of what is a trench coat and what isn’t has changed. You can find trench coats in almost all the typical colors and with numerous cuts and designs—versatility being its best feature.
The trench coat has an intrinsic tailored look to it, which means it can look formal or dressed down, unlike other standard pieces. It brings an aura of luxury and sophistication to any outfit design you wear.
Understanding Color Combinations
To answer this question, you should keep in mind these two crucial concepts to make your outfit trendy and elevate it to the next level.
1. Monochromatic Look
It’s all about color matching. Meaning, the color of each piece of your clothing should match around the central. For example, if you have a black trench coat, your shirt, leather shoes, and pants should be in the same color family and should complement each other as a group.
2. Color Blocking
The focus here should be on the centerpiece, and the rest of the clothing elements should be very color neutral. Say you have a beautiful blue trench coat, then your focus should be to wear a simple light-colored shirt and pants. The idea is to make the trench coat the focal point of your outfit.
3. Neutral Look
Not every occasion allows for a brightly colored neon pink trench coat. Luckily, the khaki history of men’s trench coat makes it a perfect clothing piece for monotone and neutral colors. This look also allows you to put emphasis on a vibrant accessory or other pieces of clothing.
4. Black and White
The solid black and white look with no patterns and prints neatly represents the modern minimalistic look. Unlike a neutral look, trench coats’ style can be used for both, blending in with the crowd and standing out from everyone.
Suit Up With A Trench Coat
A trench coat over a business suit is the look businessmen have been using for decades. Ever since the popularization of a trench coat as a fashion item, it is used by suit-wearing people in combination with a hat to protect against rainy weather. It looks stylish and classy while also doing the work of a raincoat.
Nowadays, there are many styles and options you can opt for and level up your suit-wearing game. If you want to rock a traditional suit while also being safe from the rain or the cold weather, a detective black trench coat is a perfect choice.
If the reason you want to wear a coat over your suit has nothing to do with the weather, then you have even more options and even more looks that you can go for. A well-matched and well-fitting trench coat will enhance your overall suit-wearing look dramatically.
Formal Looks With A Trench Coat
Because of its intrinsic formal cut, it’s best suited for this look. You can wear it over a simple shirt and tie or with a full-on suit; the trench coat will make you look like a millionaire. Its large size and adjustable waist make it possible to be used for both looks.
Casually Wear A Trench Coat
Similarly, if you want to mix things up and look formal, this look is perfect for you. Slap on a flannel or any textured shirt with a heavy or light collar, pair it with any dark-colored pants and leather loafers, and you’re dressed to impress.
Trench Coat For The Evening
This look ensures comfort while not compromising on style. Wear matching and fitted pants with either a casual shirt, sweater, or a turtle neck under your trench coat with leather boots of your liking, and you’ll be sure to catch many eyes.
Trench Coat for The Perfect Weekend Look
For this look, wear a hoodie, jeans, and your favorite leather sneaker. Bring it all together with a short-cut trench coat, and your good to go for any weather.
Trench Coat It Up With Prints
You can mix up different textures and patterns in your looks to create a contrasting harmony. For example, using a checkered trench coat with a striped shirt of slightly different hues will create interesting and fun combinations that’ll make you the center point of any room you enter.
Trench Coat VS Raincoat – The Polarity
While a standard trench coat is well equipped to keep your body dry during rain, they are not a replacement for traditional raincoats. Raincoats are made of plastics and polymers. In contrast, when we look at what a trench coat is made out of, it turns out to be usually fabric or even leather in some cases.
Another major difference is the addition of a hood. Unless you are wearing a hooded trench coat, your head is going to be fully exposed, and you will need an umbrella to stay dry.
FAQs
Trench coats are used mostly to stay dry and protect ourselves from the wet weather. It can also be used for staying warm if it is lined with wool on the inside. But, with the modern iterations, a trench coat has also become a fashion symbol. Spawning its own category and place in the fashion world and is worn just for its aesthetic properties as well.
There are classics such as wool trench coats for men and cotton trench coats. But synthetic fibers and leather are also utilized as their primary material. The used material doesn’t need to be water-resistant to become part of a stylish trench coat, nor does it have to be warm. It happens by default and so what that means is the properties are not a prerequisite.
For starters, the shape of the coat is the biggest clue. Coats designed specifically for men tend to be boxy in shape with straight-line cuts. Whereas, women’s trench coats are designed to fit the curves and are usually wider around the hip area. Other small differences include wider shoulders on men’s trench coats, and the arms are proportionally longer on men-oriented trench coats.
The best trench coats are stylish and functional at the same time. There are many options to go with, such as a long trench coat, a winter trench coat, and a leather trench coat with a hood. Each style has its own unique selling point and works best in different situations.
Anyone can wear a trench coat. The only thing to keep in mind, however, is to avoid oversized or undersized coats. Always find and wear a trench coat that is according to your height and fits you perfectly.
There are no hard and fast rules for the perfect length of a trench coat. In the old days, the coats were longer, but as the trench coat changed from a functional accessory to a fashion piece. A typical men’s trench coat is somewhere between 37 and 45 inches long. But this is more of a suggestion of what looks good on average. You might have to adjust the length based on your height.
Many people assume that a gun flap was used as padding for rifles when carrying them on a shoulder. But, if we take a look at the trench coat’s history, the gun flap was added to prevent water from getting inside the coat.
The word “double-breasted” is used to describe jackets and coats with two symmetrical columns of buttons that overlap in the middle. When we look for a trench coat’s most common configuration, we find that double-breasted coat design trendy.
In a single-breasted design, there is only one column of buttons on the trench coat. The overlap between both sides is also reduced. This removes extra fabric from the coat, which will look better on petite men and women.
The overlap is the section in front of the trench coat that contains the buttons. One side of the overlap goes under the other. The area that is overlapped depends on the design of the coat. A double-breasted coat has a bigger overlap than a single-breasted one.
A short answer to this would be yes! There are several trench coats style in 2023. As the winter is approaching, the fashion community’s focus is shifting toward leather trench coats.
Conclusion
The trench coat continues to be an icon in the fashion industry. Its place in consumer clothing is irreplaceable. It is crazy to think a military item from so long ago is so relevant today, yet its place in fashion is getting stronger by the day. Ask a soldier that was a part of the great war, what is a trench coat, and they will tell you that it is a reminder of their time spent in the trenches of war.
Ask a businessman in the latter half of the century, what is a trench coat, and they’ll say that the trench coat represents the economic growth and progress that was made after the cataclysmic wars. But for our generation, it is a part of how we represent ourselves to society. How we visualize our beliefs and personalities through our clothing.
