Overcoat coherence

In my experience wearing that combination doesn't feel right so I don't.

As we are on then topic of topcoats, and I don't want to start a new thread just for this, do you think it's best to get a navy or dark grey topcoat if I only wear suits that are navy, charcoal, or mid grey at the lightest?

Edit: I didn't mention a black topcoat, but I assume that's not in favor on SF.

Badandy said:

As we are on then topic of topcoats, and I don't want to start a new thread just for this, do you think it's best to get a navy or dark grey topcoat if I only wear suits that are navy, charcoal, or mid grey at the lightest?

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Despos said:

If all your suits are grey or navy, get a very dark brown. It goes with both.

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I think that color would go well with the suits I mentioned but I can't help but thinking that a dark brown brings down the formality/city look a bit. I could definitely be wrong on this, thanks for the help.

Medium grey is another option I think

I don't think a deep rich brown in a solid color weave/finish is particularly country at all. Lots of men's city coats have been done in brown woolen over the years.



RDiaz said:

Yup, but the question is if it is coherent (in a sartorial way) to wear a navy, quite "formal" overcoat with something like a tweed jacket and brown flannels, not if anyone would care... it's sort of a technical question, because I do care myself

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I think the brown flannels would not be good with the navy overcoat.

I like overcoats that look like well-tailored suits, but just longer. Like so:

^ Nice coats! Despos has good advice (of course).

You're over thinking this, when its cold put on the coat.

RDiaz said:

Yup, but the question is if it is coherent (in a sartorial way) to wear a navy, quite "formal" overcoat with something like a tweed jacket and brown flannels, not if anyone would care... it's sort of a technical question, because I do care myself

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I wouldn't think twice because it's no incoherent.

How about this one?
http://www.styleforum.net/content/type/61/id/545062/

Badandy said:

Edit: I didn't mention a black topcoat, but I assume that's not in favor on SF.

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Black topcoats look smashing with black tie.

I don't wear that frequently enough to justify a separate black topcoat; a formal-ish dark navy coat works OK. But black is best with it, I feel.

A slim black, shorter topcoat can work nicely with some casual outfits too, I think. Moreso with some specific SW&D looks than the MC casual side of the equation, but still.

RDiaz said:

I've been thinking about this lately.

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Overcoats come in a huge range of formality levels. The formality comes from both the material and the style of the coat, just as with jackets & suits. So it does make sense to pair them appropriately. However, whether it's worthwhile doing this depends on how many you want to have, which itself depends on frequently you wear them and how varied your underlying wardrobe is. For instance, if you're almost never in business suits, then you really only need a more casual overcoat. If you're sometimes in business suits but more often in odd jackets or casual suits, then you might get away with a single overcoat if it's in a formal style but a slightly less formal fabric. If you wear lots of different styles regularly, and have to wear an overcoat lots, then you'll need more than one.

FWIW, I tend to feel the cold, so regularly wear overcoats between about Oct/Nov and Feb/Mar, so have five: solid navy (SB, formal), solid mid-grey (DB, also quite formal), chocolate brown (more topcoat-weight, really), very dark brown plaid Chesterfield, and a really heavy & long brown DB wilder plaid for the coldest days. If I had to manage with just one, to transition across a range of outfits, then perhaps bizarrely, I would actually choose the very dark brown plaid Chesterfield. The plaid is fairly subtle, the black velvet collar adds some formality, and the overall cut is quite smart. It can just about work with business suits, and is obviously very wearable with odd jacket outfits. It can even work with more casual outfits because of the fabric. It's not ideal for all those individual purposes, but it does just about work in all of them I think. YMMV, but that would be my advice if you want just one overcoat: very dark brown, in a fabric with some subtle pattern, but in fairly smart/formal-ish style.

Thanks, HF - I'm currently looking at two overcoats from EBay that are my size and located in the EU. Since I almost never wear a suit and I already have a more "formal" coat, I'm looking at more casual options. One of them is a brownish grey herringbone, double breasted, with wide winged lapels, just a little over the knee length. The other one is a grey, bold glen check, single-breasted, belted and with raglan shoulders, with a collar and lapels that look like the overcoat I originally posted; and knee-length. Both seem quite casual, specially the one with raglan shoulders.

Ideally, I'd want a polo coat, which seems to be in the middle of the formality scale according to what I've researched; also I think they look great. But I couldn't find any for a decent price that were my size and located in the EU... I've seen some brand new ones at brick and mortar stores, but I can't pay for retail.

My usual go-to brand sells wool + cashmere overcoats for €260 retail - I might be able to afford one of these instead. I still haven't seen what they're carrying this season, but they usually have a decent brownish grey herringbone Chesterfield coat available. That's a formal style in a not-so-formal fabric, how does it sound for my usual odd jacket + tie?