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God damnit i've turned 30! (Trench coat advice needed)

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I turned a corner some days ago. Leaving my 20's with a newborn son, new apartment and started a new education. So to celebrate this new and melancholic time in my life i have decided to finally buy the coat i've always wanted but never dared to buy...

The trench coat.

The coat i'm looking for is a double breasted coat in camel/beige that ends above the knees (but no shorter). I intent to use this as an everyday item and integrate it into my generel look (not just for special occasions). Now where i'm from (Denmark) it's not the most common garment and finding a way of utilizing it without seeming pretentious or make it too much of a statement is key.
I'm 186 cm / 6.1 tall and about 70 kg. My suit size is usually 48 and trousers 32. Shoulders a bit on the narrow side but nothing out of the ordinary.

I'm on the fence about a couple of things. Firstly wether or not to go the vintage route or not, and if so, can i get the fit/look that i have in mind.

which is:

https://www.thread.com/us/item/aquascutum-bogart-trench-coat-camel/1304590 (Aquascutum Bogart)

And what it is not: (Nothing wrong with these looks. It's just not what i'm going for)


It seems to me to be a high risk/high reward kind of garment. If you nail it, you look like a million. If you don't you risk looking like someone who went through their grandpa's old closet. I know the idea of the trench coat is to protect your suit underneath and therefor be a bit on the larger side. That's just not gonna fly with me.

So here's the question:Is it possible to go vintage and find some older models in smaller sizes to achieve these looks. I like the feel and the weight of the older models. They just seem to carry a bit more weight to them that i like. However i don't want to look boxy.

There seems to be a place between being a complete square and the hyper modern slim models that i'd quite like to end up in. Not too old school but not so slim to lose all the authority the coat also provides.


I have been trawling other posts on the forum but haven't yet found a satisfactory answer to this kind of question.:) Hope you can help.

From Tobias
 

Phileas Fogg

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Forgive me but perhaps you’re not looking for a trench coat.

first, they are very specific. If it doesn’t pass your knees then it’s not a trench. It’s a car coat or whatever else you want to call.

Second; it’s intended to be worn as outerwear. For that matter, all coats are meant to be worn as outerwear. Therefore, they need to have Some room for layering.

third, it’s a purpose built garment and, in my opinion, not that versatile.

there are plenty of other options in different materials, cuts and features outside of the narrow scope of a trench coat which, as you’ve already described, is not really what you want. Good luck.
 
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Thx for the reply.

Does that mean that, by your definition, the links from Burberrys modern coats aren’t trenchcoats? (Unless they reach the floor)

I don’t really care all that much about the terminology so lets call it a coat that looks like a lot like a trenchcoat.

The question i’m interested in was wether or not i can end up with a more modern fit, using vintage smaller than my usual 48eu. Maybe a 44-46?

If not then i’ll probably go for the modern ones.
 

Phileas Fogg

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I didn’t say reach the floor, but above the knee and it’s not a trench coat. Sorry, but you are the one who mentioned you wanted a trench coat but it helps if those you’re asking understand what it is that you’re looking for.

Also; I don’t understand what you mean by a “modern” fit. If you mean a trimmer fit, I don’t know. You’re best bet is to go and try them on. Coats from different brands are cut differently. You might be able to find a used Burberry coat somewhere but who knows if a smaller than normal size would work for you.
 

Panama

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DAKS, London Tradition, Grenfell and Private White VC are good alternatives to Burberry and Aquascutum. One of them does a nice car coat that is on my wishlist
 

dieworkwear

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The slim fit trend has been around for about twenty years, so I imagine you can find stuff on the second-hand market if you look hard enough. That said, most vintage trenches will be fuller. I think the larger challenge, if you're buying second-hand, is knowing whether something fits well from measurements. The fits on the second-hand market can vary wildly, and once you go beyond a very "standard" fit, measurements don't always tell you how something will look (although, I suppose, it's easier if you're looking for a slim trench).

Will say, I think the slim trend is past its prime. We're in a weird place where the most fashion-forward dressers are wearing more classic silhouettes, especially for things like trenches. I think trenches look best when they're fuller. This morning, I was reading a womenswear newsletter by a writer I really like. She mentioned that she recently bought a Kassl raincoat.

b93733960e75d90882e6ee4dddd3a60f803fd666.jpg



You can wear a fuller fit without looking like one of those Bogart types. It's all in the styling.

If you really want a slimmer raincoat, I think it's better to go for a mac, which is a single-breasted, turn-down collar design. But if you really want a slim trench, there are millions of them on the market nowadays, as the slim fit look started in the late 90s/ early aughts, and has since basically trickled its way into every shop imaginable.
 

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