Questions About the United States Navy Peacoat

[spoonbelly1950]

I could have opted for one of my duffle coats or Barbour Beaufort jacket because I'm typically an Ivy/preppy kinda girl, but there is just something about wearing a piece of American history, in this instance a U.S. Navy WWII peacoat. The burning question, however, is: Collar—popped or not? Edit: I didn't make the connection immediately to the signifiance of wearing this WWII peacoat on this day. I hope my post also comes across as a respectful tribute.

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A tropical look for a Peacoat. Those photos look great!!

 

[Preppy Climber]

A tropical look for a Peacoat. Those photos look great!!

Thank you, @spoonbelly1950! Believe it or not, it does get chilly in Surf City USA.

 

[Peacoat]

Thank you, @spoonbelly1950! Believe it or not, it does get chilly in Surf City USA.

Chilly? What is chilly for you, maybe 50°?

Earlier in the week, it was 17° here. That's chilly.

 

[Herrvallmo]

I could have opted for one of my duffle coats or Barbour Beaufort jacket because I'm typically an Ivy/preppy kinda girl, but there is just something about wearing a piece of American history, in this instance a U.S. Navy WWII peacoat. The burning question, however, is: Collar—popped or not? Edit: I didn't make the connection immediately to the signifiance of wearing this WWII peacoat on this day. I hope my post also comes across as a respectful tribute.

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I love that outfit, really gives me some ideas for dressing up my peacoat(one of the reason I love it, can be dressed up*somewhat* while still not being as stiff as an overcoat)!

 

[Preppy Climber]

I love that outfit, really gives me some ideas for dressing up my peacoat(one of the reason I love it, can be dressed up*somewhat* while still not being as stiff as an overcoat)!

Thank you! The peacoat I'm wearing in the pics is a size 32, perfect for one or two light layers underneath. I also have a size 34 that I can comfortably wear a sport coat or blazer underneath because yes, peacoats can be dressed up or down!

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

I could have opted for one of my duffle coats or Barbour Beaufort jacket because I'm typically an Ivy/preppy kinda girl, but there is just something about wearing a piece of American history, in this instance a U.S. Navy WWII peacoat. The burning question, however, is: Collar—popped or not? Edit: I didn't make the connection immediately to the signifiance of wearing this WWII peacoat on this day. I hope my post also comes across as a respectful tribute.

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Since nobody has answered your “popped collar or not” question i will.

If ever a collar was made to be popped it is the pea coat. All other’s bow to a popped pea.
Pop that collar proud, fluff out those labels, buttoned, unbuttoned it doesn’t matter. It’s a look only a pea coat can provide.
Only prob is it pushes up my hats sometimes.
Looks darn good down too!
B

 

[Preppy Climber]

Since nobody has answered your “popped collar or not” question i will.

If ever a collar was made to be popped it is the pea coat. All other’s bow to a popped pea.
Pop that collar proud, fluff out those labels, buttoned, unbuttoned it doesn’t matter. It’s a look only a pea coat can provide.
Only prob is it pushes up my hats sometimes.
Looks darn good down too!
B

Thank you, @AbbaDatDeHat! I do love the popped look! I haven't worn one of my newsboy caps in a while. I'll have to see whether the popped collar has an effect on the placment of my cap.

 

[Gibby's dog]

Hello ladies and gentlemen, after recently discovering this gem of a thread I've signed up to join the fun, but also to seek some guidance if the connoisseurs here are able to oblige.

I'm looking for a peacoat but not sure which size I should be looking for. Living in blighty presents some limitations, peacoats are like hens teeth so wombling off to your local surplus store to try some on is a non starter. So,here goes. I'm 5' 5" tall with a 42" chest and 34" waist. I have a mid thigh length overcoat with a 38" chest I can fit into wearing a shirt, which I wear when socialising or to work when I don't need to wear a suit jacket. It's a close fit, not tight and is very comfortable. I have another overcoat that is larger with a 42" chest which I wear for work because I can wear a suit underneath.

The question for the experts is what size do you think I should be focusing my efforts on? My intention is to wear it with either just a shirt or a jumper underneath, just like my closer fitting overcoat.

Ideally I'd like a wartime 8 button showing peacoat but failing that an immediate post war 6 button showing would be a good compromise. The reason I'm focused on the wartime version is I'm a bit of a WWII geek, I'm surrounded by 8th AAF airfields where I live in the UK and I served in the RAF for nearly 30 years myself on RAF stations that were active during the war. So for me its a bit more than it being simply a coat.

All help, banter, et al gratefully received.

 

[Peacoat]

Welcome to the Lounge. You might find the Guide on How to Get the Proper Fit in the US Navy Peacoat helpful. It is linked below.

And you might find the Guide to the Dating of US Navy Peacoats interesting. Also linked below in the second link.

The key is to get a proper measurement of your bare chest, or wearing a close fitting T-shirt.

If your chest actually measures 42", then a size 40 peacoat will probably give you the fit you are after. That will be a peacoat with a p2p of 21.25". You likely won't be able to comfortably wear a "jumper" underneath it.

Have fun. PC


https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/how-to-get-the-proper-size-in-a-us-navy-pea-coat.110255/

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/thr...-dating-the-united-states-navy-peacoat.72058/

 

[Gibby's dog]

Thanks Mr. Peacoat. I've read all the sizing guidance and the thread and because of all that I've been focusing my energies on a size 40 as you suggest. All my suit jackets are a 42 and I had my wife measure me and that's what she tells me I am so I thought I'd ask just in case there was something I wasn't aware of. I'm not a big sweater/jumper wearer anyway so it's not an issue for me if a size 40 is a bit on the fitted side. There are a couple of size 42 on fleabay at the moment that I'm interested in but I'm unsure whether to commit hence the Q here for guidance. Being a shortarse with a big chest has caused no end if fitting issues for me so I'm used to it...

 

[Peacoat]

Thanks Mr. Peacoat. I've read all the sizing guidance and the thread and because of all that I've been focusing my energies on a size 40 as you suggest. All my suit jackets are a 42 and I had my wife measure me and that's what she tells me I am so I thought I'd ask just in case there was something I wasn't aware of. I'm not a big sweater/jumper wearer anyway so it's not an issue for me if a size 40 is a bit on the fitted side. There are a couple of size 42 on fleabay at the moment that I'm interested in but I'm unsure whether to commit hence the Q here for guidance. Being a shortarse with a big chest has caused no end if fitting issues for me so I'm used to it...

One of the benefits of wearing a fitted peacoat* is that they will be a bit warmer than wearing a size larger.

One of the design flaws in peacoats is the relatively large amount of air transfer between the body and the coat. This air transfer can be reduced by wearing a sweater or by going one size down.
––––
* In you situation with a 42" chest, that would be a size 40 peacoat.

 

[Herrvallmo]

Hello ladies and gentlemen, after recently discovering this gem of a thread I've signed up to join the fun, but also to seek some guidance if the connoisseurs here are able to oblige.

I'm looking for a peacoat but not sure which size I should be looking for. Living in blighty presents some limitations, peacoats are like hens teeth so wombling off to your local surplus store to try some on is a non starter. So,here goes. I'm 5' 5" tall with a 42" chest and 34" waist. I have a mid thigh length overcoat with a 38" chest I can fit into wearing a shirt, which I wear when socialising or to work when I don't need to wear a suit jacket. It's a close fit, not tight and is very comfortable. I have another overcoat that is larger with a 42" chest which I wear for work because I can wear a suit underneath.

The question for the experts is what size do you think I should be focusing my efforts on? My intention is to wear it with either just a shirt or a jumper underneath, just like my closer fitting overcoat.

Ideally I'd like a wartime 8 button showing peacoat but failing that an immediate post war 6 button showing would be a good compromise. The reason I'm focused on the wartime version is I'm a bit of a WWII geek, I'm surrounded by 8th AAF airfields where I live in the UK and I served in the RAF for nearly 30 years myself on RAF stations that were active during the war. So for me its a bit more than it being simply a coat.

All help, banter, et al gratefully received.

About the size, I was choosing between two sizes(38 and 40) and decided to go for the roomier fitting 40.
My reasoning were that I wanted to be able to layer for those cold af Swedish winter days we always get here in the north.

It doesn't look as good as the 38, but in the end I went for function over form

Can't answer your sizing question more than than "depends on your climate and what your planned usage is", but we got a lot more knowable people in this thread that'll give you a better answer haha, but wanted to give my 2 cents.

It's a repro jacket from Buzz Rickson's as the original one is not that easy to find(at a decent price and condition) here in the EU, anyway here is how it looks.

 

[Preppy Climber]

About the size, I was choosing between two sizes(38 and 40) and decided to go for the roomier fitting 40.

I solved that issue by purchasing two US Navy peacoats (both WWII)--size 32 and 34. I'm wearing the 32 in the photos I posted--it's a perfect fit for a button down or t-shirt and a sweater at most. The roomy 34 works very well with a sport coat or blazer underneath.

I think the 32 looks better on me, but I also agree on function over form!

 

[Preppy Climber]

About the size, I was choosing between two sizes(38 and 40) and decided to go for the roomier fitting 40.
My reasoning were that I wanted to be able to layer for those cold af Swedish winter days we always get here in the north.

It doesn't look as good as the 38, but in the end I went for function over form

Can't answer your sizing question more than than "depends on your climate and what your planned usage is", but we got a lot more knowable people in this thread that'll give you a better answer haha, but wanted to give my 2 cents.

It's a repro jacket from Buzz Rickson's as the original one is not that easy to find(at a decent price and condition) here in the EU, anyway here is how it looks.

View attachment 663142

That is a very nice looking peacoat! And an overall great look!

 

[Bfd70]

@Preppy Climber great outfit. I’ll tie the score with a vote of collar down.

@Herrvallmo i would have to think that even with duties you could get a great original at a reasonable price. They can be found all day long in the USA for $100. That allowed me, like preppy, to own one in slim and one in layering size

 

[Preppy Climber]

@Preppy Climber great outfit. I’ll tie the score with a vote of collar down.

@Herrvallmo i would have to think that even with duties you could get a great original at a reasonable price. They can be found all day long in the USA for $100. That allowed me, like preppy, to own one in slim and one in layering size

Thank you, @Bfd70!

 

[Herrvallmo]

I solved that issue by purchasing two US Navy peacoats (both WWII)--size 32 and 34. I'm wearing the 32 in the photos I posted--it's a perfect fit for a button down or t-shirt and a sweater at most. The roomy 34 works very well with a sport coat or blazer underneath.

I think the 32 looks better on me, but I also agree on function over form!

That's the easy way haha
I would love to have real US navy one in 38 for a slimmer fit, so I'll keep my eyes up

@Bfd70 Yeah next one will be a OG one for sure! ***** with import, fees and so on but now that I know what size i want(and what to look for after reading a lot of Mr @Peacoat and yall's wise words in this thread!) I feel a lot more secure in getting it overseas.

Cheers

 

[Gibby's dog]

About the size, I was choosing between two sizes(38 and 40) and decided to go for the roomier fitting 40.
My reasoning were that I wanted to be able to layer for those cold af Swedish winter days we always get here in the north.

It doesn't look as good as the 38, but in the end I went for function over form

Can't answer your sizing question more than than "depends on your climate and what your planned usage is", but we got a lot more knowable people in this thread that'll give you a better answer haha, but wanted to give my 2 cents.

It's a repro jacket from Buzz Rickson's as the original one is not that easy to find(at a decent price and condition) here in the EU, anyway here is how it looks.

View attachment 663142

That’s a smart outfit, and doesn’t look too big at all. Unlike the frozen wasteland of the Baltic winters we in Blighty don’t experience the cold to the extent you do. Always makes me chuckle when people here mutter it’s freezing when it’s +4 deg C when in Bardufoss, or Cold Lake, or Fairbanks it can be so cold that it rips the air from your lungs.

There are a few jackets out there that meet my expectations for condition but are always too small or on the threshold that I’m nervous to take the plunge, especially with the prices being asked. However, I only want to wear a shirt underneath so I reckon I’ll risk it. I find coat sizes and jacket sizes differ so I might be surprised.

@Preppy Climber, love that look! That is exactly what I had envisaged in my minds eye. For a more dressed down look I imagine jeans and a WWII RAF aircrew roll neck jumper, blue or ecru, both would look fab against the dark blue of the coat.

 

[Preppy Climber]

That’s a smart outfit, and doesn’t look too big at all. Unlike the frozen wasteland of the Baltic winters we in Blighty don’t experience the cold to the extent you do. Always makes me chuckle when people here mutter it’s freezing when it’s +4 deg C when in Bardufoss, or Cold Lake, or Fairbanks it can be so cold that it rips the air from your lungs.

There are a few jackets out there that meet my expectations for condition but are always too small or on the threshold that I’m nervous to take the plunge, especially with the prices being asked. However, I only want to wear a shirt underneath so I reckon I’ll risk it. I find coat sizes and jacket sizes differ so I might be surprised.

@Preppy Climber, love that look! That is exactly what I had envisaged in my minds eye. For a more dressed down look I imagine jeans and a WWII RAF aircrew roll neck jumper, blue or ecru, both would look fab against the dark blue of the coat.

Thank you, @Gibby's dog! I hope you find the perfect fitting peacoat!

I love your avatar. So adorable! He/she looks a bit like one of my puppers. He's a lab/pit mix, our gentle giant.

 

[Gibby's dog]

Thank you, @Gibby's dog! I hope you find the perfect fitting peacoat!

I love your avatar. So adorable! He/she looks a bit like one of my puppers. He's a lab/pit mix, our gentle giant.

Yep, I’m a lab man, my boy is not black, he’s red fox, huge but as gentle as they come. I have a spaniel too, who’s as mad as a box of frogs and a tiny toothless terrier cross rescued from the streets of Bucharest, who bosses the other two about. My hunt is full on, I’ve seen one or two but not hit the button yet...