Iconic Trenchcoat wear for women...(Comments Welcome)

[PADDY]

Ladies. It would be lovely if some of you who might be interested in the classic Trenchcoat as a fashion item could bring your own comments and observations to the Trenchcoat thread in 'Outerwear.'
As more-and-more I'm seeing women spearheading this fashion garment more than the men, whether on the catwalk or the High Street.
It's one of those items that has crossed the gender barrier to become an iconic unisex piece of classic apparel that looks as stunning on both ladies and gents.
So, 'if' you are a wearer of a trenchcoat (or varient) and have pictures to post or insights into this coat that is over a hundred-years-old (and still going strong thanks to Burberry; Ralph Lauren; Paul Smith; Armani; Versace, Chanel..etc, etc) , then it would be 'marvellous' to hear from you!!

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?p=878512#post878512

Thanks in advance for allowing me this small piece in your little corner of TFL.

 

[Dutchess]

When I wear my beige trenchcoat I always find it difficult to match it with the more elegant clothes and shoes I prefer to wear. So the trench is for my casual-jeans days. This weak I combined it with a brown Fedora. That look definetely calls for trousers or jeans.

 

[NicolettaRose]

I love classic trench coats, I think one of the best examples of a woman in a trench coat is Audrey in "Breakfast at Tiffany's", I think there is nothing classier then a woman in a little black dress, heels, pearls and a traditional trench!

 

[LizzieMaine]

I have a Cortefiel Femina trench which probably dates to the early sixties, although the style is little changed from those of the Era. It gets a lot of wear from spring thru fall because of our usually-lousy weather, and I find it an extremely practical coat.

(Me and the Coat in action)

I bought it second-hand in a Goodwill store for I think $4.50 maybe fifteen years ago, and I've replaced a couple of buttons. Otherwise it wears and wears and wears.

Cortefiel was Columbo's raincoat of choice, but I think mine is a bit classier than his.

 

[Foofoogal]

I have bought and sold trench coats. I find them a very valuable practical item. I feel very spy girlish in them as well.
With very classic styling I find them a necessity almost.
I have a reversible one that is burgundy and cream. I love it.
http://sandysfancypants.blogspot.com

 

[crazydaisy]

I have two trench coats, one brown (slightly metallic) one cerise...I know, classical colors for trench coats lol ! I can only hope to add to that, since I have loved the trench coat since childhood and always believed it is a rather stylish thing to wear.
These are some pics of not so stylish me and not so vintage either, in a trench coat that surprisingly it is actually made in a 5o's swing style though it looks nothing like that in the pics.I t's funny how far away these seem to me but have been taken only an year and a half back. I feel that I have made some progress since in terms of style lol. Anyway some pictures are worth keeping so that one never does that again. I mean...ever. Which means of course one can explore new and new faux pas. lol

 

[C-dot]

I have a cropped brown suede trench coat that I mostly wear in Autumn. It's handy to tie on and run, if need be. I wear it with the lapels flipped up when it's windy, and I feel very chic and mysterious.

 

[Foofoogal]

I need a have a few ?'s about a trench I have.
It has a union label with Union Recovery Board but it also has another label with Consumer Protection Label with 3 letters that are KKF. Would anyone know if this is for a local union?

 

[Miss Golightly]

I love classic trench coats, I think one of the best examples of a woman in a trench coat is Audrey in "Breakfast at Tiffany's", I think there is nothing classier then a woman in a little black dress, heels, pearls and a traditional trench!

Audrey in BAT was the reason I bought my first trench coat years ago - it's since been replaced with a new one which I wear pretty much every day to work (weather permitting!) - I dress it up with a nice Hermes or Pucci scarf for a dash of colour.

 

[Dexter'sDame]

Had one, loved it, played on a pier

Years ago I had a classic beige trenchcoat. It was a knockoff but had the classic Burb plaid lining and the button-in wool liner, and despite being a ladies' model, it had every classic trench detail including the "gun flap." As Foofoogal indicated, girls like to play film noir spies, too.

One winter in San Diego, my best friend and I stumbled upon an empty pier that was exactly like the sterotypical film noir movie pier, with lampposts, clanging bell and all. The fog was rolling in, and I raced to the hotel to get the coat, then back to the pier. (Wouldn't you???) No Fedora Lounge yet, so my friend went along and stood shivvering with me because it was past midnight and she's a good friend. Great fun!

As for the modern trench, some people look great in them, but they remind me too much of something my mother wore in the 70's. Besides, what fun is a trenchcoat without the gun flap (even if it remains unused, as mine did)? ;-)

 

[Brooksie]

I have a forest green 1940's ladies trench coat, it is beautiful but I think it is a little big on me. Paddy I am sure I showed it to you when you were here in Portland last year, it is the same color as that cute little French hat that I bought when we were out and about doing some shopping.

Brooksie

 

[Goldfish]

I want a trench similar to the classic Burberry Ivybridge (the Burberry one looks ok on me, but I want one that looks fantastic) and one that is fuller on the bottom to wear over skirts and dresses...

 

[cherry lips]

I have a cropped brown suede trench coat that I mostly wear in Autumn. It's handy to tie on and run, if need be. I wear it with the lapels flipped up when it's windy, and I feel very chic and mysterious.

Hahahaha! It sounds like great minds think alike
(I don't have a trench, but when I turn up the fur collar on my winter coat so that it stands on it's own I feel like a queen.)

 

[Catarina]

i don't have any images to share, but i've been looking for a trench coat myself. i do want to be the mysterious gal with her trench and her beret! i haven't found anything i like, but perhaps i'm not looking in the right place? where did you trench wearing ladies find your vintage-looking but not vintage trench coats? (i gave up on the real vintage ones since i'm very petite and all i find would look enormous on me )

 

[ShoreRoadLady]

Catarina, I have a similar problem; I'm not short, but I have very narrow shoulders, so lots of coats are too wide for me. Sometimes petite vintage styles from the '70s show up on Ebay or Etsy, so keep looking! The nice thing about a lot of '70s styles is that they're fitted with princess seams, which I find to be more flattering than boxier cuts. Also, they're cheaper than '30s-40s coats.

I recently bought this trench from Kohl's:

http://www.kohls.com/kohlsStore/lan...oft+and+Barrow+DoubleBreasted+Trench+Coat.jsp

It's not exactly a '30s-40s vintage style (more '60s-70s, IMHO), but I was just looking for a good trench at a decent price. It may be a little overwhelming for a truly petite frame, though.

ETA: Also try looking in the juniors' section of stores. Sometimes they have a better selection of shorter trench styles than the misses or petites departments!

 

[PADDY]

Interesting 'how' a men's military utility jacket has become a fashion Icon..!

There has always been a fascination in the female fashion market for re-inventing and customising men's military uniforms into a fashion accessory (remember a few years ago how 'in vogue' it was for short military tunics and military-inspired great coats for ladies? with brass buttons, frogging..etc). Even in WWII there was a trend for dressing in Sailor's pants (and many of our female TLF members will go into surplus stores, get a pair of Naval bell-bottoms and tailor them to their vintage needs!).

But it 'seems' that certain garments just ride the test of time, and the trenchcoat (whether Burberry or lower end high street brands) seems to be one of them. Not bad for an item that is over 100-years-old, having seen service in the Boer War/South African Campaigns.

So, when a company brings out Hermione of Harry Potter fame or Kate Moss (both famous and infamous these days), then 'you know' that this is a season 'must have!' Season-after-Season!! and there seems to be no apparent diminishment in its' popularity with both sexes!

The buttons might change, the accessories tweaked, the fabrics, cuts and colours updated, but essentially, the Trenchcoat continues to be a wardrobe favourite amongst those ladies (and gents) in tune with their fashion!

 

[cherry lips]

fftopic: Does anyone know the name of this male model? *begging on knees*

 

[Laura Chase]

i don't have any images to share, but i've been looking for a trench coat myself. i do want to be the mysterious gal with her trench and her beret! i haven't found anything i like, but perhaps i'm not looking in the right place? where did you trench wearing ladies find your vintage-looking but not vintage trench coats? (i gave up on the real vintage ones since i'm very petite and all i find would look enormous on me )

I just got a London Fog because it was cheap and available. The fabric is all wrong, not cotton gabardine, but the cut and details are really good, which is precisely why I decided to get it despite the fabric. Also, the good one I wanted cost $350. The London Fog one also has a removable lining, which is really convenient.

 

[Goldfish]

fftopic: Does anyone know the name of this male model? *begging on knees*

I think it's Alex Watson, Emma's brother.

 

[Goldfish]

@Laura Chase
Do you know if all London Fog trenches have removable lining?
It's a reason why I like the Burberry trenches so much but now that I can't find a style that fits me I am looking for other options...