Questions About the United States Navy Peacoat

[Nyah]

I also found that there's only one exterior top button near the collar, so there's just 7 buttons on the front instead of 8. Fortunately, the button that's there is on the wearer's right side, which is what I'd use if I ever need to button it all the way to the top. What's strange is that I can't even find a hole or any evidence that there was a matching button on the left side. Were there always a pair under the lapels (top of lapel/bottom of collar)?

Sterlingwear is doing the same 7-button design on current peacoats (at least on their Navigator model that I just got).

 

[GGinSF]

Interesting! I think I'm going to pick up an extra button to make it the traditional 8 on mine.

 

[Peacoat]

Does anyone have any experience with British Navy peacoats? In what ways are they similar or different to US Navy ones? My wife's from Lancashire, so next time we're across the pond it might be fun to look for coats over there.

If you are able to track down a RN peacoat, please take plenty of photographs. So far none has been spotted in the wild, nor has a photograph been found. They are most elusive. Even our UK friends haven't sent in any photographs. I was hoping Cooperson would come through, but so far it has been a blank.

So, to answer your question, none of us here has any idea what a RN peacoat looks like, or even if they exist at all. I'm beginning to believe they don't exist as we think of them. Would sure love to find out.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Does anyone have any experience with British Navy peacoats? In what ways are they similar or different to US Navy ones? My wife's from Lancashire, so next time we're across the pond it might be fun to look for coats over there.

If you are able to track down a RN peacoat, please take plenty of photographs. So far none has been spotted in the wild, nor has a photograph been found. They are most elusive. Even our UK friends haven't sent in any photographs. I was hoping Cooperson would come through, but so far it has been a blank.

So, to answer your question, none of us here has any idea what a RN peacoat looks like, or even if they exist at all. I'm beginning to believe they don't exist as we think of them. Would sure love to find out.

I'm skeptical too and I'm pretty sure they never existed "as we think of them," as you say. In the many photos I've seen of RN sailors from all periods, plus some books I've read, I've only seen them wearing duffel coats (in bad weather) and greatcoats (for parades and such). And the design of the greatcoats has changed, too. The RN reefer jacket which is often mentioned as the source of pea coats, is really just the normal wool uniform jacket worn by officers and petty officers and isn't cold weather gear.

 

[Doctor Damage]

1953 in Keflavik, Iceland


source

 

[Doctor Damage]

 

[Peacoat]

I'm skeptical too and I'm pretty sure they never existed "as we think of them," as you say. In the many photos I've seen of RN sailors from all periods, plus some books I've read, I've only seen them wearing duffel coats (in bad weather) and greatcoats (for parades and such). And the design of the greatcoats has changed, too. The RN reefer jacket which is often mentioned as the source of pea coats, is really just the normal wool uniform jacket worn by officers and petty officers and isn't cold weather gear.

My observations, as well. I would sure like to get confirmation of that. Surely a member here knows of someone who is in the RN, or who has served in such capacity.

They existed at one time similar to way we think of them today, as most everything we had in the early days, when our Navy was formed, came from the Mother Country. As traditional as the Royal Navy is, I find it hard to believe it has abandoned the peacoat.

 

[Doctor Damage]

My observations, as well. I would sure like to get confirmation of that. Surely a member here knows of someone who is in the RN, or who has served in such capacity.

They existed at one time similar to way we think of them today, as most everything we had in the early days, when our Navy was formed, came from the Mother Country. As traditional as the Royal Navy is, I find it hard to believe it has abandoned the peacoat.

If they ever used them, they're lone gone. Believe me they would have shown up in photos.

Anyway, to muddy the waters and provide Peacoat with another tag to decipher, here's a USCG pea jacket. These are now discontinued I believe.



These were made of a thin cloth and had a fuzzy liner.

 

[Peacoat]

Yes, this is the current issue style of peacoat with the fuzzy liner that is insulated. Interesting that this current issue CG reefer is obviously blue in color, and the current issue Navy peacoats are black. I always thought they were basically the same. Dale Fashions makes a very nice peacoat.

After looking at the liner again, I see that it is different from the current issue Navy peacoat. Appears to be different specifications than the Navy contract of the same year/period.

 

[Doctor Damage]

^ I might look for one of those. I agree it looks a lot blue-er than the USN coats.

- - - - -

Here's a discussion of a WW1 peacoat which has photos of the front, back, and inside of the coat: LINK

 

[Spoonbelly]

Today I received a peacoat that I just got through an online auction. Per the tag, it's a 1967, but the pockets are a gray cotton (almost felt-like). Per the dating thread I thought that pockets remained corduroy until '68. I also found that there's only one exterior top button near the collar, so there's just 7 buttons on the front instead of 8. Fortunately, the button that's there is on the wearer's right side, which is what I'd use if I ever need to button it all the way to the top. What's strange is that I can't even find a hole or any evidence that there was a matching button on the left side. Were there always a pair under the lapels (top of lapel/bottom of collar)?

Except for those items, the coat is in very good shape wool-wise, with no stains or moth damage. The lining under the armpits is just starting to pull apart (1/4" separation at the seams), which should be easy to repair. It's in need of dry cleaning because of pet hair, though. Attached are a few pictures of the details discussed. Once I get it cleaned up I'll take better pictures of the full coat. Thanks for all the help with my earlier questions regarding sizing. I think this coat fits me very well. It may be just a tad bigger than "perfect" but I prefer that than too small, or sleeves to short.

The reason for no button hole on the top left side of your '67 coat is that they discontinued the feature of being able to button the coat on the left side. From '66 and on, you could only button on the right side and not from both sides. After '65 you could only button the coats on the right side. Therefore that button hole on the left was no longer needed. I believe '65 was the last year where you could button the coats on both sides.

 

[Nyah]

Does anyone know why they gave it the fleece liner? And did the addition of that coincide with the switch from kersey wool to melton wool? Is melton less warm than kersey?

 

[Peacoat]

Does anyone know why they gave it the fleece liner? And did the addition of that coincide with the switch from kersey wool to melton wool? Is melton less warm than kersey?

The fleece liner is needed, I'm sure, because the shell of this CG coat was 55% polyester and only 45% wool. It is neither Kersey nor Melton.

The current issue peacoats have a Thinsulate type liner that is very warm. This liner was added shortly after the Navy changed to the lighter weight Melton in 1980. The Navy was receiving complaints that the lighter weight Melton just wasn't warm enough. So it was remedied.

The fleece lining depicted above in this 1986 coat is different from the current issue Thinsulate type liner. I didn't even know the liner or the polyester coat existed until I saw the photographs above.

 

[Nyah]

The fleece liner is needed, I'm sure, because the shell of this CG coat was 55% polyester and only 45% wool. It is neither Kersey nor Melton.

I didn't even notice that it was a Coast Guard coat (didn't know that the CG wore peacoats). The fleece liner looks like what's in Sterlingwear's Authentic model, a coat which I'd thought was supposed to be identical to their navy-issue coat. Thanks for the reply.

 

[Peacoat]

I didn't even notice that it was a Coast Guard coat (didn't know that the CG wore peacoats). The fleece liner looks like what's in Sterlingwear's Authentic model, a coat which I'd thought was supposed to be identical to their navy-issue coat. Thanks for the reply.

If you look closer, I think you will see it is a different liner altogether. The image above can be enlarged by clicking on it. That's how I saw it was a different liner.

 

[Slobo]

Question about buttons on WW2-era paeacoats: Most if not all the 10-button coats I see posted on eBay (for example) or indeed in this thread that look authentic have the anchor on the buttons buttons pointing every which way of the compass on the same coat. Does anyone know if peacoats fresh from the Naval Clothing Factory came with ALL their button anchors pointing straight up/down, or ALL pointed in some angled position? If so, I am assuming that means the buttons had a tendency to fall off and were resewn in a sometimes haphazard fashion as needed.

Would like to know definitively so I can re-sew appropriately if ncecessary. Also, I believe the appropriate stitch is a 'Z' shape but if there is any particulalry trick to this that anyone knows of, that would be useful information as well.

 

[wquiles]

Used my 1965 Peacoat again today. About 28F, and windy. Long sleeve t-shirt, with a sweater under the Peacoat - perfectly warm, and could not feel any of the windchill on me - I am very impressed with my Peacoat!!!

Question - does anyone with a Peacoat also has a Filson Wool Machinaw Cruiser? I know the Cruiser is thinner/lighter than the Peacoat, but still interested in hearing a comparison between the two.

 

[Spoonbelly]

A couple of years ago I was very lucky to find an almost new WWII coat. It's a size 46 which makes it even more rare. All of the buttons on this coat are in the same direction, and they are sewn in a "Z". All buttons have the bottom of the anchor facing the right side. They are also sewn with the anchors facing horizontally and not vertically standing up.

 

[wquiles]

OK, as I promised Peacoat, here are the photos of my 1959-1965 (size 40), and 1949 (size 38) Peacoats. I am a size 40 chest, and my suits are size 40, but as you can see these Peacoats have the sleeves a little long for my arms. And yes, that wood frame in the back door does need replacing soon

Wearing the size 40 with a long sleeve t-shirt (red) and a Wooly Pully 100% wool sweater:

Wearing the size 38 with only the long sleeve t-shirt (red) - there was wind in the second picture, so the bottom of the coat looks wide, but it isn't:

Thanks again to Peacoat for information on these great vintage items - much appreciated

Will

 

[Peacoat]

Nice job, Will. They look good. Bottom button on the left on the size 38 may need to be moved up an inch.