Questions About the United States Navy Peacoat

[Peacoat]

The dating guide is in the Guides Section. See below for the link:

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

 

[Mawashi]

Thanks so much Peacoat!

 

[Bolex]

Just picked up this naval peacoat this one i think is 1950s ? by the label which has not faded at all ! its in fantastic condition apart from a tear see photo . is it possible to get this repaired ? And how would it be done im scared of causing further damage by buttoning up at moment on that side . I finally got a suit tailor to measure me yesterday and i was a 39 inch chest not 38 as i thought so whilst it fits its on the trim side and i can only wear a thin shirt underneath . I guess i should maybe have two one for layering also and naybe look for a 40 one .This one is labelled a 38 im a inbetweener it seems .

 

[Peacoat]

Just picked up this naval peacoat this one i think is 1950s ? by the label which has not faded at all ! its in fantastic condition apart from a tear see photo . is it possible to get this repaired ? And how would it be done im scared of causing further damage by buttoning up at moment on that side . I finally got a suit tailor to measure me yesterday and i was a 39 inch chest not 38 as i thought so whilst it fits its on the trim side and i can only wear a thin shirt underneath . I guess i should maybe have two one for layering also and naybe look for a 40 one .This one is labelled a 38 im a inbetweener it seems .

Probably a 1949 coat. I think this tag was used up until about 1950 or 1951.

Hard to tell from the pictures where the tear is located. Maybe at the button hole? If so, that should be a fairly simple repair. The tailor may need a button hole machine, though. Not all have them. Find a tailor and ask him.

A good find.

 

[The Newt]

Hi! I came across this jacket and after reading @Peacoat guide I wanted to reach out and be sure. Thanks for any input.

 

[bkackop555]

Hi! I came across this jacket and after reading @Peacoat guide I wanted to reach out and be sure. Thanks for any input.

Ww2 one for sure. Tag picture is a little blurry but if it's an embroidery tag and not one with printed words it's early ww2

 

[Peacoat]

Actually, if it is embroidered it would be mid to late 30s. The printed version was used starting in about 1943. Can you take a picture of the entire front of the coat in good lighting?

What is throwing me are the octagonal buttons. Have never seen those before.

 

[The Newt]

Actually, if it is embroidered it would be mid to late 30s. The printed version was used starting in about 1943. Can you take a picture of the entire front of the coat in good lighting?

What is throwing me are the octagonal buttons. Have never seen those before.

It might be the lighting. Here is another of the front. I have asked the seller for a clearer tag image. I appreciate your help !

 

[The Newt]

I found a local jacket. Buttons need some love though.

Is there a specific orientation?

 

[The Newt]

Embroidered tag.

 

[Peacoat]

In your last picture, the buttons don't appear to be octagonal.

The top of the anchor should be at the top, with the flukes at the bottom.

 

[Ed Prince]

No expert here, but I've heard that older models have pockets lined in corduroy (I suspect I may have mispelled this word.)

I have one like that. Has some names in it too.

 

[The Newt]

In your last picture, the buttons don't appear to be octagonal.

The top of the anchor should be at the top, with the flukes at the bottom.

Thank you @Peacoat

 

[Trouser Bark]

I've got a handful of Filson wool coats and jackets that fall out of rotation more often than some of them should. I grabbed a Filson peacoat a few days ago and had been wearing it around. Temps in my area have been below 0*f for the last couple three weeks and usually accompanied by something between a breeze and a gale.

It surprises me that people have been wearing jackets for thousands of years yet that sleeve cuff design is still botched. From the 1700's to today there must have been hundreds of thousands of men freezing as a result of that simple to remedy yet unattended design flaw and now that it's been the standard for 300 years it probably won't be fixed. Shame, that.

 

[Peacoat]

I've got a handful of Filson wool coats and jackets that fall out of rotation more often than some of them should. I grabbed a Filson peacoat a few days ago and had been wearing it around. Temps in my area have been below 0*f for the last couple three weeks and usually accompanied by something between a breeze and a gale.

It surprises me that people have been wearing jackets for thousands of years yet that sleeve cuff design is still botched. From the 1700's to today there must have been hundreds of thousands of men freezing as a result of that simple to remedy yet unattended design flaw and now that it's been the standard for 300 years it probably won't be fixed. Shame, that.

I have been complaining about the sleeve design since I started wearing one in 1971. While wearing a peacoat in temps in the 40s, it isn't that noticeable. But wear one at night in a NYC winter, and the open sleeve design becomes painfully obvious.

Wearing a sweater under the coat takes up room in the sleeves and the body, and helps some, especially in the body, but a closed sleeve system would solve 80% of the heat loss problem.

 

[Trouser Bark]

I have been complaining about the sleeve design since I started wearing one in 1971. While wearing a peacoat in temps in the 40s, it isn't that noticeable. But wear one at night in a NYC winter, and the open sleeve design becomes painfully obvious.

Wearing a sweater under the coat takes up room in the sleeves and the body, and helps some, especially in the body, but a closed sleeve system would solve 80% of the heat loss problem.

Absolutely! And now the jacket would be something other than a pea if the flaw were corrected. Sometime in the next century somebody that looks a lot like you will be honored to own a 100 year old wool coat and will assume we all must've been cavemen for not having figured out and fixed that cuff long ago

 

[One Drop]

I have been complaining about the sleeve design since I started wearing one in 1971. While wearing a peacoat in temps in the 40s, it isn't that noticeable. But wear one at night in a NYC winter, and the open sleeve design becomes painfully obvious.

Wearing a sweater under the coat takes up room in the sleeves and the body, and helps some, especially in the body, but a closed sleeve system would solve 80% of the heat loss problem.

I would argue that the 'flaw' is the same as with almost any military, formal or semi-formal overcoat, which design the pea coat followed.

When they were worn as able seaman uniforms, as far as I can glean, cold weather gear included woollen gloves with long foldable or rollable cuffs, and gauntlet style leather ones. In addition, as you mention, the thick Submariner style sweaters that would be worn with a Pea Coat in cold conditions also have a cuff that's very thick and wind-blocking when worn doubled as it usually is.

I guess it only became a problem when the coat was adopted for civilian wear, and unlike casual wear, resisted practical modifications due to tradition and style, it remaining to this day an urban fashion statement and not really a viable or practical cold weather garment like hunters, explorers, backwoodsmen, etc, needed and developed and wore and still do.

Performance cold weather gear these days tends to come with sleeves that can be cinched tight under the collar or gauntlet of a glove, or opened and then cinched over the collar of non-gauntlet gloves. I use gauntlet style gloves most of the time for cold weather for everything but wearing with a wool overcoat or Pea Coat because I know it'll cut the wind with whatever else I wear, and I don't have to spend time fiddling with getting the glove or seater to overlap each other each time I have to scoop up dog **** or open or close a coat button, etc.

What I usually wear with my Pea Coat are black merino woollen gloves with a long cuff that I push into the gap between my sweater and the coat sleeve on very cold or windy days, and fold up the rest of the time. It's a bit fiddly but works well because I only wear thinnish sweaters with it, with a Submariner sweater you'd have to overlap the glove cuff with the sweater cuff to block the wind, I guess.

 

[One Drop]

I've got a handful of Filson wool coats and jackets that fall out of rotation more often than some of them should. I grabbed a Filson peacoat a few days ago and had been wearing it around. Temps in my area have been below 0*f for the last couple three weeks and usually accompanied by something between a breeze and a gale.

It surprises me that people have been wearing jackets for thousands of years yet that sleeve cuff design is still botched. From the 1700's to today there must have been hundreds of thousands of men freezing as a result of that simple to remedy yet unattended design flaw and now that it's been the standard for 300 years it probably won't be fixed. Shame, that.

Did the Filson Pea Coat use the same Mackinaw wool as their more common coats? The Melton and Kersey wools used in traditional Pea Coats is far denser and smoother than any Filson wool I've handled.

 

[Jon Crow]

I would argue that the 'flaw' is the same as with almost any military, formal or semi-formal overcoat, which design the pea coat followed.

When they were worn as able seaman uniforms, as far as I can glean, cold weather gear included woollen gloves with long foldable or rollable cuffs, and gauntlet style leather ones. In addition, as you mention, the thick Submariner style sweaters that would be worn with a Pea Coat in cold conditions also have a cuff that's very thick and wind-blocking when worn doubled as it usually is.

I guess it only became a problem when the coat was adopted for civilian wear, and unlike casual wear, resisted practical modifications due to tradition and style, it remaining to this day an urban fashion statement and not really a viable or practical cold weather garment like hunters, explorers, backwoodsmen, etc, needed and developed and wore and still do.

Performance cold weather gear these days tends to come with sleeves that can be cinched tight under the collar or gauntlet of a glove, or opened and then cinched over the collar of non-gauntlet gloves. I use gauntlet style gloves most of the time for cold weather for everything but wearing with a wool overcoat or Pea Coat because I know it'll cut the wind with whatever else I wear, and I don't have to spend time fiddling with getting the glove or seater to overlap each other each time I have to scoop up dog **** or open or close a coat button, etc.

What I usually wear with my Pea Coat are black merino woollen gloves with a long cuff that I push into the gap between my sweater and the coat sleeve on very cold or windy days, and fold up the rest of the time. It's a bit fiddly but works well because I only wear thinnish sweaters with it, with a Submariner sweater you'd have to overlap the glove cuff with the sweater cuff to block the wind, I guess.

German ww2 reefer jackets had the same wide sleeves, British also I think, like you said, thick sweaters underneath

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

I would argue that the 'flaw' is the same as with almost any military, formal or semi-formal overcoat, which design the pea coat followed.

When they were worn as able seaman uniforms, as far as I can glean, cold weather gear included woollen gloves with long foldable or rollable cuffs, and gauntlet style leather ones. In addition, as you mention, the thick Submariner style sweaters that would be worn with a Pea Coat in cold conditions also have a cuff that's very thick and wind-blocking when worn doubled as it usually is.

I guess it only became a problem when the coat was adopted for civilian wear, and unlike casual wear, resisted practical modifications due to tradition and style, it remaining to this day an urban fashion statement and not really a viable or practical cold weather garment like hunters, explorers, backwoodsmen, etc, needed and developed and wore and still do.

Performance cold weather gear these days tends to come with sleeves that can be cinched tight under the collar or gauntlet of a glove, or opened and then cinched over the collar of non-gauntlet gloves. I use gauntlet style gloves most of the time for cold weather for everything but wearing with a wool overcoat or Pea Coat because I know it'll cut the wind with whatever else I wear, and I don't have to spend time fiddling with getting the glove or seater to overlap each other each time I have to scoop up dog **** or open or close a coat button, etc.

What I usually wear with my Pea Coat are black merino woollen gloves with a long cuff that I push into the gap between my sweater and the coat sleeve on very cold or windy days, and fold up the rest of the time. It's a bit fiddly but works well because I only wear thinnish sweaters with it, with a Submariner sweater you'd have to overlap the glove cuff with the sweater cuff to block the wind, I guess.

Wow, thanks for that very well thought out guide for overcoming the Navy sleeve hole “flaw”.
One could never argue with your excellent techniques to fix the “open sleeve flaw” we all struggle with. I’ll be re-thinking my own methodology to the “flaw”and try it on various other open hole sleeves in the future. Thank you.

I still struggle with the left over right boot-lacing technique since boot camp and have yet to find a thorough guide to simplify that conundrum. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Concerning the Navy peacoat sleeve “flaw”…i have no doubt the US Navy, being the Navy, solved that “flaw” long, long ago with an internal elastic material “sleeve hole reducer” but insightfully realized a large portion of sailors present and future would be confused in realizing they would have to force their hands through the sleeve reducer thus rendering the garment un-serviceable.
But what do i know, i’m just a old crayon eater that loves my Navy Peacoats “flaw” and all. Even though they came from the Coast Guard who…nvm.
B