Trench Coat - the 'Ultimate' Thread!

[-Ariel-]

^
You've posted that coat before I think and it's always impressed me as an excellent old-school look! nice to see such large-size, clear photos. Question about the metal D-rings that hang from the bottom of the front and back yokes--did you sew them up? I thought they would hang down.

Yes indeed. I sew them up, I prefer d-rings only on the belt of trench.

 

[-Ariel-]

Czekh brown trench.

 

[VansonRider]

Hello!
It’s been a while since I posted, but I have a U.S. army trench coat question that’s been driving me nuts!

I have two trenches, (OD-7 overcoat, field) you know, the one with the button out wool bathrobe liner. One dated 1946, and the other 1953.

The ‘46 dated coat is almost TWICE as thick as the ‘53 dated model. The wool liners are the same, but the cotton shell on the earlier model weighs about 2 pounds more than the ‘50s made one.

The ‘46 coat is a Long Medium, and I found the Reg Large ‘53 coat to replace it, but I want the same heavier weight.

So I come to you guys to see if the weight difference is something the same across all the earlier vs later dated coats? Or is it a manufacturers difference? Has anyone noticed the weight difference and can anyone shed some light on this mystery?

Thank you!!

 

[Doctor Damage]

Hello!
It’s been a while since I posted, but I have a U.S. army trench coat question that’s been driving me nuts!

I have two trenches, (OD-7 overcoat, field) you know, the one with the button out wool bathrobe liner. One dated 1946, and the other 1953.

The ‘46 dated coat is almost TWICE as thick as the ‘53 dated model. The wool liners are the same, but the cotton shell on the earlier model weighs about 2 pounds more than the ‘50s made one.

The ‘46 coat is a Long Medium, and I found the Reg Large ‘53 coat to replace it, but I want the same heavier weight.

So I come to you guys to see if the weight difference is something the same across all the earlier vs later dated coats? Or is it a manufacturers difference? Has anyone noticed the weight difference and can anyone shed some light on this mystery?

Thank you!!

Let me put on my reasonable speculation hat... The 1946 coat is probably wartime spec, and wartime coats would have been worn in all weather conditions, including by some combat troops or troops in combat zones. But by 1953 these coats would no longer have been used for field wear and would have become outerwear worn by officers in service dress walking between office buildings on a base somewhere, so the specs would have changed to a lighter weight config.

 

[Peacoat]

I think @Doctor Damage has a good theory here.

You asked, "So I come to you guys to see if the weight difference is something the same across all the earlier vs later dated coats? Or is it a manufacturers difference?"

Military contracts have specifications that the manufacturers must follow. A "manufacturers' difference" isn't allowed. So with the second part of your question being eliminated, only the first remains as viable.

 

[Suits_Boots_Trenchcoats]

Very impressive trench coat, I like the D rings on the gun patches and yoke, gives it a very unique look.

 

[Suits_Boots_Trenchcoats]

My new Korean gabardine trench. By the way, what is this thing on the belt for (on the photo)?
View attachment 308297 View attachment 308299

The button cloth strip is there to be attached to the belt loop, there should be another under the top loop. It's to keep the belt from completely coming off if it gets snagged on something so you don't lose it.

 

[Doctor Damage]

I have too many trench coats and most spend their time jammed in a closet. All were bought used (except two) and all were dry cleaned before being put in the closet. But a few years of not seeing the light of day and some of them have the salt stains on the skirts and cuffs coming out, plus what I'm guessing is some mold. It was a super-humid summer and most of the house never really dried out like it usually does in summer, so that didn't help. What do do??? Aaagh, I'm not junking them, no way. I thought about dry cleaning again, but that clearly doesn't really make them clean. I have a couple of cotton safari jackets in the same closet, but those are fine, suggesting to me that because they went through the washing machine instead of dry cleaning they're a lot cleaner. So I took my least desirable (a.k.a. most expendable) trench coat and ran it through a shorter regular cycle in the washing machine in cold water. And it turned out great. I can tell just by touch that the shell is now really clean (the lining was never a problem). The only thing that went wrong was the glue holding the hem folded up disintegrated, but 10 min with the sewing machine will short that out. With this success, I will gradually run my other coats through the wash, too, although my best ones (Burberry and Aquascutum) will likely get the gentle cycle. Dry cleaning would be safer, of course, but it just doesn't get things clean enough, especially winter outerwear that is subjected to salt, snow, etc etc.

 

[Doctor Damage]

^ Update on the washing thing... I have now washed three old Burberry coats successfully. They had been dry cleaned before and I had thought them clean, but now they are CLEAN. It really does make a huge difference! Very satisfying. Two of them need some ironing, but I'll get to that eventually. Now I have an Aquascutum, a Joseph Banks, and a newish Burberry to wash, then I'm done.

 

[-Ariel-]

View attachment 273515

Please tell me who is the man in trench?

 

[Doctor Damage]

Please tell me who is the man in trench?

That's Denzel Washington.

 

[Doctor Damage]

^ Update on the washing thing... I have now washed three old Burberry coats successfully. They had been dry cleaned before and I had thought them clean, but now they are CLEAN. It really does make a huge difference! Very satisfying. Two of them need some ironing, but I'll get to that eventually. Now I have an Aquascutum, a Joseph Banks, and a newish Burberry to wash, then I'm done.

Final update... All of my coats have now been washed. Turned out fine. I ended up doing on a little ironing of the skirts of some of them. Only one problem: my old Aquascutum coat, the front corners of the front skirts, the cloth folded up inside at the corners got unfolded and bunched up. Didn't happen to any other coats. I have tried to wiggle it back into place, but no dice, so I think I'll have to undo the lining stitching a bit to gain access to the inside of the coat, reposition the folded cloth, press, and close the lining. Not a priority job and something I'll probably put off indefinitely. Anyways, it's great to have all my trench coats now 100% clean!

 

[Doctor Damage]

 

[-Ariel-]

Danish trench .

 

[Doctor Damage]

^ love it Ariel, another great find

 

[Doctor Damage]

Here's a nice Burberry coat with the old-style liner (i.e. wool into the sleeves, not just a 'vest', and button-in) in a 100% cotton.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Some photos from the old Gary Cooper film "A Man From Wyoming" in which he plays an American officer in the Great war. I posted these images years ago in this thread but whatever hosting service I used is gone.

 

[Doctor Damage]

"Paul Mellon attends the Maryland Hunt Cup in Worthington Valley, Maryland, 1940s" wearing an early Aquascutum trench coat.

 

[Doctor Damage]

an extremely young FDR in France

 

[Doctor Damage]

From the first season of The Avengers.