What would you call this?

[phebus]

Picked this up at the thrift shop because it was my size.
I guess it's just a light weight overcoat, but it looks unusual when it's buttoned up because the buttons are hidden, giving it a smooth look. Just wondering if there was a special name for this type of thing?

My coworkers laughed and said it looked like a lab coat, and my wife gave me a strange look and said it just looked like something an old man would wear.

I don't even know how old it is, so if anyone can enlighten me that would be great.
There is no union label to give me a clue. If I had to guess I would say 60's?? maybe 70's?

 

[Dumpster Diver]

I would call it RETRO!

 

[Dinerman]

It's a 1960s raincoat.

 

[Dumpster Diver]

Hahah, It sure is! You cant wear that without Sideburns, buckeye slacks and a gentlemans chapeau.

 

[aswatland]

An OAP's raincoat!

 

[Carlos840]

I think the whole "hidden button thing" is actually called "fly-fronted"
It is still pretty usual in mens overcoats, at least here in he UK.

Crombie have a few models that are fly-fronted:

http://www.crombie.co.uk/mens-coats.html#!/col=4&mode=grid

 

[Smithy]

An OAP's raincoat!

 

[Doctor Damage]

It's called a balmacaan, and usually comes with raglan sleeves. Your coat appears to be lightweight, making it a raincoat, but some come in a heavy wool and are overcoats. This style used to be very common as standard middle class outerwear when men wore suits more than they do now. If you wear it over a suit with tie and nice dress shoes you probably wouldn't get the comments you did. The kick tab is an interesting detail.

 

[Peacoat]

The flap front helps keep the rain out. I actually have a London Fog built like this that is probably 30 years old. It makes a good rain coat, when wearing a suit, and comes with a removable Thinsulate liner for colder temps. I don't use it for anything other than a rain coat as I wear a standard wool overcoat (with a suit) when the temps drop.

 

[nevadapd]

I had one of those back in the 1980s. It was navy and the sleeves were too short. As I look at this old pic, I have to say it did kinda look like a lab coat.

 

[scottyrocks]

My parents, in their usual inimitable fashion, bought me a raincoat in this style in the 1970s. It had the hidden buttons, and raglin sleeves, as mentioned above, but I picked what looked would be the color of Bogey's famous trench coat from Casablanca, which was what I wanted , but was more expensive, which is why I ended up with what I got.

Yes, money was tight, but instead of getting a coat I would wear all the time, I got one that mostly hung in the closet.

 

[phebus]

Wow, thanks for all the information folks!
I believe I'll hang onto this, now I just need a rainy day!

 

[Seb Lucas]

Yeah, it is an old man's coat. I've had about 5 of them. Never bothered me, but it is the kind of coat you used to see old homeless drunks wear.

 

[Capesofwrath]

Yeah, it is an old man's coat. I've had about 5 of them. Never bothered me, but it is the kind of coat you used to see old homeless drunks wear.

That should make him feel a lot better about it. lol

 

[Nyah]

.

 

[phebus]

I guess I'm going as an old homeless drunk next Halloween.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Yeah, it is an old man's coat. I've had about 5 of them. Never bothered me, but it is the kind of coat you used to see old homeless drunks wear.

That should make him feel a lot better about it. lol

ha ha, classic posts! Yes, these coats are a bit unfashionable right now, but not that unfashionable!

 

[FaceOfBoh]

+1 on the balmacaan. I always referred to it as a Mac.

And if it's good enough for Don Draper it should be good enough for your wife.

 

[Hal]

+1 on the balmacaan. I always referred to it as a Mac.

The term "balmacaan", though clearly of Scottish origin, is hardly known on this side of the Atlantic. And although all styles of raincoats have been referred to as "macs", the fully waterproof rubberised coat is the only true "mac" - i.e. mackintosh. There are several previous threads mentioning this.

And if it's good enough for Don Draper it should be good enough for your wife.

This is an excellent style of raincoat for summer and light rain; but despite the caption of the picture, it's not a trench-coat!

 

[BigHairyFinn]

Umm, stumbled upon this. I'd call it "my coat" but mines not especially a rain coat - it might hold off a drizzle but here on the Channel its "buckets" when it comes down. So its a "balmacaan"...I think Americans would call it a "car coat" though? At least the length is somewhere above the knee -half thigh. Mines a similar 60's cut, very narrow lapels, slash through pockets, greenish beige with some reddish tartan stripes. And a similar history - my size in a thrift sale Better be called "old mans coat" than a "flasher mac" though...