It’s trench coat time – some facts and shopping inspiration
23.9.2023
Translation: Eva Francis
If you ask me, 23 September isn’t only the first day of autumn, it also officially kicks off the trench coat season. Looking for (a new) one? You’ve come to the right place!
Let’s talk about in-between season jackets. For some, it’s nothing more than a lame excuse to buy yet another jacket; for others, it’s their absolute favourite piece of clothing. Which team do I belong to? I’ll keep that to myself (cough – team 1). Nevertheless, I have a clear opinion which between-season jackets – if any – are worth investing in. Either an oversized leather jacket or, no doubt, an oversized trench coat.
The latter is probably the wardrobe classic par excellence and an item of clothing that will serve you faithfully every autumn. Let’s take a closer look at trench coats.
The history of the trench coat
It all began long before the trench we know today. At the beginning of the 19th century, the Scotsman Charles Macintosh produced long coats for the British military. These coats were named after him – Mackintoshs, or Macks for short. Thanks to his revolutionary idea of rubberising the cotton fabric, they were waterproof, but not breathable at all. On top of this, they melted if exposed to too much sunlight. That’s not ideal. The number one competitor, John Emary, saw the room for improvement and, in 1853, patented the waterproof, much more breathable fabric Aquascutum. Competitor number two, Thomas Burberry, experimented a few years longer and, in 1879, came up with the idea of coating only the individual fibres instead of the cotton fabric as a whole. He named the result, which wasn’t only waterproof but also breathable and functional, gabardine. It became the standard for the coats of officers and soldiers in the British military. With the new material, the silhouette and details were also adapted to the needs of their wearers.
The features of trench coats
- double breasted buttoning
- storm flaps – a second layer of fabric over the shoulders
- waist belt
- epaulets
- buckled sleeve straps
- wedge vent
Although both Aquascutum and Burberry like to claim they invented the trench coat, both companies basically only contributed to improving the classic Mack.
In fact, they improved it so much that even Hollywood discovered its potential and gave it an image makeover in the 1940s. From then on, it wasn’t officers who wore trench coats. It was reporters, detectives, gangsters and heroines such as Audrey Hepburn and Marlene Dietrich who wore trench coats on the big screen. The rest, as always, is (movie) history.
4 facts about trench coats you didn’t know
- It’s called trench coat because it was also worn by soldiers in the trenches.
- The term WWI trench coat first appeared in a textile trade journal in 1916.
- The original military models weren’t beige as we know trench coats today, but khaki for a better camouflage effect.
- Humphrey Bogart’s world famous trench coats were made by the Aquascutum brand.
Shopping inspiration for you:
Header image: Raspopova Marina via Unsplash
Laura Scholz
Senior Editor
Laura.Scholz@digitecgalaxus.chAlways in the mood for good hits, great trips and clinking drinks.
Fashion
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