[Donald O'Brien]

Hello friends, first time/long time.

I was rewatching an old favorite of mine, Whit Stillman's Metropolitan. Tom Townsend is wearing a SB tan raincoat over black tie, and his new friends tell him twice that he'll freeze, and he protests "It has a lining!" Tom is downwardly mobile and can't afford a wool overcoat, but it got me wondering if maybe Tom is right? Can a tan raincoat be properly worn as a winter coat, if not over a tux, then maybe over a suit?

I ask this in part because I'm in the market for a tan balmacaan cotton raincoat and might like to upgrade my winter coat as well (currently a black SB 3/4, a gift, which I'm not crazy about). I wear a suit a few times a month but usually I go to the office in a sport coat and chinos or even a sweater over an OCBD. Could I get away with making a tan balmacaan raincoat with a lining my only winter coat for wearing over a suit and over business casual?

I see that this has been discussed once before and was contested between two posters, so I thought I'd open this topic back up.


Thanks very much.

 

[Flanderian]

Hello friends, first time/long time.

I was rewatching an old favorite of mine, Whit Stillman's Metropolitan. Tom Townsend is wearing a SB tan raincoat over black tie, and his new friends tell him twice that he'll freeze, and he protests "It has a lining!" Tom is downwardly mobile and can't afford a wool overcoat, but it got me wondering if maybe Tom is right? Can a tan raincoat be properly worn as a winter coat, if not over a tux, then maybe over a suit?

I ask this in part because I'm in the market for a tan balmacaan cotton raincoat and might like to upgrade my winter coat as well (currently a black SB 3/4, a gift, which I'm not crazy about). I wear a suit a few times a month but usually I go to the office in a sport coat and chinos or even a sweater over an OCBD. Could I get away with making a tan balmacaan raincoat with a lining my only winter coat for wearing over a suit and over business casual?

I see that this has been discussed once before and was contested between two posters, so I thought I'd open this topic back up.

Thanks very much.

As an impecunious youngster in the mid '60's I wore a cotton/poly trench coat with a fleece liner in the winter, and found it provided adequate warmth. But of course, I was a youngster!

In later years I had, and still have both classic Burberry and Brooks trench coats in quality cotton/poly with wool liners, and found both just fine with a suit.

Edit: I should note both coats are 25+ years old. Contemporaneously, all bets are off. :icon_scratch:

 

[Corcovado]

I don't know the answer to your question but I am thrilled to see reference made to one of my favorite movies, Metropolitan.

 

[Donald O'Brien]

As an impecunious youngster in the mid '60's I wore a cotton/poly trench coat with a fleece liner in the winter, and found it provided adequate warmth. But of course, I was a youngster!

In later years I had, and still have both classic Burberry and Brooks trench coats in quality cotton/poly with wool liners, and found both just fine with a suit.

Edit: I should note both coats are 25+ years old. Contemporaneously, all bets are off. :icon_scratch:

Thanks. Can't say I'm a youngster (early 30s) but I'll give it a try and report back if any trads in khakis hassle me on a cold sunny day.

 

[Donald O'Brien]

I don't know the answer to your question but I am thrilled to see reference made to one of my favorite movies, Metropolitan.

"Polly Perkins is a composite, like New York Magazine does!"

 

[Peak and Pine]

The short answer to your question is Yes. There is no long answer.

 

[127.72 MHz]

Living in the Pacific Northwest most of us know something about rain, and to a lessor degree, cold. (Mostly cold rain!)

My tweed overcoats do not get as much wear as I would like.

My Burberry, Aquascutum, Grenfell, Cordings, Chyrsalis, and Loro Piana rain coats, most with removable liners, all get a workout in rotation.

Living in Philadelphia I would say that you need both. Wonderful well cared for examples are available via Ebay.

 

[eagle2250]

I grew up in and went to college in central Pennsylvania and I can't imagine a lined Trench Coat being a match for those winters. I've worn lined and unlined Trench Coats as winter coats on a fairly consistent basis since then. During the coldest, most harsh winter months living in NW Indiana and working in the Federal Building in Chicago I wore wool overcoats to stay comfortable during those challenges. My Burberry Trench is my go to overcoat during these central Florida winter challenges. Good luck in your hunt.

 

[Flanderian]

Thanks. Can't say I'm a youngster (early 30s) but I'll give it a try and report back if any trads in khakis hassle me on a cold sunny day.

And you'll care, because . . . ?

I grew up in and went to college in central Pennsylvania and I can't imagine a lined Trench Coat being a match for those winters. I've worn lined and unlined Trench Coats as winter coats on a fairly consistent basis since then. During the coldest, most harsh winter months living in NW Indiana and working in the Federal Building in Chicago I wore wool overcoats to stay comfortable during those challenges. My Burberry Trench is my go to overcoat during these central Florida winter challenges. Good luck in your hunt.

No dispute that a warm wool overcoat is head and shoulders (Is there a pun there somewhere?) above a lined trench coat. But for the sake of veracity, any belted coat does offer an advantage in warmth contrasted to the same coat without a belt. And also that in my youth, I would usually tend to be too warm rather than too cold. The Brooks coat actually warmer than the Burberry as the liner extended down the sleeves.

As to the declasse fleece liner of my trench coat bestowed upon me as a Christmas gift while a freshman, and purchased from Montgomery Ward for some spectacular sum like $39, surprisingly, this liner was the warmest of all, beating all wool liners by a mile, irrespective of disreputable character. (The junk yard dog prevails! :icon_saint7kg

 

[jc1305us]

Been looking for a cool tan raincoat for a while. Unfortunately, they’re tough to find used. Secondly, my wife says I’d look like Columbo, or an old man if I did wear one, though I tend to believe they’re timeless. (I’m 45)

 

[127.72 MHz]

Been looking for a cool tan raincoat for a while. Unfortunately, they're tough to find used. Secondly, my wife says I'd look like Columbo, or an old man if I did wear one, though I tend to believe they're timeless. (I'm 45)

You might be surprised at what is available on Ebay. Granted it does require a commitment to regularly checking the auctions.

Last year I picked up a nearly new, essentially flawless, $2k Loro Piana Rainmate coat for $245.- delivered. If you keep an eye out for a made in Japan Sanyo you will not find higher quality. Even the made in Thailand Sanyo rain/overcoats are very well made and most come with zip or button out liners.

Most people search for Burberry as an example. Instead search for Aquascutum, the quality is remarkable.

Good luck.

 

[challer]

As I used travel extensively to Japan, I picked up a couple Sanyo. Amazing stuff

 

[challer]

I did the reverse of the topic too. Years ago I had an over coat made up by Guffey’s in ATL. We used Loro Piana Storm System coating. This is basically waterproof wool. It can fend off downpours and blizzards and still look as good as the day it was made.

 

[127.72 MHz]

I spent a year in Japan on business. That's where I received my introduction to Sanyo as well.

 

[Vecchio Vespa]

I recall n the mid-1960s how virtually every preppy in the DC area wore a London Fog with a zip out liner or a duffel coat. Simpler times.

 

[Flanderian]

I did the reverse of the topic too. Years ago I had an over coat made up by Guffey's in ATL. We used Loro Piana Storm System coating. This is basically waterproof wool. It can fend off downpours and blizzards and still look as good as the day it was made.

Not in my future, but for many years I've read with interest about this treated Loro Piana wool, and wondered how effective it actually was.
Thanks for the first hand confirmation! :beer:

 

[Donald O'Brien]

I recall n the mid-1960s how virtually every preppy in the DC area wore a London Fog with a zip out liner or a duffel coat. Simpler times.

Basically what G. Bruce Boyer says on the heyday:
"For outerwear, a cotton gabardine balmacaan raincoat (always tan) and a stout duffel coat (always either tan or navy) were all that were needed."
Presumably, these young men were wearing the raincoats, not the duffles, when an occasion called for a suit (rain or shine). A duffle might be too casual.

 

[Flanderian]

Basically what G. Bruce Boyer says on the heyday:
"For outerwear, a cotton gabardine balmacaan raincoat (always tan) and a stout duffel coat (always either tan or navy) were all that were needed."
Presumably, these young men were wearing the raincoats, not the duffles, when an occasion called for a suit (rain or shine). A duffle might be too casual.

No, a duffle would be too casual. :beer: