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What’s This About
A trench coat is a belted, water-resistant coat, traditionally double-breasted in cotton gabardine, that works over suits, knitwear and casual clothes.
This guide covers how to choose, fit and wear a trench coat, such as:
The details that define a traditional trench coat, from the storm flap to the throat latch
How the shoulders, sleeves and length should fit over your other layers
Single-breasted and double-breasted trench coats compared
Outfits for work, weekends and evenings in navy, grey, khaki and black
What to check when buying a second-hand Burberry trench coat
and many more!
Price and brand do not decide how a coat wears, so check the fabric, stitching and fit of the coat in front of you.
Key Points
01Try a trench coat on over the thickest layer you plan to wear under it.
02Khaki and beige are the traditional colours, and navy and black show marks less.
03A label alone does not prove a second-hand Burberry coat is genuine, so check the stitching, lining and fabric and buy where returns are accepted.
04Burberry and Aquascutum both claim to have created the trench coat, and historians say it is unclear which was first.
A trench coat is a belted, water-resistant coat, traditionally double-breasted and made in cotton gabardine, that takes its name from the coats British officers wore in the trenches of the First World War.
It is a versatile coat, because it works over a suit, over knitwear and over a T-shirt and jeans.
This guide covers the details that define a trench coat, how it should fit, how to wear it for work, weekends and evenings, and what to check when buying one new or second-hand.
The trench coat often appears in pictures of the classic menswear look now called Old Money style, and it sits comfortably among classic wardrobe essentials; you do not need any particular background or budget to wear one well.
The details that define a trench coat
Trench coats vary a great deal, but a traditional one has most of the following details.
A coat without some of them can still be a good raincoat; these details tell you how close it is to the original design.
Fabric
The traditional fabric is gabardine, a tightly woven twill that Thomas Burberry developed in the late 19th century; Burberry dates the invention to 1879.
Gabardine is woven so closely that it sheds light rain while still letting air through, and Burberry’s version was made water-resistant before weaving rather than coated afterwards.
Cotton gabardine is the usual fabric for trench coats today, and wool gabardine, cotton blends and technical fabrics are also used.
Check the label and the maker’s description for how water-resistant a particular coat is, because finishes and fabric weights differ.
Leather trench coats exist, but they are heavier, less breathable and a different style of coat from the cotton trench.
Raglan sleeves
Many traditional trench coats have raglan sleeves, with a diagonal seam that runs from the collar to the underarm instead of a seam at the shoulder.
Raglan sleeves give more room for movement and make the coat easier to put on over a jacket; the style is named after FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan, just as the Chesterfield coat takes its name from a 19th-century earl.
Set-in sleeves, like those on a suit jacket, look sharper at the shoulder, and some coats combine the two.
Cuff straps
A strap with a buckle around each cuff lets you close the sleeve against wind and rain.
Double-breasted front
A traditional trench coat is double-breasted, often with ten buttons on the front, and wide lapels that can be buttoned across at the throat in bad weather.
Single-breasted trench coats are also widely made, and they are covered in more detail below.
Shoulder straps
The buttoned shoulder straps, often called epaulettes, come from the coat’s military origins, where they held rank insignia.
Storm flap
A storm flap, sometimes called a gun flap, is an extra layer of cloth buttoned over one shoulder at the front.
It is usually described as extra protection against rain at the shoulder and the front opening, and the back yoke, a similar layer across the upper back, helps rain run off the back of the coat.
Throat latch
Under the collar, a hook, a strap or a tab lets you fasten the collar closed around your neck when the weather turns.
Belt and D-rings
The belt lets you pull the coat in at the waist, and many trench coats have small metal D-rings on the belt.
On military coats, the D-rings held equipment such as map cases and binoculars; the popular story that they were for hand grenades has little evidence behind it.
Today the belt can be fastened, tied loosely at the back, or left hanging open, depending on the look you want.
Back vent
A deep vent at the back, often with a button or a pleat, gives room to walk while keeping wind and rain out.
Pockets
Trench coats usually have slanted pockets with buttoning flaps or welts, and many have openings that let you reach the jacket or trousers underneath without unbuttoning the coat.
Lining
Many trench coats are lined in a check cloth, and some take a wool liner that buttons in for winter.
A removable liner is worth considering if you want to wear the coat from autumn to spring, because adding one later is not always possible.
Colours
Khaki, beige and stone are the traditional trench coat colours.
Navy, olive, grey and black are common alternatives, and darker colours show marks less than light ones.
How a trench coat should fit
A trench coat is cut with room to wear over other layers, so it should not fit as closely as a jacket.
Layering: try the coat on over the thickest layer you plan to wear under it, such as a suit jacket or a chunky jumper, and check you can button it and move your arms.
Shoulders: the shoulders should sit slightly beyond your own, without drooping well down the upper arm.
Sleeves: the sleeves should cover your jacket and shirt cuffs, ending around the base of your thumb, as The Art of Manliness trench coat guide also advises for wearing the coat over a suit jacket.
Length: knee length works over most suits and casual clothes; shorter and longer coats are made too, and the length that looks right depends on your height and the silhouette you like.
Fit and silhouette are separate choices: a well-fitted coat can still be cut slim or generous, so choose the shape you prefer once the shoulders, sleeves and length are right.
Alterations
Shortening sleeves and taking a coat in a little are routine tailoring jobs, but letting one out is rarely possible.
Bigger changes can leave the belt, pockets and buttons out of balance, so choose a coat that already fits at the shoulders.
Single-breasted vs. double-breasted
A double-breasted trench coat is the traditional design, and its overlap gives extra protection and warmth across the chest.
A single-breasted trench coat looks simpler and lighter, and it often sits more neatly when worn open.
Try both, because a double-breasted front adds visible fabric across the chest, and some men prefer the plainer line of a single-breasted coat.
How to wear a trench coat by occasion
Over a suit
A trench coat sits easily over a suit, and our guide to wearing a coat over a suit covers the length and fit points in more detail.
A khaki or beige trench coat works with navy, grey, charcoal and black suits, and a navy or black trench coat looks good over a grey suit or a grey double-breasted suit.
For black tie and white tie, a dark overcoat is the usual choice instead of a trench coat.
For work
If you wear a suit to work, a trench coat in a similar tone gives a quiet, coordinated look, such as a grey trench coat over a grey suit with brown shoes.
For business casual, try one of these combinations:
Navy trench coat, light blue shirt, grey wool trousers and brown suede chukka boots.
Khaki trench coat, white shirt, burgundy tie, navy trousers and burgundy leather Derbies.
Stone trench coat, white shirt, charcoal trousers and black leather loafers.
For weekends
A trench coat makes a simple casual outfit look more finished.
Navy trench coat, white T-shirt, blue jeans and white leather trainers.
Khaki trench coat, brown cardigan over a white T-shirt, stone chinos and brown leather boots.
Grey trench coat, black jumper, black jeans and white trainers.
Olive trench coat, denim shirt, dark chinos and brown suede desert boots.
In cold weather, add a wool scarf; our guide to tying a scarf shows knots that sit neatly under a coat collar.
For an evening out
Camel or khaki trench coat, light blue shirt, dark jeans and brown suede Chelsea boots.
Khaki trench coat, black roll-neck, black trousers and black leather Chelsea boots.
Navy trench coat, grey jumper over a white shirt, dark jeans and brown leather Derbies.
How to wear a trench coat by colour
Navy
A navy trench coat suits navy and grey suits, and it pairs easily with jeans, chinos and white or light blue shirts.
Navy also works with black, grey, white, olive and tan.
Grey
A grey trench coat works over lighter suits in spring, and a charcoal one works over navy and black suits.
With casual clothes, grey suits jeans, chinos in beige, navy or black, and knitwear in white, burgundy, olive or blue.
Khaki, beige and camel
The traditional colours suit almost any suit colour and work especially well with earthy autumn shades such as rust, mustard, olive and brown.
For a simple outfit, wear a khaki trench coat over a white shirt with navy, grey or black trousers.
Black
A black trench coat looks sharp over dark suits and all-black outfits.
For more contrast, wear it over lighter colours such as tan, cream or grey.
Where to buy a trench coat
New
Heritage makers such as Burberry, Aquascutum and Mackintosh still make traditional trench coats, and many other brands make trench coats at a wide range of prices.
Price and brand do not guarantee how a coat will wear, so compare the fabric, the stitching, the details you want and the fit.
Second-hand and vintage
Older trench coats from heritage makers turn up in vintage shops, charity shops and online marketplaces, and they can cost much less than new.
Check the shoulders and sleeve length against a coat that fits you, and look for worn cuffs, frayed buttonholes, stains, missing belts and damaged linings before you buy.
Made to measure and bespoke
Some tailors make trench coats to order, which lets you choose the fabric, length, lining and details.
Ask to see a finished trench coat the tailor has made, because outerwear needs different skills from suits.
For more heritage labels, see our guides to classic designer brands and classic clothing brands.
Buying a second-hand Burberry trench coat
Burberry trench coats are widely sold second-hand, so it helps to know what the labels tell you.
The company traded as Burberrys for much of the 20th century and changed its name to Burberry in the late 1990s, so a “Burberrys'” label usually indicates an older coat.
A label alone does not prove a coat is genuine or tell you its condition, because labels can be copied or moved.
Burberry has also used other labels, including Prorsum for its runway collections and Black Label and Blue Label for clothing made under licence for the Japanese market, and these lines differ in cut and construction from the classic trench coat.
To reduce the risk of buying a counterfeit, buy from sellers who accept returns, ask for close photographs of the labels, stitching, buttons, lining and fabric content, and compare them with a coat you know is genuine.
Neat, even stitching, a lining pattern that lines up at the seams and a fabric label that matches the maker’s usual cloth are good signs, but no single detail proves authenticity, so ask a specialist if the price is high.
A short history of the trench coat
Early waterproof coats
In the early 19th century, Charles Macintosh developed a waterproof cloth made by bonding rubber between layers of fabric, and the Mackintosh brand introduced its raincoat in 1824.
Early rubberised coats smelled, stiffened in the cold and softened in the heat, problems that later improvements in rubber processing eased.
Aquascutum and Burberry
Aquascutum, whose name comes from the Latin for “water shield”, was founded in London in the 1850s and says it supplied waterproof coats to British officers during the Crimean War.
Thomas Burberry opened his first shop in Basingstoke in 1856 and developed gabardine, which Burberry dates to 1879; histories give different patent dates, commonly 1888.
Burberry patented a belted coat called the Tielocken in 1912, and Smithsonian Magazine notes that both Burberry and Aquascutum claim to have created the trench coat, and that it is unclear which was first.
The First World War and after
During the First World War, British officers bought their own coats from military outfitters, and the belted, water-resistant coats worn in the trenches gave the trench coat its name.
Features such as the shoulder straps and belt rings served military uses, although the exact purpose of some details is retold differently by different sources.
After the war, former officers and civilians kept wearing the coat, and films such as Casablanca (1942), in which Humphrey Bogart wears a trench coat, helped make it a lasting civilian style.
Trench coat FAQs
Q. What makes a coat a trench coat?
A trench coat is a belted, water-resistant coat, traditionally double-breasted, usually with shoulder straps, a storm flap, a throat latch and cuff straps.
Q. Should a trench coat be fitted or loose?
It should have enough room to wear over a jacket or jumper, with shoulders that sit slightly beyond your own, but not so much that it hangs shapelessly.
Q. Can you wear a trench coat in winter?
A trench coat with a button-in wool liner, worn over knitwear, can work in mild winters, but in very cold weather a heavier wool overcoat is warmer.
Q. What colour trench coat is the most versatile?
Khaki or beige is the traditional choice and works with most suits and casual clothes, while navy and black show stains less.
Q. When should you not wear a trench coat?
It is too warm for hot summer days, and for black tie or white tie events a dark overcoat is the usual choice.
Conclusion
A trench coat is a belted, water-resistant coat that works over a suit, knitwear or a T-shirt and jeans.
Choose it to fit over your thickest layer, pick the colour and length you like, and add a wool liner if you want to wear it into a mild winter.
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