22 October 2008

The Covert Coat


From the New & Lingwood catalog.
He looks like he needs to go the bathroom.

Fall is about the Covert coat. As seen above in the New & Lingwood catalog. Covert is a tightly spun wool that resits snags when charging through the brambles on horse back. Rail road stitching (4 stiched rows) at the hem and cuffs tell all from a distance that this is the real deal. I love these coats for one reason. You rarely see them in the States. They are British. I have one without the velvet collar which was of great importance and economy in the late 19th C when long and greasy hair stained the collar after a few wearings. To cure the grease, the owner simply changed his velvet collar (brown, green or purple) to a new one in order to remedy the oiled mess. My hair is short and so I skipped the velvet. All things in their rightful place.

It's a short coat and clean of line. Hidden buttons in a placket ease down to a bell shaped hem...not too extreme but enough to ride just above the knee and tell all you didn't find this garment at the mall. In the day, a large inside pocket was for game but today it's perfect for a scarf or ten Cuban cigars. While not Trad - - it hails from where Trad was born. Find one. Wear it. And know that in this country - - you will have something very few have. Reason enough to search it out and wear history.

9 comments:

Zingiber said...

Until this year, Paul Stuart was carrying a covert coat with olive velvet collar.

Have you seen sources for a Chesterfield w/velvet collar? My personal fave...

tintin said...

Sarte- Thanks for the visit. I purchased a Chesterfield from Brooks about 10 years ago. Still going strong and in very good shape. Mine is an almost black Loro Piana wool with black velvet collar. The perfect coat with dinner jacket or a DB suit. Somewhat severe considering the casual nature of dress today but I like it.

Anonymous said...

I have a covert coat with velvet collar bought from English Country Classics in Middleburg, Va. They seem to always have them in stock-imported from England.

Anonymous said...

Wow, that is a coincidence! I bought a coat that looks like the one in the pic just 2 days ago...same colour, same velvet collar and even with the stitches on the sleeves and the bottom...only that it is made by Aquascutum...(will fetch it on friday since Im having the sleeves shortened a bit)...

Cool post, btw, best wishes from Central Europe, v.Braun.

M.Lane said...

Great post. I always thought the velvet was only a style point! I really want a Chesterfield...
ML
mlanesepic.blogspot.com

heavy tweed jacket said...

Not Trad? English coats (field & formal) are so trad. It seems that Yanks have always enjoyed borrowing outerwear from the Brits, and great American houses have always sold them. Great TRAD post. Cheers, HTJ.

Sir Fopling Flutter said...

The covert coat can be part of a very classic country look, or it can come across as really gangsterish. It's a staple wardrobe items of East End criminals in British gangster films.

Anonymous said...

Ever seen the Brit movie "Snatch" or "Snatched" re Sir ff above? East End gangster commedy. I think Guy (Mr. Madonna) Ritchie(sp?)directed. Amongst others, Brad Pitt as a pugilistic Irish gypsy type in London. Dennis Fereno(sp?) They don't wear no Covert Coats but updated variations of the Cray (Kray?) bros do. Worth a rent. Buffy.

Gentleman's Gazette said...

Great picture. We used it in our article about the covert coat and credited you of course. Are you still happy with your coat?