Bring on the Peas

In fashion, it still seems like the ladies usually get most of the good stuff when it comes to clothing, shoes, and accessories. It may be hard to believe, but there are almost as many fashion choices for outerwear for guys as there are for women. If you stop and think about it – or better yet, do a little shopping around – you will might be surprised at the variety. There is one tiny catch, however; you have to share a few of the styles with us.

One of this season’s “hot” cold weather coat styles for men and women is actually also a classic that we see each year: the pea coat. If you’re not familiar with this style of coat, a pea coat is an outer coat usually made of very heavy, navy-colored wool. Pea coats have been around the fashion scene for quite some time, but not always worn by the everyday gal or guy.

 Pea coats were originally worn by European sailors as part of their official uniform, and then later by Americans. A traditional pea coat typically has broad lapels, double-breasted fronts, and slashed pockets. One very common characteristic on most pea coats is that they have large wooden or metal buttons for closure. In fact, when you say pea coat, this is the image that most people have in their mind. According to Wikipedia, “The term pea coat originated from the Dutch or West Frisian word pijjekker, in which referred to the type of cloth used, a coarse kind of twilled blue cloth with a nap on one side.”

The navy-colored pea coat is considered a classic because it never really goes out of style. It’s often purchased from secondhand shops or from a military surplus store, but each year, like clockwork, pea coats appear on the racks in all types of retail stores and boutiques.

Dark navy blue can easily be considered the standard color choice, and it’s the most popular, but for Fall/Winter 2012, the choices are endless. A pea coat tends to look more on the casual side, but this year, because of some of the styles available, it’s possible this style of coat can pass as high fashion outerwear. I haven’t owned one of these for years, and prefer something longer, but given the option, I would definitely go for the traditional look.

Consider the variety of colors and fabrications before investing – you can find pea coats in plaid, camel, tweed, or bright colors. You can also check out different lengths from just above the hip to below the knees.