The Quest for the Ultimate Winter Coat - The Duffle

A good friend e-mailed me the other day asking about advice regarding winter coats. He asked for the ultimate winter coat/jacket, saying that it needed to be warm, handsome and have some details/qualities and it had to be made to a certain standard.

I spent some time thinking about it and I was slightly baffled by this because I never really thought about buying just one coat or jacket, as I have always enjoyed some diversity. Therefore I will try to highlight some good, classic winter coats that would probably get you through winter in good and warm health, while still looking good.

The duffle coat is a stable. Period. It has been around for many years and it has stood the test of time. Originally it was introduced as a military coat, but it has later become a go-to coat for preppies and mods. I don't own one at the moment, but I have had one from Gloverall. Gloverall have seen a resurgence in the last couple of years. Latelt they have been making the classic duffle in some different cuts and colours while trying to capture a younger audience. If you feel like wearing a turquoise slim fit duffle in Nylon, that is fine by me. Though it would be advisable to get one in a more wearable colour, like navy, gray, black or dark green. Gloverall is still made in England and the wool used is of a descent quality, though it is very prone to pilling. But that is how it looks, and it looks good in a way, though I know of some people, that have been disappointed with the pilling.

If you are after a more rugged solution, brands like Harnold Brooks, Fidelity and Schott comes to mind. Besides them a lot of good brands like Engineered Garments and National Anthem have featured a duffle in their collection several times.