“Of all the gin joints in all the world, she walks into mine.” wearing a trench coat. Look, the trench coat is one of the most iconic men’s garments in the history of sartorial development. Whether you first saw it when Humphry Bogart wore it with a fedora in Casablanca, or you saw it for the first time when John Constantine defended the world from demons in Constantine, they are always all over the screen. Maybe you saw it on the streets first because you live in New York, Portland, or somewhere there is a lot of rain that needs to be kept off the suit. Either way, you should be familiar with them. But how long should a men’s trench coat be?
This isn’t an odd question—guys do this all the time. That doesn’t necessarily mean they are wearing their coat incorrectly; it may just mean they aren’t wearing a trench coat. There are dozens of different kinds of coats that men can wear, but a trench coat is a very specific type. So before we talk about how long the coat should be, let’s answer one important question first.
What is a trench coat
If you have ever dug into the history of virtually any men’s fashion garment, you probably noticed a trend. Almost all the best menswear items can draw their origins back to the military. The trench coat is no different. As the world got bigger and bigger and the British military was ready to ditch the bright red military jackets, World War I required them to come up with something more practical. Looking for something with ease of movement and functionality, the trench coat became the coat that soldiers wore in the trenches of The Great War. Of course, once they became commonplace in the military, it was only a matter of time before men everywhere began wearing them in the civilian world. There are a few specific features of a trench coat that identify it as such:
- Double-breasted—While you can definitely find a trench coat that is single-breasted, the originals are double-breasted. One of the main reasons to grab one that is the latter is that it covers more real estate across the chest, and the point is to keep rain out.
- The belt — Any self-respecting trench coat wearer wouldn’t be caught dead without a belt on their trench coat. Sure, Morty Seinfeld may have come up with the idea of the beltless trench coat, but tightening the belt does a lot to help keep a slim and powerful silhouette.
- Gaberdine — Okay, we can hear the controversy now. Maybe nowadays you can find a trench coat made of cotton, canvas, or leather. The whole point of a trench coat is to keep the rain out. As such, gaberdine, a waterproof version of wool, is the fabric of choice for a real trench coat.
Now that we have that out of the way, you are ready to shop for the right trench coat. So, how should that trench coat fit?
How long should a trench coat be
Here is a vague answer, however long you need it to be. Now, to dive into that. The point of a trench coat is to keep your clothing dry. That means that you can end up with a trench coat that is too short, and your pants will still get soaked. If you end up with a trench coat that is too long, it will hinder your movement and maybe even slosh the puddles, causing your socks and the lower part of your pants to get soaked.
Your trench coat should rest about halfway down your shin. If you are wearing a coat that lands at or above your knees, it starts to get into car coat territory. If you are driving all day, every day, a car coat may be what you are looking for. If the coat lands too close to the ground, you may run into Neo territory. Sure, we all wish we could live out our Matrix fantasy, but the look is less attractive than you may think. Therefore, keep your coat about halfway to your ankles from the knees.
As we head into the fall season, the world may get a little wetter. Your typical overcoat is going to keep you warm, but won’t keep you as dry, and it will likely be too heavy for the transition months between summer and winter…or winter and summer. So if you are ready to keep your suits and stellar fall outfits looking great, invest in a good trench coat.
