Skip to main content

Elevate your wardrobe: How to rock your new overcoat

These tips will up your style points

Man in trench coat with umbrella and hat
Fatih Güney / Pexels

Winter is heading your way fast. Fall has been going on for a few weeks now, and the temperatures have been declining slowly, but as we get closer to the holidays, you’ll need something to keep you warm and dry. The best coats on the market constantly shift and change quickly. However, there are some classics and trends that never go away.

As the cold weather approaches, we are here to ensure your coat game is top notch. Overcoats are a particular type of coat. They’re meant to keep you warm and dry when wearing more elevated clothing. That doesn’t mean you can’t wear them when you are more casual, but there are some things you need to know and tips to follow to stay in style. Here are some of the more common overcoat types and how to wear them.

Recommended Videos

Check the fit

Man in trench coat with briefcase
Ono Kosuki / Pexels

We’ll work with what you have in the closet. Hopefully, you checked out our guide to buying an overcoat and got the right fit for yourself. Maybe you even got a stylish men’s wool overcoat. Regardless of what overcoat you choose, the size of the coat that you bought will determine what you can wear underneath it.

For instance, you want the coat to be longer than your suit jacket and often end above your knees. The sleeves should reach the first knuckle of your thumb — long enough to cover the sleeves of your jacket or sweater underneath it. Remember that the thicker your layers, the shorter the sleeves of your overcoat will be, making the size important.

Single-breasted overcoat

Man in cashmere coat getting on a train
Bruce Mars / Unsplash

If you pick up a single-breasted overcoat, you have an outerwear garment that ranges from formal over your best suits to something more casual. It’s a bit of an elevated style, so ultra-casual looks won’t always work best with this coat. A single-breasted overcoat is known for the single column of buttons down the middle and usually a skinnier lapel, similar to your best suits.

When dressing this coat up, button up the front and pair it with the right scarf, gloves, and hat to complete the look. The most stylish ensembles ensure that the coat and accessories complement the outfit.

To dress this coat down, keep it open and pair it with a sweater and denim. If you wear a scarf, let it drape instead of knotting it around your neck.

Double-breasted overcoat

Man in cashmere coat
Michael Fenton / Unsplash

If you chose a double-breasted overcoat, you are the pinnacle of class and style. This is the most traditional overcoat and is meant to elevate anything you wear with it. It’s known for its wider lapels and two columns of buttons, usually six. The first thing to remember is that this coat is always designed to be worn buttoned up with the bottom button left open, precisely like your double-breasted suits.

There’s no need to attempt to dress this coat up; the job is done for you. Wear your suits underneath and jazz them up with the best accessories. Some of these coats have breast pockets, so if you’re feeling sassy, you can wear a pocket square just like you would with your suits.

If you’re trying to dress this coat down, don’t. A peacoat is a more casual double-breasted coat, but if you want to wear it, we wouldn’t recommend pairing it with anything more casual than dress pants and a button-up.

Duffle coat

Man in a duffle coat
Yuri Manei / Pexels

If the duffle coat is your choice, you value variety and versatility. This coat ranges from ultra-casual to elevated dress ensembles better than any other on this list. This single-breasted coat is known primarily for the wooden toggle buttons. It’s casual enough to work with almost any look, but the coat’s military history helps elevate everything in your closet.

When dressing this coat up, remember that it has many uses. In formality, it’s just under the double-breasted coats. If possible, remove the hood to keep it understated.

In formal attire, it falls just below the double-breasted coat, and in casual clothing, it sits just above the peacoat. Keep the hood on and unbutton the coat to show off your sweater or henley underneath.

Mackintosh overcoat

Man in trench coat checking his watch
Ono Kosuki / Pexels

If you chose the Mackintosh as your overcoat, there are two reasons. One, you live in a place like the Pacific Northwest that sees a fair amount of rain and need the waterproof feature. Two, you love the movie Casablanca. This coat features a waxed outer layer that keeps you dry in even the heaviest of downpours and a belt that keeps the coat nice and tight around your body in heavy storm winds.

Dressing this coat up protects your more formal outfits, such as your suit and ties. If it’s raining, the best practice is to ditch the scarf and button this coat up to your neck to keep your clothes underneath clean and dry.

While this coat will work with anything and is more for function than fashion, you could swap this out with more of a puffy or quilted jacket to protect your casual ensembles.

Peacoat

Man in a peacoat
Harsh Vardhan / Pexels

This is perhaps the most casual overcoat on this list, and that’s likely because it isn’t precisely an overcoat. A peacoat is generally cut much shorter than the rest of these overcoats, sitting about mid-thigh or higher. Because of this, it is best kept away from more formal events. If you like the double-breasted look, keeping a double-breasted overcoat for your formal looks and a peacoat for your informal looks isn’t a bad idea.

To dress this one up, you can wear it over a turtleneck for a classy look. Wear dark-dress denim with a button-down collared shirt and a knit tie for a stylish and elevated casual outfit to show off a contemporary look.

Dressing down the peacoat is unnecessary, as it’s already a casual coat. If you want to create a classy casual look, return to the coat’s nautical history and wear it with navy chinos and a white T-shirt the way sailors wore them when these coats first appeared on the boats.

Car coat

Man on a dock in a coat
iamhogir / Pixabay

A car coat is very similar to a peacoat, except that a car coat is a single-breasted coat while a peacoat is a double-breasted one. As the name suggests, car coats were initially designed to keep early automobile drivers and their passengers warm while they were out for a drive, as most cars of the time had open tops. Car coats were originally much longer garments, but as time passed, they evolved into the shorter style that generally stops at the mid-thigh area we see today.

Car coats are designed to be worn looser than some other overcoats, and they are an excellent choice to pair with more casual outfits like jeans and sweaters. Because of its shorter length, it’s best to avoid wearing a car coat with more formal clothing, such as a suit.

Finding the casual balance

Tan Chelseas with light jeans
Michael Fenton / Unsplash

In many ways, the overcoat is a dressed-up coat. That doesn’t mean you can’t wear it with the more casual side of your wardrobe. However, there is a very particular balance you should attempt to strike if you want to ditch the suit and tie. If you are heading out in your overcoat to run errands or meet friends in a casual situation, here are the things to keep in mind.

  • Keep your denim dressy and slim fit. While we’re living in times of more loose-fitting trends, if you’re wearing something more casual and baggy, you will look more like Adam Sandler than you want.
  • Ditch the sneakers. Much like the above tip, sneakers will swing this look too far to the casual side of the spectrum. If you want to wear casual shoes similar to your sneakers, opt for dress sneakers or hybrids to keep the overcoat look consistent.
  • If you go casual on the outfit, choose one item to elevate to bridge the gap between the overcoat and your casual outfit. The best ideas are a scarf with an attractive knot or Chelseas for great casual shoes.

Overcoats are a staple in the menswear world. Pick up a few for your wardrobe, and your cold days will be the best of the year.

Mark McKee
Mark is a full-time freelance writer and men's coach. He spent time as a style consultant and bespoke suit salesman before…
April Showers don’t bother Jack Victor with their new Elements capsule
Rain rain go away doesn't work as well as these rain jackets
Jack Victor Field Jacket

Nursery rhymes may make you feel better on occasion, but "April showers bring May flowers" only works if you actually make it to May to enjoy the blooms. Depending on where you live, you could be in danger of washing away if you don't protect yourself from the occasional downpour. The Jack Victor Elements Capsule is setting up to be one of the most important of the year as it brings the best rain jackets on the market all in one place for you to pick up whatever your style aesthetic may be. Of course, that means there are inevitably going to be a handful of options to choose from, but the collection from Jack Victor is the complete set.
Stay dry AND stylish

For us, the building of a collection starts from the top down. That means we will look at the more elevated options that will create the perfect dressed-up looks protected from the rain. The oatmeal topcoat is the perfect versatile option to go over your suits and office wear. Then, the Herrington Jacket in pure cashmere creates the best smart casual look out there. The next step is to pick up your streetwear or more casual looks, and the best-selling Navy Bomber Jacket is the headliner for the whole collection. The perfect jacket for every day when you leave the office to live your life. They also offer a suede hooded vest that is the pinnacle of street style. Finally, the in-between styles focus on functionality, leaving the raincoats and the field jackets for those times when you need something to get you through the worst weather of the season.

Read more
Alex Crane welcomes spring with new colors for the best-seller
Their best-selling bay sweater is now available in springtime colors
Alex Crane sweater on the couch

Building the right transition wardrobe is all about versatility. Finding ways to make lighter layers work for you by layering up. When you master layering, spring and fall will be more fun and more comfortable, and you can experiment with combining colors, textures, and fabrics. While layering up for the unpredictable rain, winds, and second winters that rudely horn in on the beginning of baseball season, a good sweater is vital for that goal. The Alex Crane Bay Sweater is one of their best sellers every year, and there is a handful of reasons why. The 100% organic cotton is light enough to serve as a layering piece and warm enough to keep you guarded against the unpredictable weather changes.
Understated elegance for spring style

Why use organic cotton? Because it is grown without fertilizers or pesticides and uses 70% less water than conventional cotton. Alex Crane grows their organic cotton in northern India, in the state of Punjab. Cotton is naturally soft, durable, and breathable. Only 1% of global cotton production is organic, so AC looks to help increase that percentage. These Bay Sweaters are made in Romania, in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains, meaning they can source the cotton straight from the sources all over Europe. Now that you have chosen the best cotton sweater for this season, you can style it with a henley or a button-down underneath or a great textured overshirt or jacket over the top of it. The bone, pine, and king colorways are the perfect way to stand out for the current season.

Read more
A rich green New Balance is out – here’s how to get it before everyone else
New Balance releases new sneaker
new balance green sneakers

It’s well known that New Balance has numerous silhouettes and designs that have become wardrobe staples. From the 9060 to the 990v6, these models have helped reshape the brand’s lineup in recent seasons. One of their most beloved models, the 1000 design, has become a crowd favorite, especially with their recent collaborations and releases. With a new release, New Balance is again taking up the 1000 silhouette for a new colorway that’s rich and decadent. First released in 1999, this retro sneaker has been reimagined in recent years with more modern features to help cater to a brand-new audience. With a brand new color and the same reliable footwear features, the latest New Balance 1000 is a fun retro option to help liven up your shoe rotation. 
New Balance 1000 “Dark Olivine”

Taking hints from military color palettes, the most recent New Balance 1000 sneaker, nicknamed ‘Dark Olivine,’ is a rich and decadent sneaker that adds depth to the design. Donning a light moss green upper with an olive leather mudguard that contrasts and adds dimension in every turn. Featuring a light grey sockliner and midfoot shank, the earth-inspired color palette is evident. Also included are embroidered details and reflective accents, while the ABZORB midsole continues New Balance’s premium footwear technology. Retailing at $150, the ‘Dark Olivine’ sneaker is available for purchase via Extra Butter before hitting the New Balance web store for a wider release. Although the shoe hasn’t hit an expansive release yet, there’s no doubt that the colorway is a great option for spring and beyond.

Read more