Atrench coat is a variety of coat made ofwaterproof heavy-duty fabric,[1] originally developed forBritish Army officers before theFirst World War, and becoming popular while used in thetrenches, hence the nametrench coat.
Originally made fromgabardine, aworstedwool fabricwaterproofed usinglanolin before weaving,[2] the traditional colour of a trench coat waskhaki.
Traditionally trench coats aredouble-breasted with 10 frontbuttons, widelapels, a storm flap, andpockets that button-close.[1] The coat is belted at the waist with a self-belt, withraglan sleeves ending incuff straps around the wrists that also buckle, to keep water from running down the forearm when usingbinoculars in therain. The coat often hasepaulettes that button-close, which were functional in a military context.
The trench coat was typically worn as awindbreaker or as arain jacket, and not for sole protection from the cold inwinter. Although some may feature a removablewool liner for additional warmth, they are usually not as warm as anovercoat. Period advertisements from the First World War reveal that the trench coat was sized to wear over theBritish Warm, to offer water protection when the temperature was cold enough to require the heavier coat, which explains the traditionally generous sizing of trench coats. Makers in recent years have resized trench coats downwards to conform more closely to overcoat sizing, as two coats would rarely be worn together today.[3]
Popularised by film stars such asHumphrey Bogart, andPeter Sellers in thePink Panther films, the trench coat has become a fashion staple, available in many colours, through brands such asBurberry.
The trench coat was developed as an alternative to the heavysergegreatcoats worn by British and French soldiers in theFirst World War. Invention of the trench coat is claimed by two British luxury clothing manufacturers,Burberry andAquascutum, with Aquascutum's claim dating back to the 1850s.Thomas Burberry had inventedgabardine fabric in 1879 and submitted a design for aBritish Army officer's raincoat to theWar Office in 1901.[4][5][6]
The trench coat became an optional item of dress in the British Army, and was obtained by private purchase by officers and Warrant Officers Class I who were under no obligation to own them.[7] No other ranks were permitted to wear them. Another optional item was the British Warm, a wool coat similar to the greatcoat that was shorter in length, also worn by British officers and Warrant Officers Class I as an optional piece.
During the First World War, the design of the trench coat was modified to include epaulettes andD-rings. The shoulder straps were for the attachment of epaulettes or other rank insignia; the D-ring was originally used for attaching map cases, swords, or other equipment to the belt, and there is a popular myth that it was for the attachment of hand grenades.
This latter design was dubbed "trench coat" by the soldiers in the front line. Many trench coats had large pockets for maps, and cleverly placed flaps and vents to deal with the odour associated with earlier rubber coats.
A range of waterproof coats was designed and sold during wartime that incorporated War Office requirements with traditional aspects of leisurewear. What became known as the "trench coat" combined the features of a military waterproof cape and the regulation greatcoat designed for British officers.[8] Manyveterans returning to civilian life kept the coats, which became fashionable for both men and women.
During theSecond World War, officers of the United Kingdom continued to use the trench coat on the battlefield in inclement weather. Other nations also developed trench coat style jackets, notably theUnited States and theSoviet Union, and other armies of continental Europe such asBelgium,France,Germany,Greece, theNetherlands,Poland (and are often seen in war zone photographs in the 1939-40 era, even being worn by troops on the attack). As the war progressed, shorter "field jackets" became more popular, such as theDenison smock worn byBritishcommandos,paratroopers, andsnipers, and theM1941/M1943 field jackets in theUS Army: these shorter garments allowed more mobility.[9]
Trench coats have remained fashionable in the decades following the Second World War. Their original role as part of an army officer's uniform lent the trench coat a businesslike respectability, although many prefer to tie the belt instead of buckling it, for a more casual look.Humphrey Bogart'sRick Blaine fromCasablanca[10] andPeter Sellers'Inspector Clouseau wore the trench coat in the public eye. In colder weather it is often worn with a hat such as afedora orushanka.
While similar, theheavy metal andGoth fashion trend of black oilclothdusters are incorrectly referred to as trench coats.[11] Early media reports of the 1999Columbine High School massacre initially associated the perpetrators (Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold) with the school's "Trenchcoat Mafia", a clique who allegedly wore conspicuous black Australian oilcloth dusters. In the copycatW. R. Myers High School shooting days later, it was rumoured the shooter had worn a trench coat. In the wake of these incidents, many public schools in the US forbade students from wearing trench coats, both for their cultural associations and because they could conceal weapons.[12][13]
Media related toTrenchcoats at Wikimedia Commons
