The Best Men’s Peacoats for Naval Style

Throughout history, many different outerwear garments have risen to prominence and fallen into obscurity, or weather the storm as an understated staple. For the Peacoat, this story is all too true. Unlike its more popular counterparts, the iconic style piece has undergone many tumultuous changes, transitioning to different echelons of popularity within the general populace. Luckily, fashion-minded men everywhere have continued to utilize the Naval garment in a variety of ways, contributing to its preservation, evolution, and success. Below, we’ll dive into a handful of the best men’s peacoats from around the space, and give you an insight into the proprietors adapting the coat for a more contemporary audience.

peacoat history

After becoming one of the most dependable military garments of all time, the nautical staple began to make its rounds within the civilian population. It was sleek, stylish, and durable, offering wearers the lauded warmth that they’d heard so much about from sailors and dock workers. Over time, it became a symbol of timeless taste, and after the 70s, the coat was confined to smaller circles of stylish men who sought to keep the vintage style alive. These days, the outerwear garment is inherently attached to its military background, remaining a tried-and-true essential in the face of newer, cutting-edge styles.

How to wear a peacoat

Although they’re a bit long, peacoats aren’t meant to be too big, and many modern versions are skewing slim. They look great as an addition to a professional outfit with slacks and dress shoes, but can easily elevate a more city-friendly getup with sneakers and jeans. Given the weight and size of peacoats, they’re best reserved for cold weather and are a great option to use as an outer layer. If you really want that old-school look, traditional peacoats are navy, so go for a navy coat.

What to look for

Material: Wool is the traditional peacoat material, and it gives you that classic warmth and look. Virgin wool and cashmere are both great choices, but a blend (with something like polyester or nylon) can provide more durability and moisture resistance.

Fit: You should be able to easily layer something under your peacoat while not feeling too baggy, and you’re looking for a fit that’s true to size. Ideally, it’s best to get it tailored if you can, but sometimes that’s not possible for everyone.

Weight: You want a coat that has at least 20oz of wool, so you’re staying warm, and if you live in a particularly cold climate, the heavier the better.

Buttons: A double-breasted design with traditional anchor buttons (or nautical-esque buttons) is useful, but also adds to the coat’s military aesthetic if you want the classic look.

Schott NYC Classic Melton Wool Navy Pea Coat

Best Starter Peacoat: Schott NYC might be famous due to its timeless leather jackets, but that doesn’t mean that it’s any less proficient when it comes to other styles. The brand has dabbled in a handful of history’s most timeless offerings, including the Pea Coat. Its Classic Melton Wool, for example, is an attractive retelling of the nautical icon, adopting a 32-ounce wool construction, a quilted interior lining, and military-inspired anchor buttons for true authenticity. But it doesn’t end there. It’s also outfitted with a vented back, two interior chest pockets, and a pair of capable hand warmers, paying homage to the genre’s oldest dock-fairing models.

Mission Workshop Bridgeman Peacoat

Best Water-Resistant Peacoat: Mission Workshop continues to enamor with its durable, utilitarian clothing, but who knew that they’d take a step back in history to create the Bridgeman Peacoat? Regardless of our surprise, the winterized staple is one of the most technical offerings on this list, thanks to its three-layer waterproof soft-shell construction, four-way stretch fabric, and windproof design. Obviously, this allows it to stand toe-to-toe with Mission Workshop’s other offerings, adopting high-performance polyester fleece, zippered pocketing, and a convertible funnel collar to complement its insulated demeanor. If you’re looking for a functionally-efficient icon that can help you weather the storm (on even the most dastardly days), the Bridgeman will undoubtedly be your trusted companion.

Officine Generale Double Breasted Coat

Best Double Breasted Peacoat: When it comes to high-end pieces, there’s truly no room for error when picking something up from Officine Générale. In this instance, there is no exception, as the brand’s hefty Double Breasted Coat offers all the necessary traditional elements of a peacoat, featuring a majority virgin wool construction with 20% polyamide for more stretch. The garment is equipped with notch lapels, meticulous piping at the chest area for a stylish touch that’s hard to ignore, and it comes in this subdued shade of navy that’s quite versatile. Wear it with matching trousers or light brown corduroys if you’re looking to pull it off to a tee.

Brooks Brothers Wool Peacoat

Best Classic Peacoat: Brooks Brothers is a go-to proprietor for some of menswear’s most illustrious styles, so it comes as no surprise that the brand also trades in timeless classics like the Pea Coat. Its Iconic Wool offering boasts an archival layout that pays homage to the genre’s earliest models, incorporating Barberis wool, a diamond-quilted interior, and corduroy detailing to give it an edge over its peers. To keep things contemporary, the outfit has also filled the garment with Thermore insulation, providing a wind- and water-resistant membrane to battle the elements as they come. Naturally, a style piece of this stature will include plenty of pockets. Wearers are gifted with two interiors, and two exterior storage areas, helping them to store their favorite EDC essentials with ease.

Polo Ralph Lauren Polo Wool-Blend Melton Peacoat

Best Simple Peacoat: One could argue that this is the quintessential peacoat, especially when you account for the price, sturdy composition, and unabashed ability to keep you warm. Above all else, it comes from an iconic American brand as any. Polo Ralph Lauren’s Wool-Blend Melton Peacoat is sewn with a tailored fit for a slim look before being finished with a septet of the brand’s signature corozo buttons for a classy touch. Wear it with trousers, jeans, corduroys, or whatever you see fit.

Billy Reid Bond Peacoat

The 007-Approved Peacoat: Billy Reid revels in the creation of stylish, eye-catching garments, and the Bond Pea Coat is no different. Whether the outerwear piece was named in homage to the infamous international super spy, or it adopts its title from Reid’s favorite Bond Street store, this sleek example goes above and beyond in terms of suave styling, incorporating a melton wool material for increased warmth, a luxurious calfskin trim, and genuine horn buttons at its front. If that’s not enough, the designer has opted for an aesthetically pleasing leather undercollar, a more relaxed, layering-friendly fit, and lighter fabrics to keep wearer fatigue to a minimum.

Todd Snyder Italian Wool Cashmere Peacoat

Best Italian Wool Peacoat: Like anything from Todd Snyder, the eponymous brand’s luxurious peacoat is a testament to timeless style. This particular silhouette is crafted from a buttery soft blend of cashmere and wool, deeming it warm enough for a night out and stylish enough for a five-star restaurant. The double-breasted piece is available in over a handful of colors, so you can align it with the rest of your wardrobe for the perfect sartorial look.

MACKINTOSH Dalton Wool and Cashmere-Blend Peacoat

Best Scottish-Made Peacoat: While this is eerily similar to the previous pick from TS, it’s impossible to overlook this century-old outerwear brand in a space it typically dominates. The globally recognized outerwear manufacturer’s high-end coat blends its affinity for weather protection, consistent fashion, and straying away from the trends, deeming it a technical choice that will seemingly not go out of style. After all, the brand has been around for over 200 years.

Stone Island Asymmetric Button-Fastening Peacoat

Best Premium Peacoat: Stone Island’s technical prowess practically ranks second to none; as a matter of fact, the Italian imprint is so well-known for its high functionality that its signature, dystopian sense of style can tend to get overlooked. This clever piece is one of our favorites on the market due to its high-end blend of materials and innovative design. With its off-kilter button fastening and (somewhat) lightweight polyester composition, this peacoat is remarkably versatile and prepared to tackle winter winds and occasional rainfall.

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