The Pea Coat

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Throughout history, fashion designers have drawn inspiration from military uniforms. Many of these designs have been fads and have gone in and out of style in one fluid movement, but there are a few exceptions. One of those exceptions is the navy pea coat.

Characteristics

A pea coat is a heavy outer coat traditionally made from wool. Structurally, a pea coat is recognizable by its wide lapels, large buttons and vertical pockets. Pea coats are double breasted and traditionally fall at the mid-thigh. The original pea coat was so heavy that it featured a metal chain at the neckline, which was used to hang it. 

Origin

The pea coat was first worn in the 18th century by sailors in the European navies. Originally, the coats were made of a heavy twill cloth called pilot cloth or P-cloth. The garments made from this material were called P-jackets, which later became P-coats. This heavy coarse fabric protected sailors in bad weather.

Navy Standard Issue Pea Coat

The original pea coat was made from 30-oz. wool. It came in one color, dark navy blue, which could appear almost black. The wide lapels could be turned up and buttoned to keep the neck and ears warm. A standard issue men's pea coat has eight wood or metal buttons with the anchor symbol on them. While it is rare to see an authentic pea coat on the streets, they are available at military surplus stores

Fashion Pea Coat

The pea coat has become a fixture in fashion. In order to make it more marketable, a few changes had to be made to the original design. The two biggest changes were fabric and color. The original 30-oz. wool was made for standing on the deck of a ship, in the rain, in the northern hemisphere, but it is a little heavy for day-to-day wear. Commercial pea coats are made from lighter wool or poly blends. As for color, contrary to the original standard issue pea coat, the fashion version comes in a wide variety of colors.