Covert coat over a suit

[jpontin]

I agree with Percy that the covert coat is something one might wear in an informal setting in the city, but not, until recent decades, in the City. And II like his suggestion that the gentleman in the illustration is about to go for a walk in the park--although I suppose I question whether he would have worn brown shoes to go to church. "Sunday best," and all that.

That said, I think we all agree that today the covert coat wouldn't look very out of place in most settings, including over a suit in the City of London.But I think it still retains a slightly racy, informal air, which restricts its use a little. You wouldn't wear it in the evenings, for instance, with a smart, dark suit. I own a 20-year old covert coat I had at University, and I only wear it over informal suits.

But in the end, as people always note on this forum, one shouldn't be too prescriptive about these things. Although many traditional habits of dress exist for a reason (experience has shown they have balance, harmony, style--that sort of thing), so long as one is appropriately dressed to the occasion, one should dress just as one likes.

I say to Kolecho: do as you please!

[couch]

Well said, jpontin. "Racy and informal" but dressy perfectly describes the Fellowes fellow, with the thin-soled, quite waisted, highly polished brown shoes on a town last, blue homburg and yellow chamois gloves.

Given the age, this strikes me as illustrating the same attitude toward boundary-bending within good taste that Windsor displayed over and over, bringing glen check suits and brown suede shoes in town, belted suit trousers, turn-down collars with dinner suits, etc. into "polite" usage. Since then one sees waxed Barbours over suits often enough in New York and London, the weekend suit-coat-and-jeans combination, and other "unorthodox" mixes that play on recognizing the town-and-country associations. They blend different registers of the same discourse, so to speak, and so, if well done, can look right--familiarly elegant, unstudied, con sprezzatura.

Certainly not for evening or the dressiest informal daywear, but I wonder: if one made a fly-front chesterfield out of charcoal covert cloth with a black velvet collar, would that be less acceptable as a light dress topcoat than one of herringbne, which is common enough? A different beast, of course, with a different use than Kolecho presumably had in mind.

[edhayes]

I agree that the brownish cloth is better-I think a bright collared velvet collar would be interesting. I am thinking of having one made with a lavender collar.
Of course, I am just thinking.

Not the stitching on the slanted pocket flaps on the illustration.

[tteplitzmd]

I have a topcoat made from Smith/WBill covert cloth in tan, with taupe velvet collar, WITH darts, made by Chipp, very nicely, by the way. 16 to 18 ounce I think.

I have an overcoat from about 15 years ago, again by Chipp, from a heavier tan covert cloth from Porter and Harding, as I recall. Much heavier. Somewhat bulky.

Both of these coats are rather on the long side, which I find particularly handsome. The shorter coats, at Cordings and (I think) New and Lingwood (see their online catalog) look silly to me on someone of my height 5' 5"

On my last trip to Tip Top, I bought a trouser length of dark grey covert cloth, about 18 ounces, with Scabal, on the selvage. I am sure they still have some, in the back room where the gabardines and linens are. It has the courser texture Mr. Alden cites.

When the weather changes I'll post photos of my two covert cloth coats (the heavy one with a 'fancy' lining). These coats will stop bullets and seem to go with anything.

[Sir Royston]

Good Day

Although the Covert Coat traditionally is to be found in the Countryside I find that more and more I tend to wear one in town.. saying that though I'm usually only found in town at the weekends when its "just" possible to get away with wearing brown!!
RBH

[storeynicholas]

London Young Fogeys have gone for them from at least the 1990s, for town wear.

[Gruto]

What do you think of this 22 oz Minnis - is it a true covert coat coating?

[Frog in Suit]

What do you think of this 22 oz Minnis - is it a true covert coat coating?

I do not think so. 2019 is described as a 22 oz. cavalry twill, not a covert. The weave is more visible than on a covert.

On the other hand 2023 is described as an 18 oz. covert (green) as is 2006 (fawn). I should think the latter is the more typical covert coat material, if not the archetype.

But what do I know?

I wonder wether 2010 ((18-19oz. heavyweight herringbone in black/white) would work out for a suit ?

Frog in Suit

[Gruto]

What do you think of this 22 oz Minnis - is it a true covert coat coating?

I do not think so. 2019 is described as a 22 oz. cavalry twill, not a covert. The weave is more visible than on a covert.

On the other hand 2023 is described as an 18 oz. covert (green) as is 2006 (fawn). I should think the latter is the more typical covert coat material, if not the archetype.

Here's the 2006. Is it heavy enough for an overcoat?

[Frog in Suit]

What do you think of this 22 oz Minnis - is it a true covert coat coating?

I do not think so. 2019 is described as a 22 oz. cavalry twill, not a covert. The weave is more visible than on a covert.

On the other hand 2023 is described as an 18 oz. covert (green) as is 2006 (fawn). I should think the latter is the more typical covert coat material, if not the archetype.

Here's the 2006. Is it heavy enough for an overcoat?

I do not think that a cover coat is meant to be very heavy but am not sure. Perhaps one of the tailors on the forum would like to enlighten us?

Frog in Suit

[storeynicholas]

Here's one in London use on Cecil Beaton, circa 1955, from Farid Chenoune's book, A History of Men's Fashion (lent to me by Marcelo - well he thinks that it's just 'lent'!):



NJS

[Frog in Suit]

I wonder whether this J.J. Minnis coating ref. 2010 ((18-19oz. heavyweight herringbone in black/white) http://www.hfw-huddersfield.co.uk/hardy ... 1404?would work out for a suit ?

Frog in Suit

A picture from the website:



This is describe as coating quality.

Need, you will understand, has no role in this .

Sage advice, anyone?

Frog in Suit