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| History Of The Pea Coat |
History Of The Pea Coat
You love the pea coat style, but have you ever wondered where it originated? The pea coat, like many well-loved items of clothing, was originally for a practical purpose. It was a naval coat, with a design that was ideal for a sailor on board a ship. Men would wear the heavy wool, simply to keep out the cold, rather than look stylish
It is thought that the term ‘pea’ refers to the twilled blue cloth which was used to make the coats, stemming from the Dutch term pijjekker, meaning ‘heavy coat.’ Although the coat serves a purpose that is still useful today, it doesn’t stop you from looking stylish whilst wearing one.
The Pea Coats are so stylish and yet so warm. Sometimes the luxury of both is hard to come across, but the Pea coat has a history of which explains it’s necessity to keep you warm as well as the heritage to translate into 21st century culture as a fashionable piece.
A quick summary would be it’s a wool outer coat that tends to be navy. In the last decade you may have seen a few grey or tan coloured pea coats but they are unconventional colours – even if they do work well with the original aesthetic features of the coat.
Grey, unconventional? Yes, simply because the pea coat was used by men of the navy during the last millennium. If there is a colour that tends to be synonymous with an institution, it would be navy – hence the name.
A classic feature of the pea coat is the typical, oversized collar. This gives the coat a slightly dressy aesthetic. It can be worn as a casual piece for a night on the town or it could be work just as ordinarily when going to a job interview.
Originally, the collar on the pea coat was designed, to serve sailors exposed to the inevitable cold and open winds at sea. The collar can be worn up, almost as a half hood, without impairing their sight. Although not applicable to most who wear a pea coat now regarding the open winds at sea, but with winter coming it could be a great contingency plan responding to a winter cold snap when without key accessories.
The other standardised feature to the pea coat is the double-breasted front. It gives a real feeling of integrity and class to the coat, even though the far sided buttons will never be used. The only thing you need to make sure of is that they don’t come off. A missing button on a double-breasted jacket is borderline criminal.
As far as weight goes, they are thick and warm but not as heavy as other jackets, but that can be attributed to the length of which they are made. They are short in length, which sees I fall no further down than the hip.
The original pea coat was without a hood but as it has been immersed into popular fashion, hoods have started to appear on some. The higher end brands will add a few different things to make their pea coat stand out, however generally, most will stop before adding a hood to the original silhouette.
The History of the Pea coat - From Navy to Normalcy
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| The History of the Pea coat |
Why are so many drawn to this particular silhouette? Why do designers and labels seem so willing to sell slightly tweaked pea coats every fall season? By taking a look at the history and the origins of the coat, we can see the popularity of the pea coat runs deeper than just a seasonal trend.
Military Influences :
The history of the pea coat is deeply rooted in military and naval backgrounds. Surprisingly, the jacket has been around since the 1800s when the first variation was worn by then naval powerhouse, the Dutch. The name pea coat originated from the Dutch word “pije” (they pronounce their j’s funny), which was used in the Dutch language to describe a coat made from coarse wool fabric.
While the Dutch are credited for inventing the pea coat, it was the British navy who can take the credit for the popularization of the jacket. The British version of the coat was similarly designed for naval duties, particularly designed to be a uniform for petty officers.
The coat then made its way across the Atlantic for a third appearance, this time with the American Navy. The U.S. Navy adopted the coat and used the coat for “reefers”, who were the sailors responsible for the unenviable task of climbing up the rigging of sailing ships
The common denominator for all three countries for adopting the pea coat was a need for a durable piece of outwear that could withstand the harsh rain, wind and cold temperatures typically experienced out at sea.
Construction & Functionality :
Each of the Dutch, British, and American variants of the coat kept a silhouette that was relatively form fitting to keep out harsh winds. The jackets would normally flair out at the hips, making it easier for the navy officers to climb the ropes at sea.
Most of the coats were double breasted and featured an ulster collar, which could be buttoned all the way up to protect you from the harsh elements. Some variations either had side vents, a center vent, or no vents at all. Most jackets featured vertical slit pockets on the lower half of the jacket constructed for easy access to personal items such as wallets. Nearly all pea coats feature either brass or plastic buttons with an image of a fouled anchor imprinted on them.
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| plastic buttons with an image of a fouled anchor |
Pea coats Today
The functionality of the pea coat in modern times remains relatively unchanged; it is still a viable outerwear option for fall/winter though it’s certainly made its way across the gangplank into city life. What has changed and modernized is the fit and construction of the jacket. The fit of the jacket has been taken in, leaving most pea coats today offering a slim and more snug fit.
References :
History Of The Pea Coat
The History of the Pea coat - From Navy to Normalcy