Men's Trench Coats: Buying Guide & Outfit Ideas

Trench Coat Buying Guide For Men PHOTO CREDIT: @chris_kv11, @google, @___ulfho___

Talking about the trench coat, many might not know it came into existence one hundred years ago. The coat was originally created for British soldiers during the First World War. And that is why you can still see the military inspiration in its style until this very day – the shoulder straps and sometimes even gun flaps near the lapel were the hallmarks of its military origin. Perhaps there is no other outerwear like the men’s trench coat which is as practical as a raincoat but with a fashionable, masculine taste. Now, check out our buyer’s guide for the trench coat and grab one for yourself before winter.

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Trench Coat for Men

A trench coat is designed to protect you from bad weather. Some people might refer the coat as raincoat because of its water-resistant or waterproof material and also its practical function that keeps you warm and dry simultaneously.

The traditional design of a trench coat is double-breasted, wide lapels with ten buttons often with an adjustable belt at the waist. Today if you shop the coat online (on Zara online store, for example), you will realize the trench hasn’t swayed all that much from its original design and the basics have remained largely the same. Until today, you still can spot the most notable ornamental epaulets (shoulder straps) or sometimes gun flaps on many coats.

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Trench Coat’s Fabric

Most trench coats are made of cotton gabardine, a tightly woven and breathable fabric that is widely used to make suit, overcoat, and windbreaker. Some fashion brands use leather or poplin to make the coat. Leather trench coats are not suitable to be worn in the rain unless it is properly treated and waterproofed and poplin material is water-resistant, not waterproof.

Trench Coat’s Color

As for the color, the classics are the best (beige, camel or taupe) but when everyone else is wearing the same color out there, probably you might want to experiment some bold colors like burgundy, dark blue, olive green or cautious prints – check, camouflage, and even slogan prints on the back. Versatility is the key factor if you want to invest in a new color other than the original one.

Trench Coat’s Style

It is obvious that the double-breasted coat is for the winner, but there are single-breasted trenches on the market which are best reserved for petite men who may appear buried if there’s excessive fabric. For belting, you can choose belted, half-belted, or unbelted. The less belting, the less formal the trench.

Other garment parts to opt for – the coat may come with cuffed or uncuffed sleeves, raglan or with no sleeve buttons at all, wide lapels or no lapels, short collar or throat latch collar.

How to Wear a Trench Coat?

Work Approved Trench Coats

If the trucker jacket is on the regular outfit rotation during spring and summer, then a trench coat would be the fashion staple to add to your winter office rotation. Whether it’s a full suit or separates, a trench coat always serves as the perfect winter outerwear for formal wear. Wear it open if the weather condition is slightly chill and pop the collar up to serve as the windbreaker for the neck. Opt for a more conservative color like beige, tan, or black that works best for office wear.

For warmer weather, leave the suit or blazer jacket in your wardrobe and rock the style with only the trench and shirt-and-tie combo. Make sure the combo is elegant, muted colors, and subtle patterns for the latter. If you need more spaces when styling, pick a design without the waist belt.

Office trench coat, work approved trench coat, trench coat with suit, trench coat workwear

Double-breasted Trench Coats

A classic double-breasted coat has wide lapels and between six and ten buttons. Most of the double-breasted coats in the market still come with a waist belt which can create a tapered fit by cinching the torso. In spring or summer, opt for a style that will give more air underneath the jacket. To achieve this, leave some gap between the jacket meet, and then tie the belt at one side.

It is crucial to understand the fit of any trench coat you’ll buy. For guys who like to wear the coat buttoned up and with fewer layers underneath, it is better to opt for a fitted trench coat. Otherwise, opt for a more relaxed fit that allows you to wear lots of layers beneath a coat.

Double-breasted trench coat, beige trench coat, black trench jacket

Casual & Sporty Trench Coats

If you are looking for a trench coat that can serve the purpose of both formal and casual looks, a versatile, classic casual and sporty trench coat will be the better option to add to your wardrobe’s roster. Keep in mind that flexibility is still the main factor when choosing the casual trench coat, the coat should be able to match with jeans today and a suit tomorrow.

To achieve the sporty look, choose a relaxed trench coat that is worn open with the belt loosely knotted behind your back. Remember to pair it with the sneakers and a cuffed hem jogger pants. For a casual style, opt for a thigh-length trench coat in beige, stone, navy, or khaki.

Casual trench coat outfit, sporty trench coat, trench coat street style ideas for men

Cropped Trench Coats

While the classic coats are almost knee-length, the markets already have a cropped version that started to gain some popularity. The length for this coat will fall just below the beltline, making it more lightweight and helps to lengthen the torso which can make you appear taller. The short-length trench coat is only suitable when you’re wearing fewer layers and might not be a good option for extreme weather conditions as it only covers half of your body. A less common variant is the floor-length coat which, as its name suggests, covers you up all the way to just slightly above your ankles.

Cropped trench coat, short trench coat, blue trench coat, black leather trench coat

Bold Coloured Trench Coats

Looking for bold colors is not always encouraged if you don’t know how to create an eye-catching style that will draw the public’s attention. It can be a fashion disaster after all. So pay more attention to the color you choose and see how the color coordinates and complements the coat.

There are many interesting colors to opt for, like raincoat yellow, forest green, and washed-burgundy. Royal blue is the most popular among all, because of its flexibility in matching. However, if you choose other brighter color options, it is likely that you won’t get the kind of versatility from a more conservative option.

Red trench coat, yellow trench coat, burgundy trench coat, orange trench coat

Military Green Trench Coats

Since the first appearance of the trench coat was in the military, it makes sense that the coats were originally all khaki. If you find khaki is slightly boring, while still giving a nod to its military origin, military green is another good option. This color works well with many of the neutral tones in your wardrobe while still giving you the contemporary and classic look in style.

Military green trench coat, green trench coat, army trench coat, olive green trench coat

PHOTO CREDIT: @Burberry, @Zara, @ASOS, @CharlesTyrwhitt, @Aquascutum, @TommyHilfiger, @AliExpress, @ValentinBenet, @Pinterest, @Google

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Men’s Trench Coat Outfit Ideas

We’ve curated 50 pictures to demonstrate how to wear a trench coat for this winter.

Beige trench coat, grey wool suit, white shirt, pinstripe tie, shades 1

Tan trench coat, jeans, blazer, dress shirt, pilot sunglasses, brogue 1

Taupe trench coat, blue blazer, jeans, white shirt, shades, dress shoes 1

Black trench coat, grey suit, white shirt, brown tie, Oxford shoes 1
Dark brown trench coat, wool blue suit, blue shirt, dotted tie 1

Black trench coat, black sweater, tie, jeans, white shirt, Chelsea boots 1

Grey trench coat, wool suit, light blue shirt, patterned scarf, shades 1

Beige trench coat, grey checked suit, white shirt, wool tie, shades 1
Brown trench coat, wool vest jacket, suit pants, purple shirt, wool tie 1

Beige trench coat (cropped), white shirt, camouflage tie, pilot sunglasses 1

Beige trench coat, denim shirt, black jeans, sneaker 1

White trench coat, checked shirt, patterned tie, blue suit pants, brogue shoes. 1

Beige trench coat, white shirt, black sweater, jeans, Chelsea boots 1
Black trench coat, jeans, brown sweater, white shirt, suede Chelsea boots 1

Tan trench coat, blue sweater, tie, jeans, white shirt, sneaker 1

Black trench coat, white shirt, patterned tie, suit pants, white sneaker 1

Beige trench coat, printed shirt, pink trousers, white sneaker, belt, shades 1
Black trench coat, white shirt, brown leather belt, khaki pants 1

Smokey taupe trench coat, blue jeans, denim shirt 1

Beige trench coat, white shirt, black suit pants 1

Black trench coat, sweater, leather gloves, blue jeans, leather boots 1

Black leather trench coat, sweater, black jeans, gloves, double monk straps shoes 1
Black trench coat, white jeans, fedora hat, leather Chelsea boots 1

Black trench coat, turtleneck sweater, black jeans, suede boots 1

Black trench coat, turtleneck sweater, suit pants, leather shoes 1

Navy trench coat, grey sweater, blue jeans, brown leather boots 1
Tan trench coat, white sweater, black trousers, leather shoes 1

Brown trench coat, sweater, black jeans, leather Chelsea boots 1

Black trench coat, white turtleneck sweater, black jeans, brown suede boots 1

Beige trench coat, grey sweater, black jeans, white sneaker 1

Taupe trench coat, white t-shirt, black ripped jeans, black leather boots 1
Beige trench coat, white sweater, checked pants, white sneaker 1

Olive green trench coat, grey washed jeans, sneaker 1

Beige trench coat, white t-shirt, black jeans, brown leather Chelsea boots 1

Dark brown trench coat, white t-shirt, blue jeans, suede Chelsea boots 1

Smoke taupe trench coat, white t-shirt, suit pants, white sneaker 1
Purple trench coat, white t-shirt, blue ripped jeans, white sneaker 1

Brown trench coat, white t-shirt, jeans, brow suede boots 1

Beige trench coat, white t-shirt, jogger pants, white sneaker 1

Black trench coat, white t-shirt, black jeans, suede boots 1

Grey trench coat, print scarf, suit pants, brown leather shoes 1
Tan trench coat, checked shirt, singlet, blue jeans, leather boots 1

Black trench coat, brown cargo pants, double monk straps sneaker 1

Beige trench coat, black t-shirt, jeans, leather Chelsea boots 1

Maroon trench coat, pinstripe t-shirt, white jeans, grey sneaker 1

Burgundy trench coat, demin shirt, blue jeans, leather boots 1
Black leather trench coat, white shirt, tie, wool suit pants, brown dress shoes 1

Military green trench coat, sweater, blue shirt, chinos, white sneaker 1

Beige trench coat, white t-shirt, blue washed jeans, shades 1

Black trench coat, olive green shirt, black jeans, suede boots 1
6 Best Men's Trench Coats

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