Pea Coats - Navy Wool Pea Coats
The pea coat as we know it today is essentially short double-breasted blazer that comes in a range of colors, fabrics, and lengths and is equally fetching on men and women alike. The origins of this jacket, however, are quite different.
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Sailors began donning the pea coat in 1723 as a heavy outer layer to keep them warm in the cold and misty sea air. It was originally made from a heavy, resilient and coarse twilled Dutch cloth called "pilot cloth," abbreviated as "p-cloth." Over time, the name of the garment transitioned from "p-coats" to the contemporary "pea coats."
The pea coat didn't become popular, however, until about two hundred years later in the post-World War II society. Clothing was generally militarily inspired at this point, with cargo green and utilitarian styles at the peak of high fashion. Even at this time, the coat was popular for both sexes and schoolgirls would complement their jacket with pea green pleated skirts. The coat faded out of style by the late ‘40's, but has resurfaced over the last decade and come in a wider range of colors and cuts than ever before.
While the fashionable garment now comes in denim, khaki, cotton, and even corduroy, the fabric of choice continues to be wool or a wool blend. There is plenty of room for individualization, however, in the realm of color choice. As the coat's popularity waxes and wanes so does the variety of available shades. Black is most popular as it is highly versatile and can be used in formal or informal contexts. Navy is also a common color to see around and it harkens back to the coat's Naval origins. If you goal is to turn some heads, bright red and warm pink are two great options for women. For a more conservative, but non-traditional look, beige (especially with a wool/cashmere blend) is great for men and women alike.
But the pea coat style is not restricted to winter. For early spring, a light coat made with khaki fabric and lined with a light cotton material is a great choice. Navy and beige work for this lighter weight version and are the best color-options for men, but women shouldn't be afraid to try out more ‘springy' colors like celery green, pale pink, dandelion yellow, or baby blue. The combination of classic pea jacket style with these brighter colors creates a crisp look perfect for spring.
If you want to take the pea coat to a whole new level, try out a denim jacket. Like everything denim, it can go with anything and creates a relaxed but stylish look. This look is great for men and women, though men's denim pea jackets are typically cut to just below their hips and women's are cut slightly above the hip.
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