Winter overcoats for men - spend or save?
Happy New Year!
I was inspired to write a post on winter coats as it’s so cold outside right now in the UK, and if you haven’t already got one or would like to update yours, then now is the time.
Initially my plan was to find ones that were on sale, but it seems like many of the ones I wanted to include weren’t discounted.
But then I came across some similar ones that had very different price tags, so I thought it’d be interesting to compare them and show you the different pricing options.
Black tweed coats
This was the first pair of coats I found and the inspiration for this post. I’ve been following an account on Instagram. and it struck me how hard it is to tell whether something is more expensive or not when you’re not looking at it in person…..exactly what you do when you’re online shopping.
These coats are remarkably similar but there’s thousands of pounds difference. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen either of them in person, but the only differences I can note are the Peggs one on the left has a fly front and the Celine one on the right has the buttons showing. The Peggs one has set in sleeves and the Celine one has raglan.
They’re both made of a wool blend - Peggs doesn’t specify what that blend is and Celine has a bit of mohair and polyamide in it. They’re about the same length and very similar in style…..the things that might become more apparent in the flesh, would be weight of them, the quality of the lining and buttons, and the finishing.
Perhaps you might have a preference as to the fit, but that’s quite a personal thing. Without seeing them in person, I’d probably be more likely to go for the less expensive one.
Left: ‘Franco 8439’ black flecked coat - Peggs & Son - £411
Right: Wool blend tweed coat for men - Celine Homme at Mr Porter - £2,950
Brown houndstooth check men’s coats
This pair have more obvious differences and not quite such a huge price gap, though still fairly substantial.
The Drakes one on the left is a more voluminous shape, and with the raglan sleeves, back pleat and large pockets it’s more of a dramatic shape. It also has a green check running through it, making a little more unusual though it could limit what you wear it with. I like the detail of the button sleeve straps.
The less expensive Oliver Spencer one is double breasted with a slimmer silhouette and set in sleeves and an adjustable belt at the back. It still gives a very modern and contemporary look and would suit someone of a slimmer build, who might get drowned in the volume and large details of the Drake’s one.
They’re both 100% wool and have horn buttons. If I was to choose between these, I think I’d err on the side of the more expensive one but it would totally depend on how they looked on. Which do you prefer?
Left: Houndstooth check wool raglan coat - Drakes - £1,395
Right: Double breasted houndstooth wool coat - Oliver Spencer at Mr Porter - £570
Glen check shorter coats for men
The differences between these two seem a little more obvious to me, as the pricier one has a lot more details.
The first thing about the (more expensive) Johnston’s of Elgin one is that it’s 100% lambswool whereas the A.P.C. one is only 60% wool. Given the price tag is not that low, I’m struggling to see how they justify that.
The Johnston’s one is a touch longer - not necessarily a good or bad thing, just an observation, and personal choice as to what you’re going to wear it with and your height.
It also has a storm flap (the extra piece of fabric buttoned under the collar) so you can keep extra warm if the wind is blowing, plus button sleeve straps like the Drake’s one above.
If you click through and look at the other photos, it has an unusual extra pocket detail too - things like that might not bother you, but I rather like it! And if you look closely, it has a faint rust colour running through it too.
Between these ones, my preference would be the more costly one as I like the details and it looks good quality. Having said all this, I do still really like the A.P.C. one and the things I’ve had from there in the past have been good quality, and it’s perhaps a bit more casual if that’s what you need.
Left: ‘Pete’ checked wool blend coat - A.P.C. at Mr Porter - £610
Right: Glen check ‘Balmacaan’ coat - Johnstons of Elgin - £1,550
Brown tweed single breasted overcoats
Another couple which are pretty similar in looks. Not such a dramatic price difference…..though the Private White VC one has been reduced by over £300, which explains it.
The right hand one is the cheaper one of the two and a style I really like. I’ve bought plenty of Wax London overshirts with clients (see this tip on Instagram if you have one and it has pulls in it!) but not coats.
The flecked tweed fabric is lovely, though I don’t know how warm it would be as it’s only 32% wool and has 30% cotton in it - great if you don’t feel the cold too much, and useful in Spring or Autumn, but maybe not so much for the depths of winter. It’s a simple style which would suit a lot of people and be easy to wear.
The Private White VC one has more detailing with suede trims on the pockets and back neck, their signature copper rivets, and cashmere lined pockets…..very cosy! It’s 100% wool so nice and warm, and it’s a plainer weave if that’s more your vibe.
It does have a very dramatic inverted pleat at the back which gives it a bell / cloak shape (as described by customers in the reviews) which you’ll either love or hate!
As long as it’d be warm enough, I’d have a tendency to go for the cheaper one here, as I’m a bit unsure about the swingy a-line shape of the more expensive one…..though who knows, it might be fab on?!
Left: ‘The Salford Succession’ coat in Bark - Private White VC - £647
Right: ‘Stan’ brown fleck tweed car coat - Wax London - £350
Men’s grey herringbone coats
And our last pair of very similar looking coats with the biggest gap in price! Though the Boss one has been heavily reduced it still started off at less than half the price of the Eleventy one.
The price tag of the Eleventy coat is most likely due to the inclusion of Alpaca wool (45%) in it’s make up, which is said to be warm, soft and hard wearing……and apparently it doesn’t pill like wool sometimes does. The Boss one is 80% wool and 20% polyamide.
They both have revere collars, button fronts and button sleeve straps, and are about the same length. The Eleventy one has more of an obvious herringbone pattern to it than the Boss one, which is more of a flecked pattern.
As these are so similar, the huge £1313 difference in price, would probably swing me to choose the less expensive Boss one but it’d be a hard choice to make based purely on how they look.
Left: Grey herringbone coat - Eleventy at Farfetch - £1,712
Right: ‘Selected by Beckham’ wool blend coat - Boss - £399
Don’t know when you should save or splurge?
Or just don’t feel confident about spending money on more expensive clothes because you’re afraid of getting it wrong?
Then let me help - I’ll advise on exactly what to buy, and put outfits together for you. I’ll ease you gently out of your comfort zone, with things that are different, but still feel like you……only better!
Click the button below to find out more and feel free to email me (Sarah) at sarah@sartorialab.co.uk with any questions you may have.
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