Coats

The Normandy shores are known for their unpredictable weather. Layer your Breton stripes with a waterproof raincoat, French chore jacket or another nautical puff jackets for men. Choose from built-to-last materials like cotton canvas and wool for your nautical wardrobe staples.

Style considerations in shopping for coats

A good coat should have a long lifespan and meet both practical and aesthetic criteria. To be brought out every winter without any unpleasant surprises, it must be resistant, made from excellent quality raw materials.

Its finishes must be impeccable and neat for more elegance, comfort, and robustness. Style is also an essential criterion: a coat of character, such as a pea coat or a duffle coat, with a rich maritime heritage, allows the style of a statement piece to be combined with the timelessness of a garment that can be paired with different outfits.

The pea coat has survived through eras and fashions and can be worn with casual clothes for a more strict look. Easy to wear, comfortable, and modern, it allows excellent freedom of movement and is suitable for all figures.

The duffle coat, looser than the pea coat, has also reinvented itself over the trends. If it is part of the casual coats, suitable for a casual-chic style, it can be worn over a suit and goes well with a wide variety of outfits.

How to choose the right size of men's coat

It can be helpful to take your measurements to choose the right size for a men's coat. The back length is measured from the base of the neck: depending on personal preferences, the coat can be chosen longer or shorter.

Shoulder width is measured from shoulder to shoulder, at the point where the shoulder meets the arm. Arm length is measured from the shoulder to the wrist, and the waistline is the narrowest part of the abdomen, between the lower ribs and the upper hips.

It is necessary to be able to put on thick clothes under the coat. A men's coat chosen for the right size should allow you to feel supported without being tight, with fitted shoulders, sleeves covering the cuffs without falling on your hands, and buttons that can all be closed without difficulty.

How to wear the men's pea coat

The pea coat, adopted as one of the elements of the regulatory dress of the French Navy in the 19th century, saw the light of day, in a different form, in the 15th century. It was then already associated with the nautical environment since the Barbary pirates wore it in North Africa.

Then called "qaba", an Arabic word for a small cape, it seduced the first European explorers, who imported it to the Old Continent. It was then revisited several times before becoming the current pea coat.

It is recognizable by its wide collar and double-breasted front. It has two welt pockets and can be worn short, at, or just below the hips depending on the style.

It can be worn with a suit, as long as it is slightly longer than the jacket not to protrude. The open collar allows the tie to be seen, making the men's pea coat very suitable for going to the office.

The pea coat is also suitable for a casual-chic style, more relaxed without losing elegance. It goes very well with a chunky knit sweater, a fisherman sweater, and even a sweatshirt. Combined with chinos or raw slim jeans and a pair of ankle boots or sneakers, it brings character to these different outfits.

How to wear the men's duffle coat

While its name derives from the Belgian town of Duffel, which in the 15th century made robust, black wool exported throughout Europe, it was not until the 19th century to see the first duffle coats marketed in England.

Adopted by the Royal Navy to dress British sailors, the duffle coat can be recognized by its closure system made up of frogs, these conical fasteners in wood or horn, and leather or rope ties.

It is looser and longer than the pea coat, just as versatile, and goes very well with raw jeans, velvet pants, chinos, or even dress pants. It goes perfectly with a thick cable-knit sweater and a fine V-neck sweater or a suit jacket matching a shirt and tie.

Depending on the weather, the occasion, and the mood of the day, the men's duffle coat is suitable for both a casual style and a chic outfit.

The men's parka, a timeless garment

The origins of the parka date back to the beginning of the 20th century, in the 1910s. This garment is associated with Roald Amundsen, a Norwegian sailor and explorer who was the first man to reach the South Pole.

He was wearing a loose, mid-thigh, hooded jacket made from seal skin and fur. It is said that he discovered this jacket among the Inuit and Aleut ethnic groups during his expeditions to the North Pole, Greenland, and Canada.

However, the parka resembling those we know today did not appear until the late 1940s and the polar expeditions of the US Air Force.

It includes the hood, at the time with fur trim, and the characteristic cut of the parka. It would be made of wool, a material that will later, during the Korean War, be replaced by cotton for the US Army soldiers.

From the 1960s and on, the parka has become popular. It attracted civilians, especially mods, these young English people from wealthy families who got around on scooters and partied all night long. Later, in the 1980s, followers of the grunge trend took over the parka.

Today, this garment is a timeless and versatile piece, which comes in various fits, materials, and colors. The parka can be worn with a suit as well as with a more casual outfit. It protects against rain thanks to a waterproof or water-repellent coating, as well as from the cold when lined.

The men's smock jacket, a must-have in nautical fashion

A garment inseparable from the sea and its universe, the smock jacket, this short cotton canvas blouse, was initially cut and sewn by the sailors themselves from the sails of boats’ scraps. Later, in the middle of the 19th century, it joined the ranks of the French Navy, which made it part of the sailor's uniform.

Everything in its design is meant to make life easier for sailors: the large collar can be closed with a button placed inside to avoid the risk of snagging in the ropes, and the patch pockets are also sewn inside, at chest level, high enough to be accessible through the collar. They were intended to contain their tobacco and their fishing log.

If the jacket can be recognized by its short length, we must again seek the explanation from the fishermen's life. Too long, it would have hampered their movements, whether during fishing or maneuvers on board.

Its four original colors were chosen according to regions, homeports, and trades. Thus, oyster farmers used to wear a red tunic. Fishermen on foot wore a yellow man tunic. The rust color was reserved for fishermen using traps. Sailors going offshore wore blue jackets.

Today, the men's jacket still captivates with its simplicity, authenticity, and maritime heritage, making it a timeless piece, ideal for the city and leisure. Worn over a Breton striped sweater or shirt, it brings character to the outfit despite its sobriety. 

The advantages of a seafaring yellow raincoat

Men's raincoats, designed to protect fishermen from spray and rain, are no longer reserved for seafaring professionals. Appreciated for their waterproofness and insulating properties, they have become more urban and attractive to city dwellers.

The cuts are more fitted to go well with city clothes and make marine raincoats an essential garment, both for commuting by bike and protection from the drizzle during walks by the sea or in the countryside.

It can be longer or shorter, has large zipped pockets, or closed with a snap button, as well as a hood, essential to stay dry. With a Breton striped top, a fisherman sweater, and a quarter cap, it completes a style that appeals to all generations and crosses the ages without going out of fashion.