Off the Cuff - Carson Kressley [35]
You might occasionally see peacoats out there in different fabrics and colors beyond basic navy wool. That’s the thing about fashion; it’s always reinventing itself. It’s the designer’s job to innovate—to dream up new interpretations.
You’ll see peacoats in cashmere or leather or nylon. Those are all great options if you’re going to invest in more than one. If you’re just getting one, make it classic. Because after wearing that orange-nylon-and-corduroy peacoat you thought was such a fun twist on a fashion basic just a couple of times, you might get sick of it and long for a simple navy wool one.
3. A windbreaker. You need to have the right outerwear for the right season, and for spring and fall, a windbreaker is a nice, light jacket that’s going to do the job for you. One thing I hate to see is someone suffering from seasonal dyslexia—you know, wearing a fur coat and earmuffs when it’s 55 degrees out. Now, I love sheared beaver as much as the next guy, but there is a time and a place for everything. (For more on that, see chapter nine.) A jacket is meant to keep you warm and dry and comfortable, and those needs will change from season to season. Your jacket shouldn’t make you sweat like Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker at tax time.
I know I sound like a broken record, but when it comes to the windbreaker, it’s really important to keep it simple. It should be light and lean and mean, and should do its job of chill chasing without detracting from the rest of your look. A good windbreaker should be made of a lightweight luxury nylon—yes there is such a thing as luxury nylon, just ask your friendly sales associate—or coated cotton twill. I like a short, plain-front zip-up that’s not too fussy, maybe with two slash pockets. (Those are pockets without flaps, people.)
While it’s very tempting, especially in spring, to buy an orange or bright blue windbreaker, take a step back, take a deep breath, and realize that neutral-colored windbreakers are always going to serve you best. Remember that they have to work in both spring and fall. Navy, black, and khaki are all good choices. Avoid white because you can only use it for spring, unless you’re planning on enrolling in a shuffleboard league in Boca.
4. A topcoat. This is the fancy overcoat you’ll wear over a suit. Think about Cary Grant and those classic suits he would wear. He always had a topcoat and he always looked cool. A topcoat is made to fit like a suit, because it is a suit. It’s the third piece to a suit. (Or the fourth if you’re Uncle Wiggly.)
You want to look for an overcoat made of natural fibers: wool, camel hair or—chaching!—cashmere if you dare, in a simple, conservative charcoal gray, navy, or camel. Beyond that, consider the exact same things you would look for in choosing a suit. (See chapter five.) A topcoat is just like a long suit coat made of thicker wool material. Inspect the buttonholes, the lining, the shoulder construction, the stitching. Just like on a suit jacket, the buttons on a good overcoat should be a natural material like horn, not plastic.
The sleeves of a topcoat need to be longer than your suit and your shirt, because they’re meant to protect them. Ideally, your coat should extend about a half inch beyond your suit sleeves. As for the length, three-quarter length topcoats, which come to the knee, are acceptable only if you’re on the shorter side, because a full-length coat will drown you. Men who are average height or taller should invest in a full-length topcoat, which hits from just below the knee to halfway down the calf. It shouldn’t be so long that it restricts you in walking or makes you look like a friar going to vespers. Speaking of friars, you might want to avoid brown topcoats, so that nobody asks you for directions to the local monastery or for a spot of Frangelico.
Take Off the Labels, People!
If you are wearing an overcoat or a suit jacket that comes with an outer label stitched onto the forearm or wrist area, please put down this book and go clip it off. And for God’s sake use