Men's Overcoat Styles: Chesterfield, Polo, Covert, Ulster and More

Men's overcoat styles grew out of specific jobs: riding, shooting, sailing, soldiering and getting to the office in the rain. Each one kept the details its job needed, so you can still read a coat's formality from its front, collar, pockets and fabric. Know the nine classic styles and you can choose a coat for your suits, your climate and the way you live.

What are the main men's overcoat styles?

The nine classic overcoat styles are the Chesterfield, Guards coat, polo coat, covert coat, Ulster, balmacaan, trench coat, British warm and peacoat. All but the peacoat can be worn over a suit when cut long enough. The table compares them on the points that matter when you choose.

The classic overcoat styles, one by one

Chesterfield

A Chesterfield coat is a knee-length, usually single-breasted overcoat with a slightly fitted body, notch lapels, flap pockets and often a concealed fly front and a velvet collar. It is named after a 19th-century Earl of Chesterfield. In navy, charcoal or black it is the most formal overcoat and the right choice over a dark suit or a tuxedo.

Guards coat

The Guards coat is a navy double-breasted overcoat with peak lapels, a half belt at the back and an inverted pleat below it, derived from the coats of British Guards officers. It is formal and military in line, flattering on a tall or slim figure, and excellent over a dark suit.

Polo coat

The polo coat is a double-breasted coat in camel hair or camel-colored wool, with patch pockets, turnback cuffs and a half belt. It is usually traced to the coats polo players threw on between periods of play, and it became an American classic. Camel works over gray, navy and brown suits alike.

Covert coat

The covert coat is a single-breasted fly-front coat, usually cut to just above the knee, in covert twill, a dense, hard-wearing twill usually woven in fawn or olive-brown. Its signature is the parallel rows of stitching, traditionally four, at the cuffs and hem. It came from English riding and shooting and looks equally right over a city suit.

Ulster

The Ulster is a long, heavy, double-breasted coat named after the Irish province, usually cut in thick tweed. Its collar and lapels are of similar width and are designed to be turned up against wind and rain. It often has a half belt. It is one of the warmest coats on this list and the most country in feeling.

Balmacaan

The balmacaan is a single-breasted coat with raglan sleeves, a small turn-down collar that can be buttoned at the throat, and a body that falls slightly wider at the hem. It is named after an estate in the Scottish Highlands and usually made in tweed or gabardine. The raglan sleeves make it one of the easiest coats to wear over a suit jacket.

Trench coat

The trench coat is a double-breasted, belted raincoat in cotton gabardine, with epaulettes, a storm flap at the shoulder and a back yoke, named for the trenches of the First World War, where British officers wore it. It is a raincoat rather than a warm coat, so it suits spring, autumn and mild wet winters, and some versions come with a zip-in wool lining.

British warm

The British warm is a short double-breasted coat in fawn or camel melton, with epaulettes and leather buttons, worn by British Army officers during the First World War. It usually ends at or above the knee, so check it covers your suit jacket before wearing it over one.

Peacoat

The peacoat is a short, double-breasted naval coat in heavy navy melton, with a broad collar, wide lapels and vertical hand-warmer pockets. It ends around the hip or upper thigh, which is too short to cover a suit jacket. Wear it with knitwear, odd trousers, chinos or jeans.

Topcoat vs overcoat: what's the difference?

A topcoat is a lighter coat for spring and autumn, and an overcoat is a heavier coat for winter. Many shops use the two words interchangeably, but in traditional usage the difference is mainly fabric weight. Topcoats are often a little shorter too, though length is not what defines them.

How heavy should an overcoat fabric be?

For a winter overcoat, choose a fabric of about 18 to 24 oz (560 to 750 g); for a topcoat, about 13 to 17 oz (400 to 530 g). Heavier coatings of 24 oz (750 g) and above suit hard winters and hold their shape well, but feel heavy on the shoulders. Fiber matters too: cashmere and camel hair are warm for their weight, so a cashmere coat can be lighter than a wool one and just as warm. For how woolen fabrics like melton and tweed differ from smooth worsteds, see worsted vs woolen.

What length overcoat should you wear over a suit?

An overcoat worn over a suit must cover the suit jacket completely, with a few inches to spare, so knee length is the safe default. A coat that stops at or above the jacket hem lets the jacket peek out below it, which looks untidy; see suit jacket length for where your jacket should end. Below-knee coats are warmer and dramatic on a tall man, but can overwhelm a shorter frame; just above the knee often suits men under about 5 ft 8 in (173 cm).

Raglan vs set-in sleeves: which is better?

Set-in sleeves give a sharper, more formal shoulder; raglan sleeves give a softer, roomier one that slides easily over a suit jacket. A set-in sleeve is sewn into an armhole at the shoulder, like a suit jacket's. A raglan sleeve runs in one piece up to the collar, with a diagonal seam from the underarm to the neck, so there is no seam around the shoulder point.

Single or double-breasted overcoat?

Choose a single-breasted overcoat if you want one coat for everything; choose double-breasted for extra warmth and a stronger, more military look. A single-breasted coat is easier to wear open, sits neatly with a scarf and suits every build. A double-breasted coat overlaps across the chest, which keeps out wind, but adds visual width and looks best buttoned.

How should an overcoat fit over a suit?

An overcoat should fit comfortably over your suit jacket without pulling at the buttons or bunching the jacket sleeves. Always try it on over a jacket. The shoulders should extend just past your jacket's shoulders, and the sleeves should cover the jacket and shirt cuffs completely, roughly ½ inch (1.3 cm) longer than your jacket sleeve.

Which overcoat colors are the most versatile?

Navy and charcoal are the most versatile overcoat colors: they go over every suit color, look right in the city and in the evening, and hide dirt. Camel is the next most useful, because it warms up gray and navy suits and works with casual clothes. Mid-gray, brown and fawn are good second coats; black is formal and severe, best kept for evening and for a coat worn over black tie.

Which overcoat should you buy first?

Buy a navy or charcoal single-breasted coat that reaches the knee, in a wool or wool-cashmere of about 18 to 22 oz (560 to 680 g), in a Chesterfield-like cut. It goes over every suit, a tuxedo, and odd jackets and knitwear on the weekend. Add a camel polo coat, a covert coat or a trench as a second coat, depending on your climate and whether you need rain protection or warmth.

The tailor's view: what can be altered on an overcoat

Sleeve length is the easiest overcoat alteration, provided there is enough fabric turned up inside and no working buttonholes at the cuff. Taking in the body a little at the back seam is usually possible. Shortening the hem works within limits, because the pocket position and the proportions of the coat set how much can come off. Shoulders that are too narrow or too wide cannot be fixed properly, so judge the shoulders first.

Finish the coat with a scarf tied to suit its collar; our guide to how to tie a scarf with a coat shows which knots suit which coats. For a winter wedding, pair a dark overcoat with a three-piece suit or see what to wear to a wedding as a guest. For a coat made to your measurements, start with the best tailors in London.

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