THE WW2 PEACOAT

Sailors on the Alameda naval base in 1945......
The rare Brooklyn depot tag ,is the only way to tell the size on a WW2 peacoat.It was sewn on the rayon lining underneath the "hang loop".Unfortunately they are ,most of the time ,missing due to their "cheese cloth" like material......

The one and only preWW2 and WW2 NAVAL CLOTHING FACTORY tag .An easy detail to look for while hunting for one true gem ....
The 10 "fouled anchor" buttons are factory hand sewn [never go through] and always in a z pattern .Showing here,different shades of kersey wool.A dead stock example and above it, one that has been there......
Another revealing detail: the 2 rows of stitching on the sleeves roughly 3" apart ......

The purpose of this post won't be about schooling you into becoming the ultimate "peacoat expert" on the planet, but more about giving you pointers on how to be sure you have the real deal:the WW2 USN peacoat.....

The pea coat is a true American classic,a garment that seems to transcend many different styles, tastes and genders as working for almost everyone .Perhaps because it is a great example of how function always rules over frivolity in the style stakes.It has been copied so many times over the last decades that i've lost track .Legions of modern manufacturers will come up with a nice story, telling you they were "the one".For me the WW2 US NAVAL CLOTHING FACTORY standard issue is only one.

The pea coat is actually a British or Dutch invention dating back to the 18th Century.It gets its name from the Dutch word: 'pij' used for this kind of coat or jacket,hence 'P-Cloth', 'P-Coat' etc. The fabric is a heavy, coarse, usually 32 ounce, twilled dark blue kersey wool.

The 10 buttons are the easiest way to tell a WW2 era coat from afar{ after WW2 they started making them with 8 buttons}. The reason for this is it extended the lapel so with it un-buttoned at the top it could be worn like a double breasted suit with the lapel lying flat against the front of the coat. This is one of the great things about the pea coat, it can be worn different ways and still look good.Small buttons under the collars, and an attached throat latch allowed the coat to be tightly buttoned at the throat. There was one row of stitching approximately 3" above the cuff, which also had a single row of stitching just above the cuff. The hand warmer pockets were lined with tan or light brown corduroy.The coats were lined with a rayon like fabric,baring the “Manufactured By NAVAL CLOTHING FACTORY” tag on the right inside breast pocket (on the outside of the pocket) with a line for the name and a line for the rate. There was an anchor in the upper right hand corner and the upper left hand corner of the tag.

Now armed with this humble knowledge you should be able to get your hands on a true American classic: the ww2 USN peacoat .........good hunting