Peacoat in heavy uniform melton in dark navy

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Buying

£580.00

Peacoat, made in London, with heavy (27oz) woollen melton from a mill in West Yorkshire — an exact replica of cloth woven for the British Army going back to Victorian times — and with dark horn buttons from the West Midlands.

Wondering

There's not many of these left, by the looks of it. Still, don't despair. Email info@sehkelly.com and perhaps something can be done about it.

Sizing

The peacoat fits entirely true to size, for a peacoat — e.g. it is cut more like a jacket than an overcoat, and thus if you wish to layer it over lots of other things, it best to go up a size.
XS S M L XL
To fit chest 36 38 40 42 44
Pit-to-pit 19 20 21 22 23
Shoulder 18 18½ 19 19½ 20
Back length 32 32¼ 32½ 32¾ 33
Sleeve from   centre-back 34       34½       35       35½       36      
This is a traditional sort of peacoat on the face of it. Look here and there, though, and you'll find a few nods to modernity. But, first off, what we have here is a large, heavy, and immensely warm coat, made to serve its wearer all winter long. It has a large collar, and is just about long enough to cover a suit jacket.
The peacoat has what's known, at least in the garment trade of east and north-east London, as an Ulster collar. It is cut such that it is just as happy to stand upright, skimming the neck at the sides and back, as it is sitting down — but even then, it is proud, and is never concave or flat or in any way apologetic.
The peacoat has a front of six buttons, stationed in three pairs, plus a further pair of smaller buttons which are hidden under the collar. These latter buttons enable the coat to be fastened right across the neck, serving as a formidable guard against the very worst of Mother Nature.
The buttons on the peacoat are large, solid horn — dark in colour and matte in finish — and each is a little different from one to the next. They are in that regard as if alpha-keratin snowflakes — such is the beauty of being a product of a high-grade natural material, rather than, say, a plastic replica.
There are two pockets on each side of the peacoat, which work in tandem to make life as pleasing as possible for the wearer. Its patch pockets are the most obvious ones, being as they're of elephantine proportions. They're strengthened on both sides with bar-tacks — as every stress-point on the peacoat.
Less obvious are the "warmer" pockets, built into the body seam. These are partly submerged within the aforementioned patch pockets. In this way, they occupy a lower position on the body, making the resting of tired hands or the stuffing of cold ones among the most satisfying physical actions imaginable.
The coat has half-cuffs at the end of its sleeves. A nod to tradition, these, which are more typically seen on uniform coats and more formal styles of outerwear. These are more conservative than the great half-cuffs of yore, and serve no purpose other than to introduce a little pinch of grandeur.
The peacoat has an innovative sleeve. It is a one-piece sleeve which is cut to combine the sharp, smart — not to mention traditional — look of an inset sleeve at the front, with the ease and comfort of a raglan at the back. It equals a very, very soft shoulder, draping naturally over the lines of the wearer.
Inside, the peacoat has a chest pocket on the left-side as worn. Handy. Perhaps more importantly, though, the inside of the coat is faced with an extra layer of outer cloth — meaning that, when fully done up, there are four layers of thick cloth between the chest of the wearer and the harsh winds of the world outside.
The peacoat is lined halfway down the back with a smooth and slinky satin, cut as a single panel. It helps with sliding the peacoat on and off, being as the outer cloth has the potential for friction. The sleeves, too, are lined with the same cloth.
The wool melton is a replica of cloth woven by the same mill, on the same premises, over half a century ago for the British Army. It is heavy, sure, but with tremendous drape and flow. The yarn from which it is woven — of British sheep — is worsted-spun, hence is more lustrous than usual.

As worn

The gent here is 6'1", has a chest just north of 38", and is wearing a size M. This makes it slightly wider in the body, but provides room for the whopper of a lambswool crewneck that he's wearing underneath.

Makers of

The coat is made in north-east London. It is a very specialised skill, assembling coats from heavy cloth, and every reasonable step — and the odd unreasonable step — is to taken to endure things are built to last, from the cutting of the pattern to the work on the machine, but without the results being stiff or bulky.
The horn buttons were cut, shaped, and polished by the last such factory in Britain (now defunct). It was part of a tradition in the Midlands first linked to the meat industry of the 18th century. "It is no easy task," said William Hutton in 1780, "to enumerate the infinite diversity of buttons made in Birmingham."

So they say

I'm very glad I waited to get a new peacoat — yours is perfect. I wore it this morning while drinking coffee, indoors, like a kid wearing his new Christmas pyjamas.

Warm feedback from a chap in Sante Fe, who picked up the peacoat in melton in October 2019.

I just wanted to let you know how pleased I am with the peacoat. I've been searching for one, for three winters now, that is neither too fashion-influenced nor too faithful a vintage military replica and, crucially, that fits. Very glad to have finally found one that ticks all the boxes. Fantastic design, particularly with the shoulders and the pockets.

Kind words from a gentleman in New York, who purchased a peacoat in uniform melton in October 2019.

The coat was delivered this week. It is a thing of beauty and fits me perfectly, so please keep using those measurements. I will probably break down and wear it much sooner than the weather will allow, which is the sign of a pretty great coat.

So spoke a man who purchased the peacoat in merino hopsack in September of 2018.

The peacoat turned up, and it is fantastic. Beautiful detailing, and the quality is exceptional. I love it. Thanks again for all your help and impeccable customer service.

So said a gentleman who bought the peacoat in a camel-coloured melton in January 2018.

What a wonderful coat. I've been on an obsessive hunt for the ultimate peacoat for I-can't-tell-you-how-long, and this is genuinely a thing of beauty. Thank you. Also, my wife thanks you for her not having to discuss collar-width, hand-warmers, or Three Days of the Condor any more.

Kindly said by a gent who purchased the peacoat in heavy worsted overcoating in November 2017.

I bought a peacoat from you last year, I believe: amazing quality and nothing but compliments from everyone.

This gent bought the peacoat in Donegal's finest in October 2014.

I picked up the peacoat today. Of course, it looks impeccable. The tweed is really something. Thank you.

Another pleased peacoat purchaser, from November of 2015.