J. Crew Authentic Peacoat – $255.00 | with Thinsulate – $275.00
GQ’s daily “sharp and smart” email landed in my inbox yesterday afternoon, and in it was GQ creative director Jim Moore’s advice on how to wear a peacoat:
“I think that from now until the end of time, peacoats will always be in style. So if you don’t have one in your wardrobe, go out and get it. Our rule of thumb: Always pop the collar.” —Jim Moore, GQ Creative Director
Agreed on the first point. About how they’ll never go out of style. But for their rule of thumb? ALWAYS pop the collar? That’s… I mean… why?
The collar on your peacoat gets “popped” when it’s over the top blustery out. When it’s bitter cold and windy, and you need the corners of that big collar to provide extra protection to your face and ears. If it’s snowing? Forget it. If it’s raining? Really forget it. Because a popped peacoat collar will do nothing but funnel that attacking from the sky moisture directly down onto your neck. That, and it just looks kinda goofy. Like you’re Count Von Count or something.
Cast your vote in the comments section below. How do you wear your peacoat collar? Popped? Or not?
“Popped” Peacoat seen above is the extremely fairly priced J. Crew Authentic Peacoat. $255.00 for an incredible cut through the torso, nice lines on the back, three color options, and a quilted lining. Believe it or not you’d pay the same price at Express for a version with lapels that are a little wide. Not bad J. Crew. Keep it up.
*For more affordable outerwear picks, click here.
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definitely keep it down if its not really windy or cold, ever since the popped collar phase of the mid 2000s popped collars have become synonymous with d-bags….p.s. where were popped collars on polos/button ups in yesterdays post???
On peacoats, probably not. However on trenchcoats…
I think popping your collar on anything other than for purely functional reasons is a bad idea.
I’ve been looking for a nice quality, not to expensive peacoat. Does anyone have any experience with Schott? I’ve heard that their leather quality is second to none, but I’m not so sure about their peacoats.
Popping a collar on peacoats/raincoats/overcoats…yes. Everything else…no. I just think the popped collar frames your face much better. I don’t agree, however, that its a MUST.
Never all one thing or the other. If you save popping for bad weather then it looks as if you know what to do with your coat. If it’s always up you look like you’re following somebody else’s fashion rule.
I think it’s entirely dependent on the height of the collar. If you have short(ish) hair, and the collar comes above your hairline when popped, then that’s definitely a no unless the weather requires it. But I’ve seen some peacoats and trenches that have collars that are relatively short, and popping the collar doesn’t look entirely out of place. Just my two cents.
I agree with GQ…on a peacoat – popped on a windy, rainy, or snowy day.
I love peacoat. I rock it un-popped most of the time. But if it is seriously windy, then I’m popping it. So I’m going with the funtional side of things on this one.
@Chris: About the Schott, check out this post on our Affordable Outerwear Picks. If you scroll down, you’ll see an extensive and well done review by Bryan on his new Schott. That should answer all your questions.
@John: Nice call on the glaring omission of popped polo collars in the bad trends post. This is one of my favorite demotivational posters of all time.
Just keep in mind I have yet to be able to wear it in cold weather. It feels like it would be warm enough (Southern New England), but can’t be sure until the seriously cold weather hits. We’ll see if that ever happens, though, considering it is actually 70 and humid today :/
Agreed, John. Classic d-bag move to pop the collar for other than function; should’ve been included yesterday.
Have a Schott peacoat from about five years back. Taking a look at their website, it seems they are now selling a considerably different product than the one I purchased. Sizes are now limited to the S,M,L… standard variant choices, whereas they used to offer incremental sizes from 36″ to 50″ plus. The new slim fit peacoat does look pretty sleek, however, and my older 38″ (though cut to my actual chest specs) is quite boxy. Also looks as though the collar has been down sized. Mine is cut to Dracula cape proportions and, as I have found out during several typical -30 degree windchil Chicago winters, the elements here don’t need any assistance with freeze-drying your extremities. Popped once on a frigid January morning, the collar acted as a sail, funneling arctic down drafts onto the exposed flesh of what in happier times I referred to as my ears, creating a vortex of freezing gale force micro ninja fury. Never again.
On the plus side, the construction is super sturdy, the wool thick, if a little rigid, and the interior quilting all add to up to an amazingly warm coat, even in very chilly conditions. I don’t know how the new one measures up on this.
While I think that popping the collar on anything BUT a peacoat is an immature look that screams trying too hard or that you think you’re “the shit”, somehow, to me, it looks right on a peacoat. Admittedly, on a nice balmy day, where there aren’t elements to contend with, then it would look off, but I can’t think of a day like that when I WEAR my peacoat. As for the collar acting as a funnel, well, I think that depends on how big your collar is. Mine (a Guess one) has a pretty small and close fitting collar that definitely acts as a protectant and not a funnel for me.
Cheers,
Ben
Hi Guys,
I tend to prefer my Peacoat collar up. If it’s cold enough to wear a peacoat you should be able to protect your neck too.
I’ve been looking at that J Crew peacoat for weeks now but haven’t pulled the trigger yet. I’m guessing I know the answer to this, but for Minnesota winters you guys would recommend going with the Thinsulate, right?
I’d agree with Ben, if you’re spending time wondering whether its cold enough outside to pop the collar of a peacoat then you probably have the wrong coat on. If you’re wearing it to stay warm that’s probably a sign that it’s chilly and the collar should go up. Bundle a sweater underneath and no one will heckle your sartorial style.
@James and Ben: Maybe it’s a geographical thing then. Because growing up in the midwest, there was cold (you switch from your fall jacket to your heavy wool number) and… holy sh*t it’s cold. The latter usually happens late at night, after being out, and the wind has picked up. That’s usually when my collar goes up. I think as long as it’s natural? As in, it’s natural for you to always wear it up, or, it’s natural to leave it down, put it up when needed, etc… then you’re good.
Seconding Derek’s question; I like the cut of the coat a lot, but is it Midwest winter worthy?
@ Joe:
Agreed on natural!
Being a very West-coast boy born and raised (Victoria), and now living in Montreal, this whole winter thing is kinda hitting me hard, and last year (my first year here) was very mild, so this doesn’t bode well. Cold is very subjective!
Cheers,
Ben
A peacoat must always be popped, otherwise you look like your in the navy. It is the only acceptable article of clothing that can be popped.
Clearly you pop the collar everytime with a peacoat!! What is this… amateur hour?
I tried on the J. Crew peacoat in store yesterday and it didn’t have those 2 curved lines on the back of the coat. While it did have a more modern fit, it was still a tad on the “boxy” side. Zoom up close on that back picture and look at the pants the model is wearing. You can see a stitched line running down the seat of the cords and the back pocket seams are not aligned. I am assuming a tailor on-site fitted both the pants and coat specifically to the model in order make them look fitted. Pretty deceiving.