There are few things better in the colder months than a well-tailored overcoat. The one above, worn by Gustaf in Stockholm, was made for him by the Florentine tailor Antonio Liverano. It’s a slightly dressier version of what’s known as an Ulster coat – originally an Irish country coat made from heavyweight tweeds. This one keeps the most essential design of an Ulster – that signature collar that looks like what you’d see on a peacoat – but is made dressier through its solid, deep blue fabric and welted pockets. These might seem like small details, but when you imagine this style in its original form (made from a checked tweed and featuring big patch pockets), you can see what a difference they make.
Gustaf’s coat has soft shoulders that slightly extend past his natural shoulder joints, so that he can layer a suit jacket underneath (which he has on in the photo above). The waist is gently nipped to give him some shape, the length comes down to this knees, and perhaps most importantly, the edge of his coat’s opening falls perfectly straight down (notice that it runs almost parallel to the side of his coat). This area can sometimes swing to the left or right – making a diagonal line – partly because of a coat’s front/ back balance. A small detail to check when seeing if an overcoat fits you, but an important one.
Truly a beautiful garment, and inspiring for these colder months.
