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Loden Coats

I wrote a post last month about a Loden coat I picked up from Aspesi, and since then, have received more emails about that it than anything else I’ve ever written. Some people want to know more about the Aspesi coat; others ask where else they can buy one. So, in an effort to put everything in one place, I thought I’d list some options here.

The term Loden refers to a soft, exceptionally durable cloth (usually green) that has a slightly hairy look. For its thickness and density, it’s great at keeping out the cold, and because of the natural oils inside the wool, it’s fairly water resistant. Most of all, however, it’s very beautiful. A Loden coat, then, is simply a garment that’s been made from this cloth. The classic model is a single-breasted garment that ends just below the knee. The back is made with a very deep center vent that swings out from the shoulder blades, and the front has a fly opening. It’s a peasant’s coat, originally worn by Bavarian farmers and hunters sometime in the 11^th century. A 1956 article in Sports Illustrated had this great line about it: “Loden is to the Bavarian what tweed is to the Scot – a fabric so long indigenous to its land, of such peasant origins that it has become almost a folk cloth.”

Those origins helped make it immensely popular with European preps in the 1980s, but since then, it seems to have been forgotten (though, The Sartorialist had a great shot of a man in Milan wearing one earlier this year). It’s still a wonderful, classic coat however. You can wear it with jeans or corduroys; checked shirts or sweaters; and wingtips or boots. Everything that made it appealing thirty years ago, in my opinion, still holds – the cloth, the drape, and of course the color.   

The one I have is from Aspesi, an Italian company most known for their outerwear. The product shot on their website suggests that it’s shorter than it is. Mine comes just above the knee, and I’m of average height. I admit I wish it were longer, but on the upside, it’s slim enough to fit my unusually skinny frame, and the back comes without the center vent (something I thought might be too conspicuous for my lifestyle). Aspesi also makes two other jackets from the fabric, which you can see here and here, though they’re not in the styles I’m focusing on in this post.

For the original design, you can turn to Cordings and Schneiders of Salzburg. I haven’t handled their particular Loden coats, but everything else I’ve seen from them has been of very high quality, albeit a bit fuller in fit. Loden coats really should be worn a bit looser anyway, as you can see in their photos. There’s also Loden Haus, Born for Loden, and Lodenfrey, the last of which used to be the most popular supplier, though they don’t seem to make them for men anymore (they do for women).  In the US, you can enquire at San Francisco Clothing and Princeton’s Landau, both of whom sell quality products.

As usual, men’s coats tend to cost a lot brand new. If you can find something vintage, you’ll likely pay a fraction of the cost. On the upside, the designs of classic men’s coats have largely remained the same since they were codified. On the downside, it can take a bit more work to find something in your size (especially if you’re skinny). Easier if you’re looking for the ubiquitous pea coat or trench, but harder if you’re looking for something niche like a Loden. To start, however, you can try eBay. 

December Fair Isle

December is one of the last months you can best wear Fair Isle. They’re not holiday sweaters, but there’s something holiday feeling about them, and while they look great in the fall, I think they look best in the winter. You can stretch them out to maybe about January, but past that, they start to lose their appeal.

A Fair Isle sweater, for those unfamiliar, is a type of knitwear garment that uses a distinctive geometric motif originating from the remote Fair Isle island. They were originally made from undyed wool, so they came in various shades of brown and grey, but nowadays they’re mostly recognized for their very colorful patterning. The best ones, in my opinion, still use the traditional Fair Isle knitting technique: two strands of yarn are knitted throughout an entire row, and continually intertwined on the “wrong” side of the garment. This creates an almost double-thick knit that can lend a lot of warmth.

Now, to be sure, there’s a lot of ugly Fair Isle around, but that can be said about almost anything. The key is to find one you like, and know how to wear it best. I have this tobacco, moss, and oatmeal one from Drake’s, and usually layer it underneath a coat, just so the pattern isn’t too overwhelming. You can see an example here, where I’ve paired the Drake’s sweater with a Loden coat by Aspesi. You can, of course, also wear the sweater without the extra layer, but generally, I find that the louder the pattern, the better it looks when layered underneath something more subdued.

There are plenty of places that sell Fair Isle sweaters. Traditional clothiers such as J. Press and O’Connell’s regularly stock them, as do stores on the slightly more fashionable side of classic, such as Brooks Brothers, Ralph Lauren, and Gant. You can also find a selection by Jamieson and Barbour at Oi Polloi, William Fox and Sons at Present London, and Howlin by Morrison at End Clothing. For more affordable options, turn to Land’s End and J. Crew. Both of those merchants regularly discount their stock by 30-40%, and a full array of sizes is usually still available once they hit their sales.

Finally, if you’d like one custom made, check out Spirit of Shetland and Louise Irvine. As usual with online made-to-measure garments, you want to take multiple measurements and figure out the averages before you submit your numbers. And when in doubt, err on the side of large. You can always wear something that’s just a touch too big, but you’ll never wear something that’s too small.