It took a while to get here, but the air is finally a little crisper and temperatures a little cooler. And you know what that means: it’s finally time for oversized coats. Topcoats, overcoats, Balmacaans, polo coats, and specialized Ulsters. There’s no end to our love for enveloping outerwear. So we thought we’d show four oversized coats this season that will just end up covering all the expensive clothing you bought.
Yasuto Kamoshita, creative director of Japanese brand United Arrows, is one of the most stylish men alive. His company Camoshita always cuts coats in generous proportions, which means their overcoats will cover and completely hide everything you’ve painstakingly sought to find from specialized boutiques and overseas stores. What’s Mr. Kamoshita wearing in the photo above? A tweed jacket? A dashing sweater? A rare shirt he had to proxy? Absolutely no one has a clue because the coat is visually impenetrable.
Look at this beauty from Christophe Lemaire, once the creative mind behind Hermes’ clothing line and now founder and director of his own brand. His clothes channel the austerity of Helmut Lang with the proportions of Giorgio Armani. This oversized toggle coat covers everything and anything underneath. Everyone knows that quality clothes, worn over time, tell a story — the patina of a leather jacket, fading on a chambray shirt, and fraying on the collar. Fortunately, that story will be completely private to you because this dark overcoat obscures everything inside like that black obelisk in the film 2001.
By now, you’ve probably heard: fit is king. Here at Put This On, we’ve written a ton of guides on how to get perfect fitting clothes — trousers that drape flawlessly from the back, sleeves that hang cleanly, and hems and seams that end where they should. After scouring the earth for a bespoke-made fit, cover yourself up this season with Grenfell’s oversized Kensington trench, so no one can appreciate all the time and effort you’ve put in. You don’t even need to throw the coat on. London style icon Wayne Kirven, pictured above, shows how you can drape an oversized coat over your shoulder, shrouding your fit from public view like a tarp thrown over your uncle’s boat. Captain America’s shield has absorbed Hulk’s blows, repelled Thor’s mystical hammer Mjölnir, and deflected adamantium blades without visible damage. Your oversized coat, similarly, can protect your outfit from admiration.
Fashion trends are scary! It was only yesterday when menswear was obsessed with slick double riders made from supple black lambskins. Nowadays, it’s all about gorpcore and Sopranos-esque sleazewear. Are you on-trend? Do you have the right clothing? When you’re enveloped in this shapeless duffle coat, no one will be able to tell if you’re hopelessly out of touch or if you’ve curated a next-level outfit. You can claim you’re wearing the rarest of archival Patagonia fleeces and no one can prove otherwise because they’re unlikely to rip this off you. As a protective measure, however, consider layering three, four, or five oversized topcoats underneath, so you’re protected like an onion.
