How To Sport Your Trench Coat This Spring

Fall tends to be the season that gets people the most excited about layering, but in my opinion, it should be spring. This time of year churns out more creative and experimental dressing. It doesn’t ask you to abandon the previous season’s wardrobe completely; you can now wear your fall and cold weather accessories by choice. It also lets you flirt with what invariably ends up being the most uninspiring time of the year for styling clothes: summer.

Spring is when I get to break out my favorite item of clothing; a cotton, camel-colored, Korean-made trench coat by Joseph Abboud. Neither aspiring to the poise of European high fashion or the stuffiness of American prep, Abboud’s mission, as he told The New York Times in 2017, “was always to dress American men and make them feel better.” And it was a man that he saw dressing the windows at the now defunct luxury retailer Louis Boston that led him to work in fashion. In case you’re wondering, the man was wearing a trench coat.

I do feel better when I wear my thrifted Abboud coat. I also feel crisp and bookish but casually so, which are only some of the ways designers have sent trench coats down their runways. In the Fall/Winter 2024 women’s collections: Acne Studios, most visually enticing, abandoned the garment’s conventions and instead presented something more organic in form and shape; Balmain’s opening coat had exaggerated gun flaps and expectedly decorative epaulets; cut from a sporty Italian wool, Tibi’s looked like a second skin; Dries Van Noten showed trench coats that bring a sense of dignity and flair to the wearer.

But its serviceable nature is the main sell. The trench coat, originally waterproof outerwear, was made during the 1850’s for officers in the British army and became popular in wider civilian life during the early 20th century. This democratization of the garment–opening it up to men, women, and non-military officers for wear–while retaining its design features, has led to its seemingly ubiquitous presence in fashion. And for good reason! They’re functional and can be styled in so many ways. Plus, with the bevy of options at our fingertips, there’s something to suit everyone’s taste. The key is to find out which brands and styling approaches will make you feel like yourself.

Below, we’ve keyed in on the style cues you should be looking out for when selecting a trench coat for rainy weather and beyond.

The Slouchier, The Better

What I most love about my Abboud trench is how natural it feels. That I can fold it any which way in my suitcase and it’ll look how it’s meant to (and how I want it to) when I put it on: “effortless” and undone. I’m talking about Jane Birkin, who managed to look like she actually lived in hers, in this refreshingly simple image. These coats tend to be pretty lightweight and hit above the ankles. They’re great for spring’s cooler evenings–button and belt it and you have a full look. Should you size up (which I advise), it’s especially great for layering. It’ll allow you to wear a sweatshirt underneath and the coat will still drape as it should. Before visiting your favorite retailer to find one, go to a thrift store. You’ll likely score something special that already looks lived in. But if you want to buy new: Entire Studios, Everlane or Studio Nicholson should be your go-to brands.

Refined Trench Coats Are In Too

The more common trench coats that brands are making are a bit more refined. If not in fabrication, then in design. These are perfect if you need something to wear to the office or other more serious affairs. Pick any of your favorite luxury or contemporary brands like Burberry or Mango and they’ll have them. I suggest getting one in a less ordinary color (perhaps tan), avoiding black and dull greys. You might even consider a checkered option. But if, like me, you don’t have an office to go to and your eye is just feening for elegance, a worsted wool trench coat worn over summer clothes trumps the overdone, oversized blazer.

Packed With A Subversive Appeal

We should all be subverting our clothes. Sure, it can be what makes fashion fashion, but it also tends to be what makes style interesting. An olive green full-length trench worn with tasseled loafers and doubled-pleated trousers certainly won’t move the needle. But a slate green belted trench with a detachable throat guard by Jil Sander will! An edgier option that you won’t have to plan for, a black denim one by Diesel. And this new, water-repellent option in khaki by Dries Van Noten is timeless and distinct.