Make sure you give it a sniff: how to buy a stylish men’s vintage coat

‘Oversized and textured coats are playing a big part this season’: the looks on display at the JW Anderson (left and right) and Gucci (centre) men’s shows at Milan men’s fashion week in January. Composite: Getty Images

When I think of a man looking good in a coat, it’s almost always someone who resembles Jon Hamm or Jacob Elordi in a cotton trench, a long wool coat or a heavy leather bomber jacket. While these distinctly masculine coats have endured as symbols of style across decades – and are often prominently featured on the racks of thrift stores – something different has been happening recently in men’s coat trends: they are adopting colours, fabrics and silhouettes from womenswear.

“Oversized and textured coats are playing a big part this season,” says Jack Fordham, the retail coordinator for Melbourne vintage boutique Vault. “Just look to JW Anderson’s latest runway in Milan and the use of voluminous heavy textiles to change the silhouette.”

Whether it’s cornflower blue from Gucci or bright green from Loewe, a fluffy cream, maroon and black plaid from Fendi or a sleek, floor-length silhouette from Valentino, men’s coats now present an opportunity for sartorial play.

But a coat can be an expensive purchase and play can be a little fraught. Luckily, buying vintage is a great way to find garments that are well-made, often at a fraction of their original price. Here, fashion industry experts provide guidance on what to look for when shopping for a men’s vintage coat that will look stylish now and into the future.

Play the long game

“When you buy something that looks straight off the runway, you risk getting caught up in trends,” says fashion writer Mitch Parker. Since a coat is an investment piece that can last for decades, it’s important to consider if it’s something you will get a lot of wear out of.

“There’s nothing worse than spending money on something that turns out to be a flash in the pan,” he says. To avoid this trap, consider how well the coat will work with the outfits and colours you wear every day and make sure it’s practical for your lifestyle. For example, if you ride a bike, a long coat is going to be awkward.

Consider the silhouette

The good thing about these boxier, voluminous coat trends is that they are perfect for layering, says Ivan Budah, the designer of Melbourne label Larriet. This means you can wear layers to build warmth and don’t necessarily need the coat to be heavy.

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“I like the idea of being able to comfortably accommodate a knit and a cropped jacket underneath,” says Budah. This allows you to prioritise a more technical fabric to protect against the wind or rain.

Check the fabric and construction

If it’s warmth you’re after, make sure you check the fabric and lining composition. Natural fibres will “keep you warm and help your body breathe,” says Parker. “If you’re worried about wet weather, look for water-resistant fabrics like cotton gabardine and merino wool.”

It’s also worth investigating the construction of the coat to get a sense of how well it has been made. “Don’t be afraid to turn a garment inside out and check the stitching or ask for photos if you’re buying online,” he says.

Small, neat stitches along the seams indicate care has been taken when making the garment; hems should be secure and well pressed; and if you want a coat to keep you warm, it’s important it’s lined in cupro, viscose rayon or silk.

“Keep an eye out for anything produced in Loro Piana fabric as it’s generally a good indicator of quality,” says Budah. The Italian luxury brand manufactures cashmere, merino wool, cotton and linen textiles, and garments made with Loro Piana fabrics will usually have a label stitched on the inside.

Try it on in-store

According to Fordham, buying a coat “is all in the feel”, so he recommends going shopping in-store. Plus, it gives you the opportunity to try on coats in a size bigger or smaller than you might normally go for, which can result in more interesting proportions.

There are a lot of designer vintage garments being sold through online platforms such as Resee, Vestiaire Collective, eBay, Depop and Facebook Marketplace, but it can be tricky to buy a coat without trying it on.

Budah recommends getting acquainted with the basic measurements of any coat you’re buying online. “I find that sleeve lengths can be quite short on vintage pieces,” he says. And be aware of anyone selling one-size unisex pieces as these might not work on someone tall.

If you can, shop out of season

Although vintage shopping can be a great way to save on designer garments, there are a few other tricks to “snap up a deal”, says Parker.

One option is to shop out of season, another is to go thrifting when you’re on holiday overseas – or do both.

“I always prioritise shopping for vintage coats when I’m overseas, [especially] if I’m visiting Europe in the middle of summer,” he says. “I’ll head straight to the coat section and start digging. This is a perk of Australia not following the northern hemisphere seasons – we go into winter just as Europe and the US are discounting their winter stock.”

What to do about smells, stains and flaws

Since coats are a particularly hard-wearing item, often vintage ones can have strange smells, stains or oddly placed holes. Do a thorough inspection of the garment and if it has any of these, assess whether or not they can be fixed.

A stain on a particularly noticeable part of the coat, such as the lapel, might be easy to remove by getting the coat dry-cleaned or using a sponge and some soapy water. But if the stain has set or oxidised, it might be impossible to remove.

A musty smell in the wool or leather from storage should come out with a fabric refreshing spray and hanging the coat in a protected, outdoor space to air. But if the coat is lined with a synthetic material such as polyester or nylon and the coat smells of smoke or body odour, it’s likely to be there permanently because oil-based fabrics bond with oil-based odours.

Finally, if the coat has loose threads or holes in the lining but is otherwise in good condition, take it to a seamstress or an invisible mender and ask them to reinforce the seams and repair any holes.