Wool Overcoat Options
I've been considering getting a big wool overcoat. I'd like something a little more formal and warm for the winter that would go with a business casual outfit. I also like the idea of a big jacket that has a nice silhouette.
A few options I've checked out are the Lemaire Wrap Coat, Kaptain Sunshine Traveler Coat, and the Lisandre Coat
All of these are very pricey so I'm curious if folks have any first-hand experience with them or can recommend something similar but at a lower price point.
LEMAIRE
Manteau Enveloppant Noir
Osez la coupe façon peignoir de ce beau manteau unisexe en laine double-face. Col montant, détails pratiques surpiqués, poches intérieures et extérieures.
Officine Générale
Lisandre coat
Double breasted long coat. 4 covered buttons. Notch lapels and flap pockets. Fully lined. Cloth wool.|•90% Wool 10% Cashmere •Notch lapels •Double breasted •Flap pockets •4 covered buttons •Fully lined • italian wool cashmere • Dry cleaning only •Made in Portual |This product sizes normally, we advise you to take your
10 Replies
@Smiles
I have a lemaire wrap (well, I sold mine and waiting on my rebuy in a different color to arrive, but still true). It's quite substantial and warm, and absolutely envelopes you. Because of all of the buttoning points you can change the way it looks a few different ways, and the wool just drapes nicely no matter how you configure it. I don't wear mine for business outings personally but probably very context dependent and you would be a better judge. It's a pretty dramatic coat. If you have the opportunity to try it on in person I would recommend it
I have not tried the Traveler coat, but have always liked the way it looks. I got a berg & berg raglan coat as a cheaper alternative two years ago, but Berg & Berg retail prices have gone up a lot over the last three years. They usually have a late season ~40% off sale though and for me are a great mix of a fairly conservative coat I can wear for business with an oversized silhouette and flowiness still
I used to own a different wool cashmere officine generale coat and owned a lot from the brand. It was a really nice coat I bought for cheap secondhand - warm, well constructed. My experience with O.G. is that a lot of the items take a bath secondhand and you can find them at good discounts new sometimes. The fits at least at the time usually left something to be desired for me if I'm being honest, but I haven't followed them closely since
Berg & Berg
Outerwear | Berg & Berg
Classic in cut and proportion, our coats represents the best of traditional craft in tandem with a modern, Scandinavian sensibility.
I don't think it is a substitute for the lemaire wrap, but the other option you should seriously look at are vintage coats. Tons of great bigger coats that are extremely warm and well constructed for way less than any of these
Also, do not pay retail for the lemaire wrap. I got mine new for ~1300usd and see them pop up at or around here
Lemaire is my favorite brand and the quality is good, but it is also true that it's overpriced
Traveler coat for me is the only one I would wear for business casual, but for me business casual means not sticking out like a sore thumb in a group of 50 year old men who are wearing skinny blazers, skinny jeans, and dress shoe/sneaker hybrid abominations
If you just want a fairly large coat for cheap, you can trawl through TRR and other secondhand markets.
does any one have a good ebay search for wool overcoats?
@rawburt-oh Thank you so much! I think I have a little more flexibility for business wear, but I will aim to try these in person. A few weeks back, there was a really well-priced Wrap coat on eBay, but I wasn't ready to commit. What size do you wear for the wrap coat? For reference, I am 44-46R in a sport coat, but sizing in these large overcoats seems a bit tricky.
@awz5082 - great suggestion. Getting something used is probably a good place to start to get used to fit and see how much I would even wear the dang thing
I would be extremely careful with any of them secondhand, there are a lot of very high quality fakes floating around and I would take a default stance that it is a fake unless the seller has good documentation about where they purchased it and a good selling record
I am a 40r and wear medium. The sizing is very generous and you could probably get away with a few different sizes
Secondhand is safer for less popular / iconic pieces definitely. The wrap coat I just know for a fact has a large amount of fakes floating around
I own the Lemaire wrap coat and it’s great
@rawburt-oh - really good to know. I was thinking of getting a used wool coat to get used to wearing it then upgrading when the timing is right
The Lemaire coat looks great fi sure. But I personally think you should find a good 100% coat for a fraction of the price. eBay has a ton of good ones for cheap. And like you said you can always upgrade. But cashmere is just a wonder fabric