Men's Overcoat Styles: Reefer, Duffle, Crombie & Trench Explained
A good overcoat is the one piece of tailoring everyone sees. Your suit may be immaculate, but from October to March the coat is the first impression. It's also the piece men most often get wrong: too short to cover a jacket, too tight to wear over one, or the wrong style for how they actually live.
This guide covers the four classic men's overcoat styles: what defines each one, when to wear it, and what to look for when you buy.
The reefer jacket
The reefer is a naval coat. It was cut for officers on deck, so it's double-breasted, sits at the top of the thigh and has a high-buttoning front that closes against the wind. Usually it has broad lapels and two rows of buttons, often metal or horn.
What makes the reefer so useful is its length. It's shorter than a full overcoat, so it works over smart-casual clothes and knitwear without swamping you, yet it's sharp enough to wear over a jacket. Navy wool is the traditional choice and still the most versatile.
Wear it with: a roll-neck or shirt and knit, flannel trousers, or over a tweed jacket. It's also the coat behind a lot of the Peaky Blinders look. A dark, double-breasted short overcoat over a three-piece is very close to what the Shelbys wear.
The duffle coat
The duffle is the most recognisable British coat. It's made in heavy wool, with a hood, patch pockets and toggle fastenings on rope or leather loops. It started as a naval coat that could be fastened with gloved hands, then became a post-war civilian classic.
It's a relaxed, practical coat, not a formal one. Wear it at weekends and in the country, not over a business suit. A mid-length duffle covers a jacket. A longer one gives you the most warmth.
Gloverall is the name most associated with the duffle, and we have stocked the brand for decades. Read more about that history in our article on Gloverall at Leonard Silver, or browse the current Gloverall collection.
The Crombie-style overcoat
A Crombie-style coat is the city overcoat. It's single-breasted, knee-length or just above, with a fly front (hidden buttons) or three visible buttons and a narrow notch lapel. Traditionally it's charcoal, navy or camel. The name comes from the Scottish cloth house whose coats defined the style, and it's now used for the cut in general.
This is the coat to wear over a suit. Its length covers the jacket fully, the clean front looks tidy over a tie, and the cut is formal enough for work, funerals and winter weddings.
Fit tip: try it on over a suit jacket, not just a shirt. If the shoulders pull or the sleeves ride up when you reach forward, go up a size.
The trench coat
The trench is the rainy-day coat. It's made in gabardine or cotton, double-breasted, belted, with a storm flap and epaulettes. It's lighter than a wool overcoat, so it's the one to reach for in spring, autumn and wet winters, and it layers over a suit or knitwear.
For British weather a good rain mac is often more useful than another wool coat. Our Guards London rain macs are a modern take on it: cleaner lines, often reversible, and still smart over tailoring.
How to choose
- Wear a suit most days? Start with a Crombie-style overcoat in navy or charcoal.
- Smart-casual most of the week? A navy reefer is the most versatile coat you can own.
- Weekends, country, cold mornings? A duffle.
- Rain more than cold? A trench or rain mac.
Getting the fit right
- Length. An overcoat worn over a suit must cover the jacket hem. If you can see the jacket below the coat, it's too short.
- Shoulders. The shoulder seam should sit just past your natural shoulder so the coat fits over a jacket without pulling.
- Sleeves. They should cover your jacket and shirt cuffs completely.
- Room to move. Fasten it and reach forward. The buttons shouldn't strain.
If a coat is close but not perfect, sleeves can usually be adjusted. Our in-house tailors in Hull can advise.
Shop the styles
Browse our full range of men's overcoats and jackets, from wool overcoats to reefers, duffles and rain macs, or pair a coat with a tweed jacket for the season. Free UK delivery on orders of £200 or more.