This topic is a runoff of my other thread, 'Help Me Find A Jacket.' Thank you to those who helped me choose from the selection of outerwear at Old Navy. I have decided on the peacoats. I tried one on tonight and I will definitely be getting a large. Now I need help deciding on a color: Charcoal or black jack? I was leaning more towards getting the charcoal one.

I know black goes with everything, but does charcoal? Here is what the Old Navy - Charcoal Peacoat looks like. (You can switch to Black Jack from there.) I'll probably be getting this on Friday, as I was tipped off tonight by one of the managers that Outerwear goes on sale this Friday through Sunday. That in addition to the current 30% off will be quite a deal.

I vote for charcoal. It's less stark than the black, but it's still a neutral, so it will go with pretty much anything (unless you already wear a lot of gray, in which case there might be a "too-close color" issue).

I like that it has a cross-over button near the collar. That says "warm" to me. You can wind a nice, large scarf on top, either open or closed.

OK, now here's the not-so-nice part. I'm a tailor's granddaughter. I'm noticing things in the sewing of the Old Navy coat that detract from it. In the pictures, some of the fabric is bunching up at the seams, and the buttons don't appear to be aligned. (And these are supposed to be the 'best' display item pictures!) I'd be very careful when looking at which piece to choose, because I'm sure that you would want your coat to look well-made. Alternately, you can look in other department stores. For $80 plus 30% off, in the current economy, I'm pretty sure that you can find a more well-sewn coat. If Old Navy is having a sale, other stores are probably, too.

That bit of criticism of this specific coat out of the way, I DO like the idea of this type of coat on you. I think you will look great! I like the design of this coat. But the thing with peacoats is (to me) their lines are meant to be sleek, not irregular--so make sure that the cut and execution are as pristine as possible.

I would go with the charcoal. I agree it is less stark and the wool fabrics used in peacoats tend to be bad about picking up lint, hair, etc.

I also agree with Last Caress on the construction of the coat. I have a poor opinion of Old Navy's tailoring in general, and you definitly want a coat to hold up and look well made. I would probably try this one, but I would look carefully at the fit and level of finish on the one you get.

By the way, DH's last peacoat came from a miliary surplus store. It is the really thing, is very well made and was less than $50. Just a thought...

I agree - definitely charcoal! Black is so... well, stark. Charcoal (and even navy, for that matter) has the added benefit of not showing white dog-hair quite as quickly - which in our house is a definite bonus.

I've had pretty decent luck with Old Navy myself; both of my skinny guys & my daughter practically LIVE there because of their adjustable waists & slimmer fits. But with that being said, we've never shopped there for outerwear. If you've got one local, you might want to at least take a peek in a surplus-store... the style is almost identical, and I KNOW it would last!

Here are a couple quick pics of my "little man" in his peacoat so you see what it looks like. Please keep in mind that he's 5'10" tall, and weighs in at a whopping 98 pounds - so it's not the COAT making him look skinny!

Pic 1
Pic 2

another vote for charcoal! Unless it is a shae of light gray that makes you look sick. Same reasons, too harsh, pick up lints, etc.

Hi, I want to agree with some of the posters regarding outerwear at Old Navy. Although we have had great luck with their tees and jeans, my husband bought a jacket there a few winters ago and the zipper broke after a couple of weeks. Here is a coat from Smart Bargains that looks nice, and there are online coupons for new customers as well if you look on the coupon sites.


Kenneth Cole Peacoat

quote:

Originally posted by LastCaress:

OK, now here's the not-so-nice part. I'm a tailor's granddaughter. I'm noticing things in the sewing of the Old Navy coat that detract from it. In the pictures, some of the fabric is bunching up at the seams, and the buttons don't appear to be aligned. (And these are supposed to be the 'best' display item pictures!) I'd be very careful when looking at which piece to choose, because I'm sure that you would want your coat to look well-made.

[...] But the thing with peacoats is (to me) their lines are meant to be sleek, not irregular--so make sure that the cut and execution are as pristine as possible.

Thank you very much for your very helpful reply. I feel priveleged to hear from a tailor's grandaughter! Your post and the others that followed convinced me that maybe I ought to hold off a bit. It's very hard not to buy this, though. The sales prices were listed today. I could get this jacket for $26 + tax down from $80! That would be a great deal. But with a jacket like this you guys have convinced me that the outside of it should look perfect.

So what do you think of this one from Aeropostle? It is on sale right now for $50 (down from $100). Do you think the buttons and fabric are better? Also, if anyone knows of a good Army and Navy online store please let me know. I google "Army Navy Surplus" with variations and there are thousands of these types of stores online.

One more question, what do you think of this Twill Sherpa-Lined Coat? I didn't notice this one before. I could get that while it's on sale and then get the Peacoat later.

Didn't charcoal used to mean a darker color? I feel like "charcoal" used to mean very dark grey - and now it just means not-light grey. I heard a salesman telling my husband to look for "dark charcoal" and thought he was being redundant, but now I see charcoal does not mean dark. Did it change, or did I imagine the whole thing?

quote:

By the way, DH's last peacoat came from a miliary surplus store. It is the really thing, is very well made and was less than $50. Just a thought...

Thanks for the tip. Let me know if you know of any good online military surplus retailers. I'll call the nearest Army/Navy surplus store near here tomorrow and see if they sell them. So far though, looking at the online stores, it doesn't look like I'm going to get it for $50. Your husband got an excellent deal.

quote:

Originally posted by Bosgrl:
Here is a coat from Smart Bargains that looks nice, and there are online coupons for new customers as well if you look on the coupon sites.

Kenneth Cole Peacoat

Thanks for the recommendation. I was eyeing this and it did come down to $70 or, but it quickly went back up. I'm really trying for something in the $50 range. BTW, is the tailoring really better on this? That top left button looks misaligned. The rest of the buttons look fine. I guess the seaming is superior to the Old Navy one?

I changed my mind. I ended up ordering it online. It was $26 dollars. Can't beat that deal. OldNavy only has a Outerwear sale like that once a year.

Thanks to all those who helped me choose a jacket. I'm not too worried about the buttons, I can always pay a tailor further down the road if they are really misaligned.

Good choice on the pea coat. Charcoal is my personal favorite for outerwear since you can pair it with blacks as well as earthtones. My last overcoat was a charcoal 3/4 length.

quote:

Originally posted by Pomomojo:
Good choice on the pea coat. Charcoal is my personal favorite for outerwear since you can pair it with blacks as well as earthtones. My last overcoat was a charcoal 3/4 length.

Thanks, Pomomojo. I wanted to contact you a month ago when you replied me, but this forum doesn't allow email contact. I'm glad to see you reply here. I can't remember what it was I wanted to say, but I can remember I bookmarked The Satorialist. Great blog. I don't see myself ever dressing like they do on that blog, I can only imagine the prices on some of those clothes. But it's still a great blog to check in once in a while... it's interesting stuff.

Well, I've worn the pea coat a couple of times now. I don't think I've ever worn such a sophisticated jacket! It will definitely take some time to get used to. I like it, though. The sleeves are bit long, they come down at about the halfway point of my knuckles. One button is misaligned. A tiny bit tight in the arms. But if I got an X-Large, that would be too big. And Medium is too small. Unless it's supposed to feel compact like that. I can move my arms around freely and all, but just a little tight in arm area.

Glad you got the peacoat--and what an awesome price! I think if you're used to looser jackets, it could just be a matter of getting used to the change. Could also mean that you've been working out. Could be the cut, too. I have wide shoulders and feel like the Hulk in most jackets and shirts that otherwise fit me well. All things considered, I'd say you did pretty darn well for off-the-rack and $26. I hope you're enjoying your new, sophisticated look!

quote:

Originally posted by LastCaress:
Glad you got the peacoat--and what an awesome price! I think if you're used to looser jackets, it could just be a matter of getting used to the change. Could also mean that you've been working out. Could be the cut, too. I have wide shoulders and feel like the Hulk in most jackets and shirts that otherwise fit me well. All things considered, I'd say you did pretty darn well for off-the-rack and $26. I hope you're enjoying your new, sophisticated look!

Thanks, Last Caress. The grand total was actually around $33 dollars with the S&H fee. I paid about five dollars more than in store.

Hey, I got another question. I just called the local tailor to see how much it would cost to bring up the sleeves. She said she'd have to look at it first, but said it is "$25 and up." She said it depends on if it has "buttons" and some other factors. Is that a good quote? If you were me, would you had just kept searching if the sleeves were a bit too long (they go down to the knuckles)? Or when buying a coat like this, is this to be expected for most people? I didn't realize it would cost that much to do this. I've only used tailors to hem pants in the past.

quote:

Originally posted by Pomomojo:
Good choice on the pea coat. Charcoal is my personal favorite for outerwear since you can pair it with blacks as well as earthtones. My last overcoat was a charcoal 3/4 length.

Someone please help. I don't know what to do. Is it worth getting tailored for $25?

Hmmm...my grandmother has been retired for quite some time, so I don't know the current prices personally.

Here is a link that you can use as a guide, though.
http://www.artfultailoring.com...age_link=alterations

My grandmother has said that a jacket/coat sleeve should stop about a half an inch above the knuckles...but proportions change, and I don't know the current preferred length.

Diesel vs. Versace photo from last year (scroll down):
http://www.avenueswank.com/200...series-pea-coat.html

I can't decide for you, but I can present you with the info.

of course it's worth it, what's the alternative? wearing an ill-fitting jacket? fit is everything. if you bought the look for a new sophisticated you if it doesn't fit right it totally defeats the purpose.
that's a fair price. is it lined? that's a double layer that she/he needs to sew.

I always allocate at least $50-100/jacket for tailoring. Adjustments to sleeve length vary from $25-35 depending on your locale (the more expensive tailoring shops in Manhattan charge around $35-55). If bodywork is needed, tapering is another $20-30 depending on the construction, lining, etc.

The added expense really adds value to the garment. Once you have basic outwear, try spending money on a few nicer pieces when you need to upgrade. For menswear, do not be afraid to buy in the offseason. The sales are usually more aggressive and certain items like overcoats, carcoats, peacoats, etc. remain relatively static in their design.

quote:

Originally posted by Pomomojo:
I always allocate at least $50-100/jacket for tailoring. Adjustments to sleeve length vary from $25-35 depending on your locale (the more expensive tailoring shops in Manhattan charge around $35-55). If bodywork is needed, tapering is another $20-30 depending on the construction, lining, etc.

Thank you pomomojo, ilibaby and Last Caress for replying to this emergency signal! I will see about it, then. I might even see about what they charge to fix one of the misaligned buttons. If they do it for $10 or under, might get that done, too. On a side note, what do you think of these Old Navy Going Out Shirts? I might pick up a few when they are 50% off soon. Which ones do you like/dislike?

I like this style of shirts.

My preference in order from "like most" to "like least": burgundy stripe, black double stripe, black/white stripe, bordeaux, .... white & blue stripe.

I don't like that, when the white-background shirts are cuffed, it shows a faded pattern (especially on the bordeaux). Are the stripes just stamped on the face of the fabric or something?

I forget your height/weight at the moment, but I want to throw this out there: vertical stripes can elongate and slim a figure. So if you have a broad upper body, these will work well. If you're naturally skinny--like my fiance, who could eat a tub of lard and not gain weight--these might visually slim you even more.

You'd have to try them on and see, though.

Overall, I like the style!