Originally designed as outerwear that could camouflage and be worn comfortably over military uniforms, trench coats are now sought out as much for making a fashion statement as they are for function. With options available in various colors, lengths and designs, how does one choose?
Because the coats are typically worn in cooler and rainy weather, a roomier fit will better accommodate the layers people may have on underneath, according to Chenelle Delgadillo, a stylist to celebrities including the singers Olivia Rodrigo and Rosalía.
Shorter trenches that hit between the hip bone and the knee, Ms. Delgadillo said, tend to be the least flattering on the body. Styles that hit a few inches below the knee, she added, are generally easier to wear with pants and skirts of all lengths, making them more versatile than floor-sweeping versions.
Longer trenches, though, are considered by some to be more stylish. Those with a vent down the back “allow you to sit comfortably,” said Sebastian Szafarczyk, the owner of Check It, a boutique in London that specializes in vintage trench coats and other items from the British label Burberry.
Good American: Classic Trench Coat
Good American, whose founders include Khloé Kardashian, is recognized for offering items in more sizes than some other brands. This trench ($199) is available in sizes from XS to 5XL; as its name suggests, the coat has a straightforward look that is unlikely to go out of style.
A plaid collar is a distinguishing feature of this double-breasted trench ($149) from the Japanese brand Uniqlo’s line produced in collaboration with the Irish fashion designer Jonathan Anderson. Available in navy and a greenish-brown shade, the coat’s other notable elements include a quilted interior lining and a removable belt.
Lauren Manoogian: Belted Trench
This longer coat ($550, marked down from $1,090) from Lauren Manoogian, a brand founded in Brooklyn, has a looser fit and a back vent. Its pale cotton-linen material is a feature that sets the trench apart from others.
Isabel Marant Etoile: Cacilda Trench
Another cream-colored option is this coat ($790) from Isabel Marant Etoile, the lower-priced line by the French designer Isabel Marant. The trench, which is also available in a darker khaki color, has a slouchy shape and diagonal raglan shoulder seams, a common feature of athletic shirts because they enable a wider range of arm movements.
Nicholson & Nicholson: Gentle Coat
A loose, tapered fit gives this trench ($879) from the Japanese brand Nicholson & Nicholson a relaxed-yet-polished look. Navy buttons and a detachable corduroy collar add to the appearance of the coat, which is sold in beige and navy.Credit…via Namu Shop
London Fog: Double Breasted Raglan Trench
The company now known as London Fog introduced its first civilian trench coat in 1954. Available in tan, navy and olive green, this style ($208, marked down from $280) is made more functional by a removable drawstring hood and raglan shoulders.
Buck Mason: Channel Wool Herringbone Reversible Balmacaan
This reversible trench ($898) from the American brand Buck Mason is two coats in one. Half of it was constructed with a khaki cotton fabric, and the other half with a herringbone wool. The design was inspired by a trench from the 1960s, giving the coat a vintage look.
Recto: Petunia Cotton Over Trench Coat
A high collar, billowing sleeves and a pronounced storm shield — a term for the upper-back panel on some trenches — are among the eye-catching details on this coat ($608) from Recto, a South Korean label. The trench, available in beige and black, also has a double-vented back and ties at the waist and the wrists.
Jeana Sohn: Anais Trench Coat
Jeana Sohn, a South Korean designer in Los Angeles, is known for producing items in small batches with textiles from Italy and Japan. A wraparound storm shield covering the entire torso of this trench ($685) is among its stylish features.
Garnet Hill: Unlined Linen Trench Coat
Garnet Hill may be better known by some for its home goods like bedding. But those familiar with the company’s catalogs know it also makes attire like this trench ($78, marked down from $199), which is available in shades of sandy beige and sage green. The coat’s linen material is not rain-appropriate and best suited for warmer temperatures.
The Swedish label Toteme has gained a following for making clothing with streamlined proportions and uncomplicated designs. This trench ($1,200) has two torso-lengthening vertical lines of buttons in lieu of a waist tie.
Dries Van Noten: Raltony Coat
This longer trench ($1,380) is from one of the last collections the designer Dries Van Noten produced before retiring from his namesake label this year. It has a back vent and a seamless, simple look completed by monochromatic front buttons.Credit…La Garçonne
Burberry and another label founded in London, Aquascutum, are widely considered to be the inventors of the trench coat. During World War I, each brand created versions worn by the British military. More than a century later, Burberry remains a standard-bearer of trenches; it now offers more than a dozen styles that start at about $1,550.
By World War II, trench coats had been embraced by American soldiers, who were outfitted in versions made by the company that eventually became known as London Fog. After the war, soldiers who continued to wear trenches in daily life helped popularize them with the masses, Mr. Szafarczyk said. So did the coat’s associations with actors like Alain Delon and Humphrey Bogart and fictional characters like Inspector Gadget and Carmen Sandiego.
Trench coats’ postwar ubiquity was a reason they were embraced by detectives both real and imaginary, said Darrin Giglio, a chief investigator at North American Investigations, a company in New York offering surveillance and private-investigation services. “Back in the day it would help you blend in because it was a common jacket for men to wear,” he said.
But nowadays, Mr. Giglio added, surveillance professionals like himself tend to avoid them. “It would almost be cliché if I wore one today,” Mr. Giglio said. I might not be taken seriously.”
