The History of the Trench Coat and Its Place in Vintage Fashion
The trench coat is one of the very few garments that can claim to have been genuinely invented, designed from scratch for a specific purpose, and then transcended that purpose so completely that its origins became almost irrelevant. Created for British officers during the First World War, it has since been worn by Hollywood detectives, New Wave film stars, and every generation of fashion-conscious women who understand that some garments are simply perfect.
Origins in the First World War
The trench coat was developed simultaneously by Thomas Burberry and Aquascutum in response to a British War Office request for a practical, weatherproof officer's coat that could be worn in the miserable conditions of the Western Front. Burberry's version, made from his patented gabardine fabric, tightly woven, water-resistant, and breathable, included features specifically designed for military use: the D-rings for attaching equipment, the storm flap across the shoulder to shed rain, the deep pockets, the adjustable cuff straps, and the belt that could be tied or buckled. All of these features survive unchanged in the trench coat today.
Hollywood and the Mythology of the Coat
The trench coat acquired its romantic mythology through Hollywood. Humphrey Bogart wore one in Casablanca, and the combination of that coat, that face, and that story burned itself permanently into the collective imagination. Film noir detectives wore them. Marlene Dietrich wore one, and proved that the coat was if anything more glamorous on a woman than on a man. By the 1950s, the trench coat had accumulated so much cinematic history that wearing one was an act of self-conscious sophistication.
The Women Who Made It Their Own
The trench coat's transition from military garment to women's fashion staple was gradual but inevitable. Audrey Hepburn wore one in Breakfast at Tiffany's and Charade, demonstrating that it was the perfect foil for a woman of her particular elegance. The 1960s brought fitted versions for women that emphasized the waist. The 1970s produced oversized versions worn loose and belted low. Each decade found a new way to wear the same coat, and each interpretation was entirely convincing.
Finding Vintage Trench Coats
Authentic vintage trench coats, particularly examples from the 1950s through the 1970s by Burberry, Aquascutum, or other quality British makers, represent some of the finest outerwear finds in the vintage market. The gabardine or cotton twill fabrics used in older examples are often significantly superior to modern equivalents. Browse our vintage coats and jackets for trench coats and other classic outerwear.
