# Topcoat too formal?



## obiwan (Feb 2, 2007)

I had my eye on this topcoat from Hickey Freeman for a couple of months now. This past Monday there was a 25% off sale so I placed an order.

As chance would have it, the store in San Francisco opened Thursday and I dropped in. The color of the coat is lighter than in the picture on the site. More definition of the black and white pattern.

The salesman that assisted me inferred the coat was for more formal occasions, black tie affairs etc.

Is it, too formal for day time wear with a suit, I look forward to hearing opinions on this.


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## PJC in NoVa (Jan 23, 2005)

It's a beautiful coat, though I would prefer it in darker tones myself (in fact, I have a couple of BB chesterfields that are similar, including one with peak lapels, and they are very dark grey--one herringbone, one wool melton).

I think it's a piece whose natural daytime habitat is the classic "high business formal" rig--in other words, as the topper over a dark suit, double-cuffed shirt, classic tie, black captoes, and so on.


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## Holdfast (Oct 30, 2005)

I'd agree with PJC - best worn with at least a suit. Could be a tweedy/casual suit though (eg at the races or equivalent). It could be worked into true casual-wear, but would require a bit of thought.


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## Literide (Nov 11, 2004)

*Versatile.....*

IMHO that coat could be worn over casual clothes, over a business suit, and a dinner jacket.
Great find


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## Grayland (Oct 22, 2007)

What a stunning coat!


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## chobochobo (May 5, 2006)

That's a nice looking coat, though I would wear it with jacket/ shirt/tie and not necessarily limit it to the truly 'formal'. I can see it may work for certain casual ensembles but I wouldn't do it.


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## Sator (Jan 13, 2006)

That is too light a colour to wear with evening dress. It is ideal to partner with a city styled lounge suit for informal daytime wear, or with formal daytime dress (morning dress). 

Very nice. I say go for it.


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## Woodward (Nov 23, 2007)

An amazing coat! I would wear it for work, but I wear dark suits everyday.

Woodward


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## crazyquik (Jun 8, 2005)

I love that coat and have shown it to a few friends. 

It's definently for formal daytime occasions. 

Here's a picture of Senator Joe Biden in maybe the same coat?


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## Lookingforaclue (Nov 10, 2005)

I've seen this coat. It is beautiful. It's too formal for me in the daytime, but if I were in law or business rather than medicine I'd certainly wear it with a suit during the day. It also would be fine with formal wear. I think you can tell that when you see it together with a tux.

SRW


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## I Like Dancing (Nov 13, 2007)

I wear my topcoat over casual clothes...but it isnt nearly as nice as that one....I wouldnt with that one. Does that one have a breast pocket? That feature might make it more formal....wearing it with a suit won't be so bad in the daytime...but like the first guy said...a suit with dark colours.


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## ilikeyourstyle (Apr 24, 2007)

I don't think this coat should be worn with casual clothes. It's a beauty though.


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## huysmans (Nov 5, 2007)

Hot damn! That is some coat! I sort of have a topcoat fetish, so I wear them all the time, for many different occasions. I think this one could be dressed up or dressed down, but not too far down.


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## Literide (Nov 11, 2004)

crazyquik said:


> I love that coat and have shown it to a few friends.
> 
> It's definently for formal daytime occasions.
> 
> Here's a picture of Senator Joe Biden in maybe the same coat?


You just ruined it for me. I wonder who he is emulating?


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## Literide (Nov 11, 2004)

Sator said:


> That is too light a colour to wear with evening dress. It is ideal to partner with a city styled lounge suit for informal daytime wear, or with formal daytime dress (morning dress).
> 
> Very nice. I say go for it.


You dont think the peaked lapels could carry it with a dinner jacket?


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## Sator (Jan 13, 2006)

If you did wear it out with a dinner jacket it would hardly be a sartorial crime. For evening dress, the hard liner would still insist on a Chesterfield, with a fly front in a dark colour. In other words, because that overcoat isn't strictly speaking a Chesterfield and the colour is lighter, it makes it a bit more informal for wear with a lounge ('business') suit. I do like that colour nonetheless and I think it would look smashing with a grey suit whether medium or charcoal grey.


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## gng8 (Aug 5, 2005)

I have the coat in a slightly darker color. I love it but only wear it for formal business occasions--that is when I wear a dark suit, white shirt etc. It also looks great with a tux and a fedora.


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## Sator (Jan 13, 2006)

Here for interest is Sir Anthony Eden in a Chesterfield. The trousers appear to be a solid charcoal grey worsted ie he is wearing a lounge suit underneath, rather than morning dress and striped trousers.










He is wearing informal dress with a top coat, which strictly speaking, is more formal than the one pictured in the OP.

ps note the signature Homburg hat, often called an "Anthony Eden" in the UK.


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## Sator (Jan 13, 2006)

gng8 said:


> I have the coat in a slightly darker color. I love it but only wear it for *formal* business occasions--that is when I wear a dark suit, white shirt etc. It also looks great with a tux and a fedora.


Pardon for the further display of pedantry but I think you mean informal business dress unless you dress like Sir Winston:










A fedora is again strictly speaking a bit too casual to wear with a dinner jacket. The best hat for that occasion is none other than the "Anthony Eden" :icon_smile:


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## gng8 (Aug 5, 2005)

Sator said:


> Pardon for the further display of pedantry but I think you mean informal business dress unless you dress like Sir Winston:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Sator, I knew you or a Brit was going to say all of the above. However I stick with my use of American vernacular. When I mean formal business occasions, I mean that the business is formal not the clothing. In addition, I stick with the fedora as proper. Hats in the US are so rarely worn that any hat, other than a baseball cap, is more than enough for formal busines occasions and for wearing with tuxes, etc.

Sorry Old Chap, but American reality is what I live in.


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## Lookingforaclue (Nov 10, 2005)

gng8 said:


> Sator, I knew you or a Brit was going to say all of the above. However I stick with my use of American vernacular. When I mean formal business occasions, I mean that the business is formal not the clothing. In addition, I stick with the fedora as proper. Hats in the US are so rarely worn that any hat, other than a baseball cap, is more than enough for formal busines occasions and for wearing with tuxes, etc.
> 
> Sorry Old Chap, but American reality is what I live in.


Here's a US vote for the homburg (the "Anthony Eden") with a topcoat over a tux. My other choice, especially if it were snowing, would be a "diplomat" or "Astrakhan" hat. 
I agree the fedora would be more appropriate business wear and would be acceptable with a tux, but I'd encourage you to try a homburg with the latter. The improvement is striking.

SRW


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## kitonbrioni (Sep 30, 2004)

That is a fine topcoat. It's a must have.


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## gng8 (Aug 5, 2005)

Lookingforaclue said:


> I agree the fedora would be more appropriate business wear and would be acceptable with a tux, but I'd encourage you to try a homburg with the latter. The improvement is striking.SRW


Perhaps you are correct but given how seldom I wear a tux or a good hat for that matter the budget says one dress hat.

(Come to think of it, in my part of the world, Chicago, a homberg reminds me of Al Capone.)


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## Lookingforaclue (Nov 10, 2005)

gng8 said:


> Perhaps you are correct but given how seldom I wear a tux or a good hat for that matter the budget says one dress hat.
> 
> (Come to think of it, in my part of the world, Chicago, a homberg reminds me of Al Capone.)




Al Capone in a fedora:
https://imageshack.us

But Knute Rockne in a homburg:
https://imageshack.us

Thus is the homburg redeemed.

SRW


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## Bishop of Briggs (Sep 7, 2007)

Literide said:


> You just ruined it for me. I wonder who he is emulating?


Senator Biden used to "emulate" Neil Kinnock, the former Labour Party leader who became an EU Commissioner. Not my role model! :devil:


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## zambranag (May 15, 2006)

*The original coat on this thread went on sale today!*

It is $825, 40% off the original price. I bought one today, and they have it available in most sizes. They are also offering free shipping.


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## maxnharry (Dec 3, 2004)

Sator said:


> Here for interest is Sir Anthony Eden in a Chesterfield. The trousers appear to be a solid charcoal grey worsted ie he is wearing a lounge suit underneath, rather than morning dress and striped trousers.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I really like that hat.


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## 11hr (Jul 26, 2006)

Sorry if this is a double post - Where is this coat made and can anyone comment on the construction? Is it canvassed?

Thanks.


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## huysmans (Nov 5, 2007)

Anybody get theirs yet? I am really tempted by that sale....


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## obiwan (Feb 2, 2007)

huysmans said:


> Anybody get theirs yet? I am really tempted by that sale....


I have mine, the 48 I ordered was a bit snug over a suit (48L) so the store in SF had a 50 shipped from NY. I have to send the 48 back since their policy does not allow online purchases to be returned to the stores.

The first day I wore it, I received many compliments on the coat, it is very warm, drapes well and looks outstanding.


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## SpookyTurtle (Nov 4, 2007)

That is a magnificent coat.


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## WeTommyD (Oct 5, 2005)

*Fit of HF Topcoat*

I have been eying this coat and purchased it when I saw it was on sale. The web site had no longs but I called the NYC store and they were able to come up with a 44L which is also my suit size. The shoulders fit well, however the waist suppression is nothing like in the pictures. I am having my tailor take it in as well as having the sleeves lengthen. I wear a 36 inch shirt sleeve and the sleeves of the coat barley cover the shirt sleeve. The coat falls to my knees which is right wear I want it. Hope this may help anybody contemplating an over the phone purchase.

Does anyone know if there is a name for the style of two pockets on the coats right side? I quite like it!


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## whistle_blower71 (May 26, 2006)

Sator said:


> Here for interest is Sir Anthony Eden in a Chesterfield. The trousers appear to be a solid charcoal grey worsted ie he is wearing a lounge suit underneath, rather than morning dress and striped trousers.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I love that coat. I have many sb peaks in my wardrobe inc. my "stroller" as well as lounge suits and sports jackets but have never tried it on a topcoat. My tan covert coat almost needs replacing...maybe this is my opportunity. Would an OTP be okay with an Sb peak topcoat? I _usually _avoid them on sb peak jackets.

*W_B*


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## Tim Correll (Jul 18, 2005)

obiwan said:


> I had my eye on this topcoat from Hickey Freeman for a couple of months now. This past Monday there was a 25% off sale so I placed an order.
> 
> As chance would have it, the store in San Francisco opened Thursday and I dropped in. The color of the coat is lighter than in the picture on the site. More definition of the black and white pattern.
> 
> ...


Given how low cut that overcoat is (compared to most other overcoats), I wonder how good a job that overcoat would do of keeping a man warm compared to a more typical high cut overcoat?

If that low cut overcoat did just as good a job of keeping a man warm as a higher cut overcoat, I will definitely buy two (one charcoal solid and one navy solid) bespoke one-button single breasted overcoats as low cut as that three-button rolled to two-button or two button single breasted overcoat after I buy some bespoke suits when I have the money to do that.

IMO, low cut dress and formal jackets and overcoats with one button are in a class of their own, at least looks and appearance wise, especially for stocky men like me.


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## Leon (Apr 16, 2005)

Ede and Ravenscroft are channelling Eden this Autumn/Winter. I saw this in their shop window the other day:



They call it the Eden overcoat, in a herringbone, but have added turn back cuffs. 

Leon


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## Unregistered (Mar 13, 2008)

I am deeply in love with the OP's linked topcoat...

Get it. And don't look back.


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## Miket61 (Mar 1, 2008)

Apparently the coat is so beautiful in person that it gives one the power to cast spells... which would explain a lot.


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