Overcoats

Why have a coat made in a hot country

It sounds backwards and it is not. The usual way people buy an overcoat is in the country they need it, during the week they need it, from whatever is left on the rail — which is the worst combination of timing, choice and pressure there is.

Doing it here inverts all three. The cloth is ordered rather than picked over, the fittings sit inside a trip you are already taking, and the coat is waiting when the cold weather is. The only thing it asks of you is that you decide early.

Cloth, by destination rather than by season

A coat is specified by where it is going. That is the question we will ask first, and it changes the cloth more than any style decision does.

• Lighter coating for a mild autumn — London, Sydney, a Thai cold snap
• Heavier melton and cashmere blends for a real winter
• Wind resistance where the destination is wet rather than cold
• Colour that works over the suits you already own, not in isolation

More on cloth and construction.

Measured over a jacket

This is the single detail that ruins bought coats and badly made ones alike. A coat measured over a shirt fits beautifully over a shirt and cannot be closed over a suit. The armhole is cut at the start and cannot be opened up later.

• Wear or bring the jacket you expect to have underneath
• Chest and shoulder taken over it, not over a shirt
• Sleeve length allowing for a jacket cuff beneath
• Length decided against your height and what it has to cover

Fit

A coat should hang from the shoulders and hold its line while you walk. Most of that is the shoulder and the balance of the back, which are pattern decisions rather than things a fitting can rescue afterwards.

Construction

There is more of everything in a coat — more cloth, a full lining, more structure through the chest — which is why it takes longer than a jacket and why a rushed one shows it. The canvas argument applies here as it does to a suit: seefull canvas, half canvas and fused.

Timing

If the coat is for a specific trip, say so at the first appointment. The sequence is on how a fitting works, and a coat sits at the long end of it.

Questions we are actually asked

Why would I have an overcoat made in Bangkok?

Because the fittings happen while you are already here and the coat is finished before you travel. The alternative is buying one off a rail in a cold country during the week you need it, which is the worst possible time to be choosing a coat.

Where can I find custom-made clothes in Thailand?

For a coat specifically, look for a tailor who will measure you over a jacket and who can show you coating cloth rather than suiting. Those two things narrow the field quickly.

What weight of cloth do I need?

It depends entirely on where the coat is going, not where it is made. A coat for a London autumn and a coat for a Nordic winter are different garments. Tell us the destination and the month and we will show you the right bolts.

Do I get measured over a jacket?

Yes, and this is the detail that most often goes wrong. A coat measured over a shirt is cut too close to wear over a suit, and the armhole cannot be enlarged afterwards. Bring or wear the jacket you expect to have underneath it.

How long does an overcoat take?

Longer than a jacket — there is more cloth, more structure and a full lining. If it is for a specific trip, tell us the date at the first appointment rather than the last.