Men's long coats

There is nothing more elegant than a beautiful long coat, which underlines the male silhouette giving a touch of sophistication to any outfit. Whether in black wool, tartan or in the classic camel, men's long coats are the best in terms of style.

The thousand shapes of a man's long coat

The male coat, in its longest version, has always been considered synonym of elegance and savoir-faire. The most chic men in history have transformed the coat into an essential item for every male wardrobe.

From military-style models to the most refined ones proposed by international luxury brands, there is plenty of choice among the many types of long coats, among which you could find the best for you. Each model has its own story and fits with a particular style.

Montgomery coats, for example, take their name from the namesake navy general who brought them to the limelight in the 1800s. They have a straight or slightly flared line, hood and frog closure instead of buttons. That’s why they have a sporting and casual soul, which is well suited for relaxed mood daytime outfits. Among the brands that reintroduced on catwalks the long duffle coat, there are Bottega Veneta and Givenchy, which choose classic shades, while Gucci prefers bizarre and showy prints.

The military uniforms decorated with rows of buttons, insignias and belt loops, influence the male style with 19th-century exaggerated lines, like those seen at Balmain’s menswear fashion show.

Among the most extravagant models are the robe coats that Alessandro Michele for Gucci designed in silk and that are ideal for the evening wear, while Ann Demeulemeester makes them extremely sophisticated using a soft woolen fabric. This unstructured model is fastened with a belt at the waist and is the perfect garment to combine with the tailored trousers for a sophisticated and vaguely retro style.

The 80s came back in men's fashion and we find them in the oversize models proposed in grey wool by Maison Margiela, in velvet by Rick Owens and in tweed in the Emporio Armani’s asymmetrical coats closed by zips.

But the prince of the men's wardrobe is certainly the classic black coat, which this year chooses straight and single-breasted lines for Fay, Aspesi, Yohji Yamamoto, Brioni and John Richmond. This model is perfect for every occasion and could be combined with virtually any piece of clothing and accessory, becoming the basic element from which start to build a sophisticated style.

This year there is also the great return of the classic double-breasted line, with frock-coat lines adapting perfectly to the more slim silhouettes, proposed with wide lapels by Saint Laurent, Dsquared2, Prada and J. W. Anderson.

The peacoat is usually shorter, but now it elongates its proportions to mid-thigh. This is also a double-breasted coat, but with a decidedly more casual aspect and for this reason it’s chosen by brands such as Burberry, Tagliatore and Stone Island in combination with the classic 5-pockets jeans.

How to choose the perfect fabrics for the men's long coats

One of the fundamental features of men's tailored coats is fabric, because it’s the main ingredient thanks to which this piece of clothing could become extremely refined or have a more modern look.

The fabrics of men's sartorial tradition are the protagonists of this year's fashion trends and are used in the long coats created by all the most renowned fashion houses.

Among the most traditional fabrics, there are great classics like the houndstooth, seen on catwalk at Dolce & Gabbana, the Prince of Wales proposed by Tagliatore, but especially the tartan. Scottish motifs are one of the strongest trends:

• Thom Browne transforms the classic check print using strong and contrasting colors
• Balenciaga's double-breasted coats with showy lapels are inspired by 40s and 50s cinema
• Gucci and Bottega Veneta are inspired by the 70s for their frock-coats with wide lapels and Scottish print
• Burberry is the brand that most of all has identified its style with tartan pattern, proposed in many single and double-breasted long coats
• Corneliani chooses basic and neutral shades for its long straight-line coats

Do you want a coat that lasts forever? Choose a great timeless classic like the long camel coat, as those proposed by Dell'Oglio, Saint Laurent and Dolce & Gabbana. This model will never go out of fashion and you could combine it with any type of outfit. It matches both with jeans and tailored pants, and on catwalks was even combined with tank tops and tracksuit bottoms.

Among the most classic long coats there are the neutral or dark shaded ones, easily combinable with other garments, which should always being part of every fashionable wardrobe.

There are for example the Lanvin’s beige coats, the Corneliani’s dark grey ones, but especially the navy blue ones, a very trendy color this year, which is proposed in the Gabriele Pasini, Thom Browne and Jil Sander’s fashion shows.

Among the models suitable for mid-seasons and milder temperatures, there are those in corduroy velvet, which Saint Laurent creates following the 70s style, but also more sporty lines. For cool days there are long nylon coats, which protect from the wind and are decidedly cutting-edge, like those proposed by Haider Ackermann, Brunello Cucinelli, A-Cold-Wall and Ermenegildo Zegna. If you want a versatile item, you could opt for reversible coats combining technological fabrics with logo printed lining, like those by Fendi.

For the more extravagant men, instead, the coat is made with laser-cut fabrics for Comme Des Garcons or has a newspaper-style print for Sacai.