Gaberdine Trench Coat

A trench with the details that make one: epaulettes at the shoulder, a double-breasted front, a storm flap across the chest, wide lapels and buckled cuff tabs. What's been changed is the line. The sleeves are dropped and the cuffs left open and generous, sitting just above the wrist, and the hem is cut asymmetric with a slight swing through the skirt, so it moves rather than hanging straight.

It's cut from a tightly woven gabardine in 100% polyester, dense enough to hold the shape and shed light rain, and it keeps its line through wear without creasing the way a cotton cloth would. Inside it's lined in a lightweight poplin with a smooth face and a slight sheen, so it goes on over a knit or a blazer without catching. Two large slit pockets sit at the front, deep enough for hands and whatever you carry.

The buttons are made from compressed cardboard, and it's finished with cotton labelling and a cotton hangtag string.

Wear it open over a navy knit and a white shirt with light denim and trainers, or over tailored trousers and loafers for something sharper. It also works over a midi dress with ankle boots, the swing hem picking up the movement of the skirt. It's a coat that reads as put-together whatever's underneath, so it can carry an easy outfit a long way.