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The Evolution of the Navy Pea Coat

The pea coat or pea jacket was originally worn by European navy sailors and merchants. Navy Pea coats are normally short, heavy overcoats that are made from wool and navy blue in color. They have a set of eight anchor-inscribed buttons or eight large wooden buttons on the front. One column of buttons only serve the purpose of being decorative. Pea coats have broad lapels and vertical or slash pockets. Sailors often pulled the broad lapels up around their necks to keep warm and ward of the winds and water on deck. The wide overlap of fabric of the double-breasted pea coat puts extra layers of fabric at the opening to help retain body heat.

Origins of the name pea coat come from the Dutch or Frisian word pijjakker or pijjecker, which means coarse cloth jacket and refers to the type of cloth from which the coat is made. They were typically made from 30-ounce wool, which made them very warm. The term “pea coat” or “pea jacket” starting being used in the beginning of the eighteen century. By the nineteenth century, some referred to them as pilot coats. The United States Navy began to use these wool overcoats early in the twentieth century. The pea coat goes by a few other names as well. It is known as a reefer jacket in Britain and is worn by members of the Royal Navy. In the Belgian Navy, the pea jacket is known as a pilot jacket.

No matter what you call it, it is a classic and popular style of jacket worn by anyone nowadays, not just sailors or those associated with the seaside. Now made from 22-ounce to 32-ounce wool, they are still guaranteed for warmth. The colors available for women today not only include the traditional navy blue, but also colors such as red, dark brown, olive, loden (grayish-green), and camel. Women’s pea coats come with six anchor style buttons, rather than the customary eight buttons. They are typically short in length. When you purchase a brand new pea coat for a man, it comes with the customary number of eight anchor style buttons and is short in length. A longer version, fashioned after the coats that the chief petty naval officers and officers would have worn, the double-breasted bridge coat resembles the pea coat, but reaches down halfway to the thighs. The bridge coat typically comes in the traditional navy blue wool, but in lieu of the anchor-inscribed buttons, it features gold naval insignia buttons. Additionally, the bridge coat includes epaulets, a half belt in the back and a deep center vent. For those who would enjoy owning an authentic pea coat worn previously by a sailor, those can sometimes be found in navy surplus stores. Authentic navy peacoats would have the name of the sailor stenciled inside.

Most of the pea coats you see today are not authentic, but the current fashions have kept the original style of the pea coat intact while keeping alive the nostalgia associated with sailors and the sea.

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For more information on Navy Pea Coats and Womens Pea Coats visit USNavyPeaCoat.com.

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