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Don't know about the civilian brands as my specialty is the vintage US Navy issue peacoat. Unfortunately that probably won't work for her because of sizing problems.
My wife is 5' 4" and 116 pounds. She has three size 34 peacoats, but they are a little large on her. What she really needs is a size 32, which is difficult to find. Wearing a sweater under the coat helps some, but it is still a little large. So, the highest quality peacoat (vintage Navy issue) probably won't work for her, and you will need to go the civilian route.
Below I will post a link to a forum that has a lot of discussion on civilian peacoats. Don't remember any about women's coats, however. This link will put you on page 410 of the thread. You can go back a few pages to see what is there. Probably best to sign up and post your question. Maybe one of the guys has done the same research you are doing and can give you an answer. Good luck in your hunt. PC
https://www.styleforum.net/threads/...t-questions-here.144305/page-410#post-9074130
My wife is 5' 4" and 116 pounds. She has three size 34 peacoats, but they are a little large on her. What she really needs is a size 32, which is difficult to find. Wearing a sweater under the coat helps some, but it is still a little large. So, the highest quality peacoat (vintage Navy issue) probably won't work for her, and you will need to go the civilian route.
Below I will post a link to a forum that has a lot of discussion on civilian peacoats. Don't remember any about women's coats, however. This link will put you on page 410 of the thread. You can go back a few pages to see what is there. Probably best to sign up and post your question. Maybe one of the guys has done the same research you are doing and can give you an answer. Good luck in your hunt. PC
https://www.styleforum.net/threads/...t-questions-here.144305/page-410#post-9074130
Pie & Coffee
New in Town
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Your two best options for quality, price, and availability are going to probably be Sterlingwear(Navy contractor), and Schott. They both make an issue pattern pea coat out of a variety of wool and lining options. Schott errs more towards fashion, so I find their coats to have more of a luxurious look, but for staying warm, both 32oz models are about the same.
http://www.sterlingwear.com/cart/women/
https://www.schottnyc.com/products/pea-coats-for-women.htm?catID=45
http://www.sterlingwear.com/cart/women/
https://www.schottnyc.com/products/pea-coats-for-women.htm?catID=45
Doctor Strange
I'll Lock Up
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I got my daughter a Fidelity pea coat in her teens, and I thought it well made for the price. It was lighter than my own Sterlingwear (I think 24oz, not 32oz wool-blend), but it was a solid, stylish, American-made coat, definitely a lot better than most department store versions. Alas, it was eventually "lost" in one my ex's many moves...
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Sterlingwear has three versions, each with it own drawbacks:
1. The Authentic is a post WWII model in 24 oz melton wool with 80% wool and 20% nylon.
2. The Navigator is also a post WWII model with 100% Melton wool. Unfortunately, it also is only 24 oz in weight.
3. The Classic is a WWII model with 32 oz Melton in 80% wool and 20% nylon. This is probably the warmest of the Sterlingwear coats.
Schott has only one version, and that is the WWII model in 32 oz Melton. I couldn't find a percentage of wool/nylon blend. Nor could I find a statement that it was 100% wool, which leads me to believe it is not. I did, however, find this statement toward the end of the description: "Material: Melton Wool" which omits any reference to a nylon blend, so it may well be 100% Melton wool. If so, it should be the warmest of the lot.
Unfortunately, only sizes 10, 12 and 14 are available. My wife is a 4, so several of her could get into these sizes. There is a "notify me when my size is available" box that may be helpful.
Doc, she is a real cutie and looks nice in her Fidelity.
1. The Authentic is a post WWII model in 24 oz melton wool with 80% wool and 20% nylon.
2. The Navigator is also a post WWII model with 100% Melton wool. Unfortunately, it also is only 24 oz in weight.
3. The Classic is a WWII model with 32 oz Melton in 80% wool and 20% nylon. This is probably the warmest of the Sterlingwear coats.
Schott has only one version, and that is the WWII model in 32 oz Melton. I couldn't find a percentage of wool/nylon blend. Nor could I find a statement that it was 100% wool, which leads me to believe it is not. I did, however, find this statement toward the end of the description: "Material: Melton Wool" which omits any reference to a nylon blend, so it may well be 100% Melton wool. If so, it should be the warmest of the lot.
Unfortunately, only sizes 10, 12 and 14 are available. My wife is a 4, so several of her could get into these sizes. There is a "notify me when my size is available" box that may be helpful.
Doc, she is a real cutie and looks nice in her Fidelity.
Doctor Strange
I'll Lock Up
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Thanks Peacoat, that picture is actually from nearly a decade ago. But she's still a cutie, this was just last month:
Oh, and getting back on topic, I have the Sterlingwear Classic and can attest that it's quite warm. But while it's got the old-school ten-button front, it has a one-piece back with no center vent, which you previously told me is off-spec. So it's not an accurate repro... just an excellent coat.
PS - Regarding the Schott 740, from its Legendary USA page: "Heavy 32 oz Wool Blend". Not 100% wool.
Oh, and getting back on topic, I have the Sterlingwear Classic and can attest that it's quite warm. But while it's got the old-school ten-button front, it has a one-piece back with no center vent, which you previously told me is off-spec. So it's not an accurate repro... just an excellent coat.
PS - Regarding the Schott 740, from its Legendary USA page: "Heavy 32 oz Wool Blend". Not 100% wool.
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I have never understood the rationale for having the early vintage coats button on both sides as there were few women in the Navy back then. Perhaps it was to keep from having to issue a woman's peacoat—the women could just wear a man's peacoat and button it on the opposite side (the "lady side"). Don't know if that is true, but it is my theory.
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This is my theory too and I’m glad they did this. [emoji6]
I'm coming back to this thread because I may have some explanations about the buttons on both sides.
The company Dalmard Marine, one of the older manufacturer still in activity in France (1922) used to make buttons on both sides on their peacoats (Cabans in French).
It was to protect against the wind.
When the sailors were on boat, they could button up on the right side or the left depending if the wind was coming from the port or starboard side.
Edit: Apparently Dalmard is still making buttons on both side.
https://www.dalmardmarine.com/en/
The company Dalmard Marine, one of the older manufacturer still in activity in France (1922) used to make buttons on both sides on their peacoats (Cabans in French).
It was to protect against the wind.
When the sailors were on boat, they could button up on the right side or the left depending if the wind was coming from the port or starboard side.
Edit: Apparently Dalmard is still making buttons on both side.
https://www.dalmardmarine.com/en/
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Thanks, that is good information to know. It solves one more mystery of the peacoat. Do you have any pictures of the French peacoat?
I don't have pictures at the moment but Dalmard has a section on their website about the peacoat history (in english)
https://www.dalmardmarine.com/en/actualites/our-clothes-have-a-history/
Spoonbelly
One of the Regulars
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I don't remember if this was addressed before. Were there any vintage Kersey US Navy Pea Coats issued to women? If so, they must be extremely rare. I don't think I ever came across one during my ebay peacoat hunting days.
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Initially I thought there were no enlisted or NCO females in the Navy, but I thought it best to ask someone who was actually in the Navy. Here is his response:
"They were called WAVES, don't remember what that stands for. They were kept separate, had their basic training, barracks, they did jobs such as admin clerks, lab techs, etc. No sea duty or any hazardous duty."
So, the question becomes, were they issued the smaller sizes of peacoats, or were they issued a female version of the peacoat? I imagine a preliminary question would be, were they issued a peacoat at all? My wife is 5' 4" 117 lbs. and a size 34 is a bit large on her. A size 32 would probably be a good fit. If a size 32 is the smallest made, what would a woman wear who was smaller than my wife?
My service was Army, and I never saw a female in uniform the four years of my service. My branch was aviation which is a very small part of the Army, and I was always at a base with an airfield, which is even a smaller section of the Army.
"They were called WAVES, don't remember what that stands for. They were kept separate, had their basic training, barracks, they did jobs such as admin clerks, lab techs, etc. No sea duty or any hazardous duty."
So, the question becomes, were they issued the smaller sizes of peacoats, or were they issued a female version of the peacoat? I imagine a preliminary question would be, were they issued a peacoat at all? My wife is 5' 4" 117 lbs. and a size 34 is a bit large on her. A size 32 would probably be a good fit. If a size 32 is the smallest made, what would a woman wear who was smaller than my wife?
My service was Army, and I never saw a female in uniform the four years of my service. My branch was aviation which is a very small part of the Army, and I was always at a base with an airfield, which is even a smaller section of the Army.
Doctor Strange
I'll Lock Up
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Not strictly an answer, but a perhaps useful aside...
My mom was a sergeant in the Marines in WWII, stationed at El Toro and mostly doing machine shop work supporting Corsair planes. I have no idea if she was issued a peacoat, but I have photo evidence that she was issued a women's-buttoning version of the Army OD field jacket (M-41):
Ladies in the Navy and Marines could easily have been issued peacoats, since - unlike this jacket - no special production run was even required to make them button the other way. But that doesn't mean that it actually happened.
My mom was a sergeant in the Marines in WWII, stationed at El Toro and mostly doing machine shop work supporting Corsair planes. I have no idea if she was issued a peacoat, but I have photo evidence that she was issued a women's-buttoning version of the Army OD field jacket (M-41):
Ladies in the Navy and Marines could easily have been issued peacoats, since - unlike this jacket - no special production run was even required to make them button the other way. But that doesn't mean that it actually happened.
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Marines don't wear peacoats, and never have as far as I can determine. Only the Navy and the Coast Guard. It doesn't appear as if she is wearing a Marine Corps uniform, but more like an Army uniform. The Marine Corps uniform is quite distinctive. Whatever she is wearing, she is very pretty doing it.
Doctor Strange
I'll Lock Up
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Ah, I didn't realize that Marines never wore 'em. Sorry 'bout that.
And I still have her more familiar WWII Marine service coat and herringbone utility jacket. That photo is marked "fatigues" in her war years album, and alongside it is this one marked "summer whites":
It would appear there were more variations in Marine uniforms - especially for lady Marines - than we see in something like this:
http://www.usww2uniforms.com/figures_marines.html
And I still have her more familiar WWII Marine service coat and herringbone utility jacket. That photo is marked "fatigues" in her war years album, and alongside it is this one marked "summer whites":
It would appear there were more variations in Marine uniforms - especially for lady Marines - than we see in something like this:
http://www.usww2uniforms.com/figures_marines.html
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Yes, more variations than I was familiar with. When I think of the Marines' uniform, I think of the Enlisted Man's Dress A Uniform. It is quite striking. I just don't see a woman wearing it, and as it is named the "Enlisted Man's Dress A Uniform" women didn't wear it.
And she was very pretty in her summer whites as well.
And she was very pretty in her summer whites as well.
Doctor Strange
I'll Lock Up
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Yeah, my mom was a very vibrant character. Check this one out:
She was a "liberated woman" ahead of her time: these war pics were after she'd played lead trumpet in a high school swing combo and had her own motorcycle! And she was still a real firecracker when I was a kid in the sixties. E.g., making welded sculpture at the local tech-school night class (wearing her old Marine HBT jacket) in 1968:
She was a "liberated woman" ahead of her time: these war pics were after she'd played lead trumpet in a high school swing combo and had her own motorcycle! And she was still a real firecracker when I was a kid in the sixties. E.g., making welded sculpture at the local tech-school night class (wearing her old Marine HBT jacket) in 1968:
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