Steven Hitchcock tweed bespoke coat: Evaluate

October 29, 2025

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That is the primary English overcoat I’ve ever had made – or a conventional one anyway. There was the topcoat from Michael Browne, however that was his personal specific type and construction. And there was the wrap coat from Whitcomb & Shaftesbury, however that was type of their model of a Parisian type.

That is the one basic English bespoke coat, and it’s helpful as a result of it rounds out the Type Breakdown sequence that already had coats in most different types.

From a technical perspective, the attention-grabbing factor about it’s how the development makes the coat smarter to put on, regardless of not having issues like a closely padded shoulder or roped sleevehead. The distinction is extra inside – English canvas and horsehair by the chest and lapels, hand-padded to present form and swell to the chest.

There’s a sharpness to the highest third of the coat – the collar, shoulder, lapel and chest – which makes it much less wearable with informal issues like a easy sweater or different delicate knit.

I’m sporting a knit right here, however I intentionally selected this outfit to reveal what I’ve discovered is probably the most informal factor the coat might be worn with – it wants that scarf on the neck as an alternative choice to a shirt collar, and the one various could be one thing like a rollneck, or after all a shirt itself.

The trousers, equally, might be flannels nevertheless it struggles with something extra informal. Maybe some quite sharp tailor-made cottons, however not a chino or a jean.

That is regardless of Steven Hitchcock being a ‘delicate’ English tailor, and comparable in some ways to his alma mater Anderson & Sheppard. For me and my type, that is as structured as I normally need a coat – and I’d put on it with a jacket and shirt simply as a lot as with a knit like this.

On condition that, brown tweed might look like an odd selection for the fabric. However I discover it really works as a result of the tweed is such a darkish and muted brown, and so pretty city in really feel. Additionally as a result of a lot of my tailoring is pretty informal – flannels and cords quite than superfine worsteds.

The fabric is Fox Tweed TD20, a high quality I do know properly having used it to make three jackets – inexperienced from The Anthology, herringbone from Salino (coming quickly to London), and houndstooth from Bryceland’s (the model we designed).

It’s 17/18oz, which is heavy for a jacket however gentle for a coat. It is perhaps the proper intersection of the 2 really – you wouldn’t need to go a lot heavier for the primary or lighter for the second. Its density (in comparison with say my Harris Tweed) additionally ensures it retains good sharp line on a coat.

So, to date I’m feeling fairly good about my decisions. I additionally know this can be a color I’ll put on lots, as my ‘cold-colour’ wardrobe is so predominantly gray, cream, black and brown.

Really, numerous readers have requested not too long ago about color decisions for coats. Particularly, they need to know which is finest given they’ve trousers or fits in all the colors a sensible coat would normally be – navy, gray, charcoal, brown.

My reply is that except you might be proud of one thing extra uncommon, reminiscent of taupe or camel, it’s important to dwell with the very fact your coat and trousers will typically be the identical color. It’s actually not an enormous drawback – a great distance down the record of points that begins with issues like swimsuit jackets worn as sports activities jackets, or belts and sneakers in fully totally different colors.

Plus, your coat is more likely to be sufficiently totally different when it comes to weight and texture to visually separate it from the trousers.

When it comes to type, the coat is comparatively easy, with simply a few sartorial touches.

It’s a double-breasted 6×2, so with six buttons however with solely two rows functioning. It has common flapped hip pockets and a welt breast pocket. The again has a field pleat within the prime, a free half belt and an extended vent. Steven calls it a guardsman’s again.

That is the form of type that I feel numerous extra classically minded readers desire. There are not one of the fancier components like a buttoned belt, stitched pleats or buttons working down the vent. There’s nothing fallacious with these issues, however they’re too dandy for some, and if something fashions are most likely trending away from them.

The one design concession on Steven’s coat is turnback cuffs, which he significantly likes and I do like on coats (much less on jackets). The opposite factor a couple of cuff, after all, is which you can take it off at a later date in case you change your thoughts.

The minimize and make is excellent – not simply clear and well-fitted, however an incredible mixture of consolation and flattery. The chest is full, for instance, however with out the drapey folds you typically see at A&S; the sleeve is equally huge, but clear on the again.

The one factor I would tweak having worn the coat is a number of instances is the size, which is slightly below the knee. One other couple of centimetres is perhaps good, significantly on the again. These flannels might additionally do with one other couple of centimetres.

Bespoke could be very costly lately, and Steven’s coats now begin at £5900 (plus VAT). However for a very well-executed Savile Row product, I’d actually suggest him. As everyone knows, the work concerned in a great bespoke piece like this makes it one thing approaching an heirloom product – a really particular piece of clothes.