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In-depth Combatant Gentlemen Top Coat Review - Written By: @DapperProfessional



As a somewhat recent transplant to the amazing city of Chicago, it was 100% necessary to go through a jacket overhaul. I spent a lot of time researching different options and eventually settled on this incredible camel color top coat from Combatant Gentleman. I purchased this jacket about two months ago and couldn’t be more satisfied with the coat.

I’ll start off by saying that you might think a top coat is not for everyone because it’s too old school or you don’t wear ties ever, but I want to assure you this is not the case. The fit and length of this coat make it a modern staple for every gentleman’s wardrobe. It can be easily dressed up or dressed down depending on your preference.


I was a little hesitant at first to purchase this jacket because I wasn’t totally familiar with the brand, I didn’t really get a good ‘feel’ for the jacket from their website and I thought I wanted a pea coat originally (I’ll touch on this at the end of the post). With the price and their return policy, I gave it a shot and it was certainly a positive experience all around. I tried to include very detailed shots of the jacket, so you could see it from a couple different angles. See the sections below for a more in-depth analysis on quality, fit, color, top coat vs. pea coat, packaging and my overall opinion (or just scroll all the way down for my overall opinion/summary).


Quality

The overall quality of this jacket is incredible for the price. The detailing is top-notch with the stitching around the buttonholes, a functional breast pocket and the stunning gold color lining. The ticket pocket is also a bonus (third pocket by the waist). I’ve worn this jacket non-stop for two months and it has held up tremendously well. For $120 and 100% wool, this jacket is a steal. The one downside is that this is not the warmest jacket with the thickest insulation. Although I’ve worn this in 20 degrees and have been fine. I actually prefer this coat over the heavier alternatives because it has been great on the move (airports, between meetings, cabs, cars, and general transit). Just be sure to wear your ear muffs and leather gloves!


Fit

The fit makes the jacket, no question about it. This was cut for the modern, dapper gentleman.

Length: the jacket length is perfect. It’s not too long and not too short. If it was too long it would not be as ‘new school’ and reflect a top coat you could probably borrow from your grandfather (nothing wrong with that).

Sleeve length: from the two sizes that I have seen in person, the sleeve length is very proportional to the size of the jacket. It pisses me off when sleeves are obnoxiously long for a size and this is not the case here. They are well sized.

Shoulders: similar to the sleeve length the shoulder size fits just right. I will admit it is snug with a suit on under the jacket, but it is completely manageable. I would say that if you are a 40 jacket size a medium would be just right. A suit can fit under just fine if you’re okay with it being a little snug. If you wear a sport coat or sweater every single day then you might want to size up.

Waist: the waist of the jacket is trim, which presents a nice silhouette when you’re walking with the jacket buttoned.

Overall: if you are considering this jacket then this might be a good reference point. I am 6 foot tall about 170 (athletic build) lbs. I went with a medium because I wanted to be able to wear this on the weekends with a t-shirt or with a suit underneath. It is a bit snug with the suit under it, but it is manageable.

Color

If you’re looking for something that is a little more unique, then the camel color is the way to go. A more conservative color would be the charcoal or navy. The most conservative would be black (which I wouldn’t recommend unless you love the color).

Top Coat vs. Pea Coat

I debated this for the longest time. I currently do not own a pea coat (since I gave my prior one away, it was too large). This jacket has become my go-to coat. In my personal opinion, it is the mature version of the pea coat. As much as I love the pea coat it reminds me of a ‘younger’ coat. Also, everyone is always wearing pea coats. I will admit though, I will probably end up purchasing one again soon just because I do love the look. And it will most likely be the Combatant Gentleman navy top coat. If you’re a working gentleman and you only would purchase one, I would select the top coat. Be sure to have a couple scarves in your wardrobe though, as the top coats look great with scarfs since the buttons don’t come all the way up. In the really cold weather, I flip up the collar to help protect from the Chicago wind.

Packaging

Honestly, the packaging is better than many major retailers. This came in a nice quality garment bag, in a nicely packaged box with some really cool marketing material. Their magazine was actually a good read and had some solid insights.

Overall

I think this is a great value for the money. The price is reasonable, the quality is great and the company is really cool. Who doesn’t want to support an up and coming brand (with a great return/exchange policy haha)? It’s a coat that will receive complements and will be not only versatile during the weekday, but also the weekends. Don’t shy away from wearing this with a neutral color t-shirt in the fall and a bright t-shirt in the spring. If you have questions please submit them through the contact me section (click here).

This is not an advertisement for Combatant Gentleman. I am not getting paid to write this post. I purchased this jacket and the opinions above are my honest opinion.

Here is the link to their website if you want to check it out:


www.DapperProfessional.com

IG: @DapperProfessional

Twitter: @DapperProfesh

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