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It seems as if yesterday when I so my dead in his tried-and-true pea coat. It actually meant quite a bit to him because that was the coat that he wore when you probably serve in the U.S. Navy back and the 1960’s. He said that he had never worn a coat that kept him warmer, or one that had stood the test of time.
The pea coat is standard issue for the brave men and women of the U.S. Navy. These coats have been a staple for the Navy uniforms since the beginning of the Twentieth Century. Navy men designed the coats to endure harsh, cold temperatures that many of the men faced on the seas. And today many civilians can be seen wearing the coats, which really comes as no surprise to me.
Pea coats are always navy blue in color and double-breasted in style. They are made from worsted wool. Worsted wool gets its name because of the way the wool is processed for the coats. It is extremely durable because the fibers in the material are parallel in alignment. You will find few garments that are made better and performed to higher standards than the pea coat.
Another appealing element of the pea coat is its classic style. They really are immediately identifiable because of their distinct look. In addition to the traditional navy blue color and double-breasted construction, the coats are easily spotted by their wide, rounded lapels and their buttons. The buttons fittingly have anchors etched into the buttons.
The name ‘pea coat’ is said to have if you different origins. One such theory is that they are called pea because of the pea soup like fog that many sailors encounter. Others suggest that the name is derived from ‘pilot’ because the coats were originally made from pilot cloth.
Pilot cloth is a heavy twilled cloth that is usually blue in color. Pilot cloth has been used to construct jackets since 1723. The cloth itself was nicknamed ‘p-cloth’ and the term ‘pea coat’ eventually made its evolution from that derivative. Yet others believe that it is actually from a Dutch word which means short.
Oh whatever it may be, it doesn't really matter how it got its name. The fact of the matter is that the pea coat immediately brings to mind an image of the traditional, double-breasted, durable, navy blue coat. Through the air is the pea coat has evolved to become a rather fashionable piece of civilian wear as well.
The civilian pea coat is not always Navy surplus. They may lack the quality of the wool original, but there is no denying the quality and durability of the original pea coat, standard issue of the U.S. Navy. It has stood the test of time and has served with honor.
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