Ditch The Woollen Overcoat And Throw On A Pea Coat Instead

Of late, a curious affliction seems to be clinging to young Indian men after courting them through western media and entertainment for years. It’s the woollen long coat. In streets, on sidewalks, the metro and markets—you often see this exacting garment executing its cruel mockery on steep shoulder slopes and wonky torso-to-leg ratios. To make matters worse, these wearers seem to lean (resort, to be honest) towards a tattered, pilled version of it proudly picked up from flea shops. That latter fact unfortunately also renders it spectacularly ill-suited to their form.

The burden of looking stylish is such that desperate measures have to be taken. But when inspiration becomes derivative, it starts having the exact opposite effect of what you wanted. It’s understandable that the suave western invention—from climes that are way windier and chillier notwithstanding—appears rather singularly slick to the average guy. Top it off with a hat, raise the collars, slip into a pair of Chelseas and you have an incomparably imperial foil to dreary winter evenings. (I’ve also seen the abomination that is overcoats and sports shoes.)

Trenches are a lot more forgiving in that regard and, fortunately, much more in circulation now, seeing as they insist on structure less and accord the wearer the impression of wanting functionality. You still need swagger to carry it off otherwise you’ll either look like you mistook a trench for a raincoat or like a schoolboy who was freshly bathed and combed by his mother this morning.

What most Indian men seem to be missing, however, is the no-sweat-broken power of the pea coat. Reaching just about till the hips and refreshingly aloof of the eurocentric contour hangover, this utilitarian Swiss army knife possesses a greater tolerance for body type. It wouldn’t dwarf your legs or exaggerate that paunch you’ve been trying to fight off either. Short kings and towering lugs can be in a fair fight, though I won’t say the same about dad bods and shredded torsos.

The burden of looking stylish is such that desperate measures have to be taken. But when inspiration becomes derivative, it starts having the exact opposite effect of what you wanted. It’s understandable that the suave western invention—from climes that are way windier and chillier notwithstanding—appears rather singularly slick to the average guy. Top it off with a hat, raise the collars, slip into a pair of Chelseas and you have an incomparably imperial foil to dreary winter evenings. (I’ve also seen the abomination that is overcoats and sports shoes.)

Trenches are a lot more forgiving in that regard and, fortunately, much more in circulation now, seeing as they insist on structure less and accord the wearer the impression of wanting functionality. You still need swagger to carry it off otherwise you’ll either look like you mistook a trench for a raincoat or like a schoolboy who was freshly bathed and combed by his mother this morning.

What most Indian men seem to be missing, however, is the no-sweat-broken power of the pea coat. Reaching just about till the hips and refreshingly aloof of the Eurocentric contour hangover, this utilitarian Swiss army knife possesses a greater tolerance for body type. It wouldn’t dwarf your legs or exaggerate that paunch you’ve been trying to fight off either. Short kings and towering lugs can be in a fair fight, though I won’t say the same about dad bods and shredded torsos.

As the proverb goes, don’t ride coattails.