Trench Coats for spring? Groundbreaking.
Despite the fact that mild springtime weather allows for more freedom within wardrobes than any other season, recently trends for spring have become the same uniform every year: trench coats. There’s no argument that the trench is an excellent and time-withstanding style. It’s basic yet dressed-up appeal allows it to really work with any kind of look. Everyone should have a spring trench in their closet.
The classic coat was originally a military style, dating back to World War I. In the early 1920s, Thomas Burberry brought the trench into the fashion world, solidifying his own brand that popularized the style, and setting the coat up for its influential future.
The problem is that we’re getting way ahead of ourselves with the trench. Where there used to be more options for spring jackets, designers have gotten increasingly creative with their trenches, offering new interpretations of the classic style.
Some designers are adding a new material to the traditionally gabardine coat. Dior, Michael Kors, and Valentino have done theirs in leather, and others, like Calvin Klein, have turned to suede. A lot of designers have iterated their coats in shiny materials: Margiela has a metallic embroidered trench, Ellery has one in vinyl, and Burberry coated a wool-tartan trench to make it shimmery and rain-repellent.
Trench coats have also been seeing new colors from their original neutral hues, many designs even in brights like pink or purple. Balenciaga’s artistic approach introduces a new form into the coat, with an asymmetric, plaid-printed version with emphasized collars. Similarly, Loewe offers a distressed fringe coat that looks like half had been through a paper shredder. And in addition to the countless trenches done in plaid, some brands, like Alexander Wang and Alexander McQueen, have put striped or plaid paneling over a solid-toned background on a trench.
But they’re still all trenches. A leather or patterned trench is still a trench. There are so many trench options that there is no room left for any other style of jacket. Everyone should have a spring trench, maybe two, in their closet. There’s no need for more than that. What we do need is more options for other types of jackets this season.
Looking to expand past trench coats? You’ve come to the right place.
