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The best men’s trench coats to stay suave whatever the weather
Because there’s more to the world of men’s trench coats than a classic Burberry…
All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Trench coats have quite the cultural cachet. Loved by fictional inspectors of all stripes and regularly wheeled out for photo calls by every big name on earth, the best men’s trench coats are a bastion of both functionality and suave mystique.
Much like a solid rotation of white T-shirts, a helping of cashmere knitwear and a sturdy pair of selvedge jeans, they’re also an essential part of most kinds of wardrobe, from the traditional to the esoteric.
The advent of men’s trench coats saw raincoats become double-breasted and longer in the hem than the mac coat that came before it. As the name suggests, the style became popular during the trench warfare of WWI, and for this reason the trench coat was first and foremost a practical garment. Though it’s not always the case now, trench coats were always water-resistant with shoulder pads intended to bear the weight of a gun and a waist belt to keep out the elements.
Today, the shape and look of the belted trench coat has not changed much... unless you look to the designers — usually from the United Kingdom — who play with the history of this vintage outerwear.
Best men's trench coats at a glance…
- Best overall men's trench coat: Percival Auxiliary Sherlock, £239 at percivalclo.com
- Best affordable men's trench coat: Uniqlo, £99.90 at uniqlo.com
- Best designer trench coat: Burberry, £1,890 at uk.burberry.com
- Best traditional trench coat: Mackintosh, £995 at mackintosh.com
- Best waterproof trench coat: M&S, £70 at marksandspencer.com
Burberry ‘Kensington’ trench coat | Duke + Dexter loafers | Jeans and white T-shirt are model's own
What are the best men’s trench coat styles for a rainy season?
While the UK might not see anywhere near the kind of rainfall as more humid countries, we still tend to get a battering for a good portion of the year. If you want your new trench coat to function more like parkas do — that is, by keeping out lighter rainfall — you’ll want to prioritise waterproofing and the trappings that come with it, such as taped seams. We’ve listed which of the below trench coats are waterproof for ease. Although, having said all that, if you’re more concerned about letting in the elements, you’d probably be better off with a windbreaker…
How do we select our favourite trench coats?
So, how exactly do we choose what constitutes the best trench coats for men in 2024? Simple. We know our stuff, we do our research, and we get out there to experience as much product as possible.
Our section head of menswear for GQ Recommends, Heidi Quill, is obsessed with clothes. Joining British GQ in 2021, Heidi might primarily look after clothing content, but she spends a healthy amount of time up to her neck in samples, checking product for the very best quality, price and design, all before recommending it to you. That includes knowing everything there is to know about a good trench coat.
The trench coat is a time-honoured stalwart: a piece of outerwear found as regularly in a men's wardrobe as a car coat or a leather jacket…but that doesn't make choosing one for your own closet any easier. If anything, the limitations — and quality — of choice make this a very big decision, especially if you're looking at spending big on a piece from the likes of Burberry or Mackintosh. As far as Heidi and our team of contributing writers (Jessie Atkinson, Faye Fearon and Adam Cheung) are concerned, though, the pieces in the list to follow are all worth your consideration.
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