The Compass / Style / How Should An Overcoat Fit?

How Should An Overcoat Fit?

Published on November 13, 2023

How should an overcoat fit? The last thing you want to do is spend your hard-earned money on a piece that drapes too large, or that hugs you too tight. Not only is this uncomfortable, but it also looks silly – and if you’re like us, you’re going with the overcoat to add a touch of sophistication. Of course, these are some of the warmest and coziest types of outerwear, too.

All things considered, it’s important for you to learn how an overcoat should fit. Sizing these types of coats isn’t super difficult – but there are a few things you need to learn if you’re hoping to get it right the first time around.

Fortunately, that’s just what we’re here to do today. We’re going to walk you through sizing your overcoat the right way – helping you achieve that perfect fit that allows you to strut out your home in comfort and style. First things first, though – why is it so important to learn how an overcoat should fit?

Why It’s Important To Learn How An Overcoat Should Fit

We see so many men making similar mistakes when shopping for overcoats. And the result is always the same – a poor-fitting coat that is either too uncomfortable or too unstylish to bust out of the closet. And when you consider the cost of quality garments – that’s a shame.

The most obvious problem with improper sizing is comfort. These coats are meant to drape over your body effortlessly – they shouldn’t be restricting whatsoever. But, if your coat is too small or too big, that’s exactly what will happen. You want to be able to move freely – and if you size your overcoat without layers underneath, you’ll be frustrated and disappointed when you discover that you can’t get it on over your suit.

Plus, a poor-fitting overcoat looks dreadful on the male body.

Think about it this way – the overcoat is typically the layer of your outfit that draws everyone’s attention. It’s the outermost layer of clothing, and thus, all eyes are on it. If you size your coat too small, you’ll look like you’re busting out of the seams – which is not an aesthetic look at all. On the other side of the equation, swimming in your overcoat isn’t a great look either.

We’re here to help prevent you from looking ridiculous and save you from purchasing either a skin-tight or baggy coat. Let’s begin!

So, How Should An Overcoat Fit?

So, how should an overcoat fit?

There are specific recommendations in terms of length, shoulders, sleeves, and the body of the coat. But, before we can get into those, we need to discuss how you’re going to wear your overcoat. Sizing recommendations will vary depending on if you wear a full-fledged suit and blazer underneath, or a simple sweater.

Thus, you’ll want to start by considering how you’re going to wear the overcoat to understand the answer to the question, how should an overcoat fit?

How Are You Going To Wear Your Overcoat?

The first mistake we see men make is sizing their coats without any layers underneath. You may happen to be wearing a t-shirt or a light sweater while trying on your overcoat – but what are you going to actually wear the overcoat with? If you plan on wearing a heavy suit underneath the coat, you’ll end up struggling to get into the coat comfortably unless you size it with that in mind.

Here is our advice: try on overcoats and size them according to the most likely outfit you’ll pair them with. While we love the look of an overcoat over a suit jacket, you can also wear these in a more casual fashion – with a quality sweater underneath. Rarely will you wear an overcoat with just a shirt – so don’t size your coat this way. Be realistic with how many layers need to fit under the coat. Now, let’s get into sizing:

Sizing Overcoat Length:

One of the first things to consider in terms of properly sizing your overcoat is the length. This will be somewhat personal preference, so consider how far down you want yours to drape. With that said, most people like their overcoat to fall just below the knee for a dynamic silhouette. This would be considered a full-length coat.

However, if you’re on the shorter end of the spectrum, you may want to go with an above-the-knee length. This will help you look a bit taller – who doesn’t want that? There is a fine line to balance here, though. If your overcoat is too short, it will resemble the ideal length of a pea coat instead – which is not what you’re trying to go for here. At the bare minimum, your coat should cover the entirety of the suit coat you’re wearing underneath (if applicable.)

Sizing The Overcoat For Your Shoulders

The look of an overcoat sitting perfectly on the shoulders is stunning – but it’s not easy to attain. If you don’t get this right, then you’ll experience divots, wrinkles, and clumping at the shoulders if you don’t line up the seam properly. The goal here is to get the seam of the shoulders to fall perfectly in line with your shoulders.

Simply get out your measuring tape and measure from the base of your neck to your shoulder – that is the measurement you’ll want to consider when sizing for the shoulders. Nail this, and you’ll end up with an overcoat that sits perfectly across your back while creating a strong shoulder shape.

Sizing Overcoat Sleeves

Next up is sizing your sleeves. This one is pretty simple – you want the overcoat to cover all of your suit jacket or coat sleeves. There shouldn’t be any fabric extending out of the overcoat sleeves. You can accomplish this by sizing your sleeves an inch longer than that of your blazer.

Sizing The Overcoat Body

The final step is getting the body of your overcoat sized correctly. Remember – you need to size the body according to what you’ll wear under the coat. Your overcoat should never feel like it’s suffocating you. Even if you prefer a tighter fit on your clothes, the overcoat should drape comfortably over your body. With that said, you don’t want the overcoat to feel “roomy”, either.

How To Get An Overcoat That Fits Like It Was Made For You

Now that you have a better idea of how an overcoat should fit, it’s time to get to shopping. As you can see, proper sizing is relatively simple – and yet, so many men get it wrong still and end up unhappy with the fit and look of their overcoat.

The fact of the matter is, off-the-rack shopping isn’t for most men – because we don’t all have similar body types. If you’re going to buy an overcoat, you might as well do it right – and get a custom overcoat fit to your unique body. This will result in the perfect fit every time so you can step out in your coat feeling and looking your best.

You’ll find that even on days you could probably get by without the overcoat, you wear it anyway – because you love the way it fits and looks so much.