pea coat options
last year around this time, i bought a schott classic 32 oz melton wool pea coat. i never left the house in it. when i put it on, i looked like juggernaut from x-men. i could barely put my arms down. i let it hang in my closet until two weeks ago when i put it on ebay. i”m now looking for a new pea coat that was made for the streets rather than a battleship. here are a few options i found. i’ll let you know about fit as soon as i figure out which one i’m going to choose. if you have a pea coat that you really like that’s not super bulky, please leave a comment. i’m open to suggestions.
to take the train 
I have a Lands End from a few years ago. It’s not the bulkiest or heaviest wool around, but it’s also not terribly flattering. The picture on their website is closer in color, and it looks like they’ve added interior quilting and a throat latch in the meantime.
I walked into the J Crew store a few days ago and almost walked out with the Bayswater peacoat. Far and away nicer than the Lands End. The fit was great, and I’m one for whom OTR offerings tend to not fit well. (40 chest, 30 waist, like clothes snug, size small fit excellent)
The Bonobos seems expensive for what it is, and the flap pockets in addition to the handwarmer pockets make the jacket look bulky because it’s so short.
Hope this helps, as I’ve been looking for a replacement peacoat for the past few weeks myself. If my girlfriend doesn’t deliver this Christmas (kidding, kidding), it’s going on my immediate after-holiday buying spree. You can also probably grab one on Ebay for $60 cheaper or so.
@gary-a thanks for the info! i’m leaning towards the j. crew coat. their medium usually fits me perfectly. the price isn’t too shabby either.
I got the one from LL Bean last Christmas. It weighs a ton and I love it. I wore it through a serious blizzard last year and it didn’t let a breath of wind through. It’s a bit bulky in the body, but it looks great and fits over whatever you’re wearing. I had to get the sleeves lengthened to accommodate my monkey arms, but there was plenty for my tailor to work with.
@colin_braun yeah the bean pea coat definitely looks heavier than the other 3 options. it sounds like the quality is legit. thanks for the comment.
I’ve had the JCrew peacoat for over a year now and love it. The Thinsulate lining is very warm.
One more comment here: the Thinsulate version is now on sale online – and, with today’s 25% off sale, comes down to $191 total. Not bad. http://www.jcrew.com/AST/Navigation/Sale/AllProducts/PRDOVR~17339/99101794840/ENE~1+2+3+22+4294967294+20~180~~20+16~90~~~~~~~/17339.jsp
@Brad great call. i just ordered one. hard to beat that price. thanks for the heads up.
@Cooper No problem. I’m moving back to Nashville next fall, hope to run into you sometime.