The Timeless Trench

Smart or casual, dressed up or dressed down, the beige trench coat is an absolute classic. The true essence of English heritage personified in blended cotton. The Pimms of the coat world, if you will. Okay, I'll stop with the metaphor's now, you get the idea. Trench coat's have been stylish for, quite literally, centuries. The invention of the classic garment is claimed by one main luxury British designer, Burberry. Thomas Burberry initially invented a gabardine fabric in 1879 and then submitted a design for an Army officer's raincoat to the UK War Office in 1901. Yet another classic garment born from the ranks of the front line! The coats were widely worn during the First World War, with the design being modified to include shoulder straps (to attach epaulettes) and D-rings (originally used for attaching map cases, swords or other equipment to the belt). Now though, we don't generally find the need to attach hand grenade's to our belts (unless you're going for that authentic WW1 vibe, in which case, you do you) so trench coat's tend to be reserved for the classy business man/business woman to wear over their work suit.

I'm definitely not a business woman just yet...but classy? Darling, always.

There are so many variations of the classic, some structured, some slouchy. Some puff sleeves, some straight. Some would say I'm a bit of a floozy for a nice trench, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't have quite the variety colours and designs in my wardrobe. Not to mention the different colours! This gingham bad boy is from the River Island sale a few years ago. (Let's all appreciate the baby face in the photo below... and that terrible camera quality! Glad to see my photography skills have had a bit of a glow-up in recent years...) Definitely acts as the statement piece of the outfit, but when it's styled right, it's a beauty.

One of my favourite variations of the beige trench is the one pictured below which I purchased from M&S. The puff sleeves are absolutely killer and so unique, contrasting nicely to the straight and clean A-line silhouette. The classic trench is usually double breasted, but this one is single, with large tortoise-shell buttons. The main thing that I think makes the trench so utterly timeless is it's versatility. It can be transitioned through pretty much all the seasons. Perfect and lightweight for those April showers of spring (as seen above), but also brilliant for layering in the Winter with a thick jumper and a scarf (see below).

My favourite trench in my closet and the cream of the crop would have to be my vintage men's Burberry. I picked it up at the UK's largest flea market in Malvern - which, by the way, is an absolute MUST to visit if you're into antiques - they hold them pretty frequently throughout the year. It's an oversized beauty and I snagged it for the rather unbelievable price of fifty pounds (!!!). To this date it's one of the best bargain's, and I looooove it. It's rare to find a vintage trench with it's original belt, mostly due to the fact that Burberry made so many differing tones of beige over the years that your rather lucky to find one with the exact colour matching belt... just so happens that my fortune was on my side! I love the duality that this trench provides - the oversized slouchy vibe suits most every day 'running around town' outfits and can really take a 'jeans and a t-shirt' look to the next level. When I wear mine casually, I often just drape it over my shoulders whilst I'm shopping - very carefree but very chic. Due to the oversized nature of my Burberry, I find it works pretty well to fold the lapel's outwards under the belt. It creates a cool layered effect and also means that if the wind catches underneath you, you might even get a sneaky peak of that iconic tartan lining...!

It's hard to go wrong when purchasing a trench, which is why I think they're such a timeless staple - and perfect for those of you who are dipping your toe into the world of a more refined sense of style. Whether that's Burberry or Primark... these are a fabulous staple to add to your wardrobe.

Investing in a trench provides a classic go-to garment for those days when you just don't have a scrap to wear... just throw on a trench and you're ready to go! They are, after all, the original flasher coat ;)