The Spring Wardrobe Hero
In The Trenches
Spring always catches me off guard. One day it’s cold and windy, and the next the trees are green and sunset is after six. Summer is on the brink. You start to dress with a little optimism—a sense of lightness. This is usually when I remember my trench coat.
A trench coat isn’t particularly exciting. It doesn’t have the pizzaz of a statement coat or the allure of a loose blazer. But every year when the weather turns into a wintery spring, a misty sunny mix, it’s what I reach for the most. You can throw it over whatever you’re already wearing and it makes sense for every occasion—dressed up, dressed down, over a suit, white jeans or even gym clothes.
I just got back from a idyllic photoshoot in Wales and it reminded me of why I enjoy producing and styling. The chance for creative people to come together and make thousands of images in a short time out in nature is rewarding. It’s immediate, requires total presence, and is highly tuned into the season. You’re navigating wind, mist, sun, storms, and creating outfits that people will really wear in the midst of it.
Styling for Spring on the edge of the season is especially good. Colors and layers feel new and exciting—women in bright reds and bold blues, men in pink, and no socks. Tuxedo trousers with suede slippers, fair isle sweaters with ivory shorts and wellies. And trench coats. It’s all about proportion and fabric this time of year. A bit of ankle, a looser trouser worn slightly cropped, a tailored shirt with an easy oversized coat.
In this pre-Spring time, I haven’t taken off my Valstar trench. Every year, for a few months, it ends up being my most valuable layer. I can’t imagine life without this trench—and since they stopped making it, I’m holding on.
A good trench is an underrated wardrobe hero from March through May. It’s the transitional season version of a long, dramatic overcoat. Chic, practical, and easy on both men and women, it’s a shield from wind and dew that pulls everything together. If you’ve ever bought a lightweight jacket only to realize the season never arrives, you know most of them remain unworn. The trench is always worn.
It works with everything. Over a suit, with a sweater, chinos, cords. It’s also one of the only Spring jackets that can pair with something dressy, which is useful if you don’t have an evening coat. The trench-over-tuxedo look is always appealing. And it can be worn over a dress.
I’ve always liked clothes that do a bit of work for you. The trench is one of those pieces. It’s consistent and reappears when you need it. It elevates what you’ve already got. Like a good umbrella, or longer, sunnier days.
Color and silhouette matter. A deeper beige or olive is practical—it pairs easily with everything and hides the wear. It also dresses up better than a lighter trench. I’ve been wearing mine with ivory sweaters from Rubato, white Levi’s, a thin leather belt from Front General, dress socks from New & Lingwood, and beige linen Belgians or vintage Sebago Campsides. Sometimes Ariat paddock boots. If it’s cold, I’ll tie a light cable knit sweater over my shoulders as a scarf and leave the trench open.
For a meeting, it’s easy to swap the sweater for a dress shirt and add a blazer or even a tuxedo jacket underneath, keeping the jeans. If it’s more serious, a lightweight wool suit. In a couple of weeks, we’ll shift into linen suits and lightweight denim with sockless loafers. You can show up almost anywhere in a trench—meetings, dinners, even a wedding—and feel appropriate.
Length is important. A trench should ideally hit mid-calf, or at least to the knee. Anything shorter is more casual and can be trickier to style. Burberry makes longer versions that look more formal than their standard, the Castleford is one of the smarter women’s options (and on sale if you look around) and there’s always vintage.
Drake’s has a reversible one that’s very good. Permanent Style brought back one of their earlier styles. Studio Nicholson does a clean, modern women’s trench.
