Pea-coats are becoming a popular college trend. However, this coat was not born last winter. Pea-coats have historical roots deeply planted in naval history.
According to the Navy Historical Center’s Web site, the pea-coat is a cold weather version of the first uniform authorized — the Pea Jacket.
“The pea-coat is a warm, heavy coat made from ‘pee’ cloth or ‘pilot’ cloth,” the Web site reports.
Dictionary.com defines pilot cloth as a “coarse, stout kind of cloth for overcoats” and said the term also describes a person who is “qualified and licensed by an authority to conduct vessels in and out of port for a fixed rate of fees.”
Iris Davis, a political science freshman, has owned her orange pea-coat since the winter of her eighth-grade year.
Davis said she purchased her coat at Marshall’s for $20.
“Originally, it was over a hundred dollars, but I caught it on sale,” Davis said. “Since it was affordable and different, I decided to buy it.”
Years later, Davis has noticed an increase in the amount of people wearing this style of coat.
“I see a lot of people wearing black, tan and navy blue pea-coats, but I have yet to see an orange one, and that helps me to maintain a sense of individuality,” she said.
Davis said she has kept her coat for so long because it still fits and it is made of high quality material.
“I will keep it until it becomes thin as parchment paper, falls apart, or until a better-looking orange pea-coat comes along,” she said.
Katie Magoun, an environmental science junior, is fascinated with pea-coats and is the owner of a vintage style coat.
“My pea-coat is actually called a car-coat, but is made in the same style as a pea-coat,” she said.
Magoun found her navy blue corduroy pea-coat in the Honeymoon Bungalow, a vintage store on Government Street.
“Jackie Kennedy had a car-coat,” Magoun said. “And when I wear my coat I feel very Jackie O.”
Magoun said her parents told her that in the 60s and 70s, the pea-coat was a high fashion item and people wore them in their convertibles and other nice cars as they were on their way out for a night on the town.
While Magoun took the vintage route, Stefanie Rhodes, an English sophomore, is more familiar with Banana Republic’s spin of the celebrated coat.
“My coat was a Christmas gift from my mother,” she said. “I love it. It’s a classic black coat and because of its versatility, it will never go out of style.”
Jamaica S. Mayes, an English junior, does not own a pea-coat, but she plans on purchasing one in the future.
“I think that pea-coats signify class, elegance and a level of sophistication,” she said.
Department stores also carry versions of the coat made especially for men.
Jeremy Hendrix, an animal science senior, is an owner of such a coat.
“They go with anything you wear — polos and jeans, dress shirts and slacks, shorts and T-shirts,” he said.