Guide to Spring Coats for Shorter Men
Peter Manning has a coat for every day of spring’s ever-changing weather. Whether you just need a light jacket for the slightly cool weather or a cold rain is coming, you can find a jacket that will not only look good, work well, but is designed to fit great!
Why one spring jacket might not be enough
Spring is one of those seasons where a single coat may not meet every need. At the very least you want something for casual wear and something for dress. You might wonder why you can’t just wear one coat for every occasion.
Casual jackets usually come to your waist, or at most to your upper hips. If you wear suiting, a casual jacket won’t cover the bottom of your suit or sport coat. Not only will this look bad, but if it starts to rain, you won’t be protecting your clothes. This is where a raincoat or trench coat comes in handy. You would want to wear a coat that reaches your upper thighs – like our Carnegie coat. This will cover the bottom of your sport coat/suit but not get too tangled up in your legs like a full-length trench coat would.
There is also a difference in coat weights. Ideally, getting a coat with a zip out lining helps a coat transition to 3 seasons. Your other option, especially for casual wear, is to add a vest under the coat in early spring, and leave it off once warmer weather arrives.
Regardless of your needs, your coat’s fit is essential to looking good. After all, according to Billy Crystal in his classic sketch on Saturday Night Live: “It’s better to look good than to feel good”. We’ll help you do both. Too-long sleeves, baggy pirate arms, wide bodies, and a coat that covers your butt when it should obviously be at your waist doesn’t make you feel good or look good.
Light weight, casual jackets
If you are looking for a light weight, casual jacket, you can choose from either the Quilted Jacket, or the Harrington Jacket. Both have a cotton/nylon shell with a cotton lining. Which one you’d prefer (if you really feel you need to choose only one) is a matter of details.
Quilted Jacket in navy
The Quilted Jacket has a quilted/textured surface, complementary corduroy binding at the cuffs and front pocket welts, and on the collar. While the body is straight, there are cinch tabs at the waist and cuffs to help customize the fit. You’ll have plenty of storage space: in addition to the 2 front slash pockets, there’s also a chest zip and interior pocket.
Because of the quilting and corduroy accents, the coat gives you a warmer feel than you might want as you move into summer. You might decide to save this for your early spring/light fall coat and choose to wear the Harrington looking forward to summer.
Harrington Jacket in stone
The Harrington Jacket comes in lighter, brighter colors such as stone, tan, navy and a bright olive. It has a ribbed cuff and waist, with a stand-up collar in the same fabric. The plaid lining adds a bit more fun and color to the coat. It doesn’t have as many pockets as the Quilted Jacket, but there are still plenty with 2 front flap pockets and an interior patch pocket. This jacket runs slim but you can always size up if you are planning to wear anything but a light layer underneath.
Of course, we can’t leave out our Denim Jacket! It’s made with 13.8 oz mid-weight denim that’s been pre-washed for a comfortable fit and feel. Not only is it proportionally sized for shorter men, but there are adjustable waist and wrist closures so don’t worry about it coming down below your butt or past your thumbs.
Our Denim Jacket has an added interior pocket and white stitching to make it not only fashionable, but functional.
Longer jackets
If you’re looking for something that is a bit longer, our Tribeca Field Jacket is the perfect jacket for you. The coat comes in navy, sand, olive and a camo print.
The jacket hits at your upper thighs so you won’t have longer shirts, hoodies, or sweaters sticking out of the bottom. The collar has a corduroy detail to continue the “country” feel of the coat. That doesn’t mean that you won’t love wearing this coat in the city. It’s a fairly slim fit so you won’t look sloppy, and if you need, it has an adjustable waistband and wrist closures.
This coat is also a pocket lover’s dream. Not only does it have three snapped patch pockets on the outside, but there are also 2 interior patch pockets plus a zippered pocket. The lining is a light flannel plaid for interest. The coat has both buttons and a zipper closure.
Like its inspiration, the classic chore coat from Europe, the Tribeca Field Jacket has the same roomy pockets, pointed collar and button closure and twill fabrication. (You can learn about the history of the chore coat here.) The basic design has been adopted by everyone from workwear companies to top fashion designers. Peter Manning brings you a chore coat designed to fit you properly.
Raincoat
There are times when you just need to look a bit dressier. Our Carnegie Coat is the perfect answer. It comes in tan and navy, and is our version of a classic raincoat. It’s water resistant and long enough to cover your suit coat without swallowing you up and dragging you down.
The water repellent cotton shell comes with a zip out polyfill lining in case you also need a little warmth for those early spring rainy days. Ideally, this coat hits your mid-thigh. Of course, you may love this jacket so much that it becomes your go-to coat for dress or casual, rain or shine.
Avoid the oversized, baggy raincoats our dads used to wear (along with Lt. Columbo - see below), and find one that fits! Keeping everything clean, and unrumpled, is an important factor in your overall appearance.
Vests
Once you’ve picked the jacket that you like best, you may find that you need a bit of warmth to help you through the early part of the season. If you just can’t stand looking at your winter coat any more, but need the extra layer for early mornings or late nights, try adding a vest. Peter Manning offers two versions: the Flatiron Vest and theLightweight Down Vest.
The Flatiron Vest mimics many of the features of the Quilted Jacket. It also comes in navy, black, and olive quilted cotton/nylon with a standing collar and corduroy accents at the collar, and 2 slash pockets. The additional front zipped pocket is handy for keeping valuables safe.
Because we are all about fit and comfort, the vest has button tabs at the waist to make sure things fit properly.
If you feel you need even more added warmth, you can always try our Lightweight Down Vest. Worn alone, this will keep you comfortable through much of spring. If worn under a coat, you won’t be adding much more bulk for the increased warmth. You can choose from navy and black if you want it to blend with your coat, or a light gray or red if you want to add a pop of brightness. All the vests come with contrasting zippers and trim so it looks good all on its own.
Final Thoughts…
It can be tricky dressing in spring because the weather is so variable. Layering is certainly a good choice – adding a vest in the morning can’t hurt. However, with our choice of jackets you can know that you’ll find the right coat to meet your needs – whether rain or shine, cold or just a bit chilly. Wearing coats doesn’t mean that you have to look or feel shapeless and dumpy. Peter Manning coats are designed specifically for shorter men like you. You get great quality construction, thoughtful styling details, and a fit that can’t be beaten.
