Say Hello to Your Now and Forever Coat
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Shop Now $1,198, toddsnyder.com
Welcome to The Investment. These are the pieces—a little pricier, a lot nicer, and entirely worth the money—that our editors love and respect. The picks with a story to tell and a real reason to exist. Looking to put your dollars in the right place? Here's how.
A big coat is a big step. This is as it should be, but it doesn't make it any less frustrating for the coat-seeker in real time. The hours I've spent poring over details, researching histories, shrugging my shoulders in and out of knee-length toppers—let's just say that while it worked out in the long run, I wouldn't necessarily wish it on you, dear reader. Which is great, because if you keep reading, you'll learn that my struggle needn't be your own. I've found a timeless, versatile, and supremely comfortable overcoat that you can acquire now, no research required. So let my loss—of time, and briefly, of sanity—be your gain. Just pick up Todd Snyder's balmacaan before winter's icy grip captures us all. You'll be glad you did.
First, a little history
As Todd Snyder's site will dutifully inform you, the Balmacaan has a backstory. The coat is named for a Scottish estate near Inverness, where it first appeared in the 1800s. Apparel history is always spotty—turns out 19th century Scottish tailors weren't keeping records in anticipation of Wikipedia's arrival—but the accounting of the Balmacaan's origins is pretty consistent across platforms, which means it's likely accurate (or at least a compelling tale). And even if you haven't logged considerable time in the country, you likely already know that it's notorious for cold, wet weather. So should it come as any surprise that a distinctly Scottish overcoat is particularly well suited to the worst months of the year? It shouldn't, and doesn't. But it's still nice to be able to relay the history over a pint at the pub, should you ever find yourself in that position.
Shop Now $1,198, toddsnyder.com
The fit is pitch perfect
There was a time, not all that long ago, when men's magazines—this one included—preached the idea that an overcoat should fit slim and end around the middle of your thigh. The idea was to cut a cleaner line, to feel more modern. The look was acceptable. The protection against the winter wind, sleet, rain, and snow? Not so much. Todd Snyder's Balmacaan does not fit slim, and it does not end around the middle of your thigh. It's loose, generous, cut for considerable layering underneath. It's long, too. I'm just about six feet tall, and the one I've been wearing to make sure this edition of The Investment is truly up to snuff—it is—hits just below the knee. For folks who have been cramming their sweaters and hoodies under too-trim topcoats, the fit might feel like a major departure. But for the winter of 2022/2023 and beyond, when sizable outerwear has become a bona fide Thing, not a relic of days past, the fit is perfectly on point. Word to the wise: if you're inclined towards slimmer silhouettes, you may want to order a size down. It'll still hang loose, as it should, but it won't feel quite so cloak-ish.
Shop Now $1,198, toddsnyder.com
About that fabric...
Traditional Balmacaans were cut from rough wool and tweed. A considerable number of them to this day are done up in nigh-indestructible meltons, scratchy herringbones, and the like. While those fabrics do indeed provide impressive protection from Mother Nature's wintertime fury, I find them a bit overpowered for modern life. I am, after all, wearing this coat to go from my apartment to my office, not to stalk about the grounds of my expansive and windswept estate. Todd Snyder opted instead for a donegal tweed that's 87 percent wool and 13 percent cotton. It's nubby and wintry, but it's entirely scratch-free and just a little bit lighter and more breathable than you might expect from looking at it. That means that you will absolutely need a layer underneath if you're braving the wind and cold, but it also means you won't immediately overheat as soon as you step out of the elements. In my book—and hopefully in yours—that's the perfect balance.
Shop Now $1,198, toddsnyder.com
Photography by Timothy Mulcare. Prop styling by John Olson for Halley Resources.
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