Billy Reid Bond Peacoat
glennoft
Posts: 4MI6 Agent
Hi Guys,
I'm wondering can the good people of ajb007 help me! So I'm looking to buy the Billy Reid Bond Pea coat in Black. I live in Ireland so I have to buy it online from Billyreid.com. Basically my problem is I don't know what size to buy! I'm normally a large in most jackets and my suit jacket is a 44R in US suit jacket sizes. As you know the coat itself is not cheap so I want to try and be as accurate as possible when I make my purchase. I guess what I'm asking is there anyone in Ireland or the UK (London preferably) who has a billy Reid bond pea coat in size large I could meet up with and try on for a brief minute. I know its kind of a strange request but I cant think of any other option really? But I'm open to suggestions. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers
Fran
I'm wondering can the good people of ajb007 help me! So I'm looking to buy the Billy Reid Bond Pea coat in Black. I live in Ireland so I have to buy it online from Billyreid.com. Basically my problem is I don't know what size to buy! I'm normally a large in most jackets and my suit jacket is a 44R in US suit jacket sizes. As you know the coat itself is not cheap so I want to try and be as accurate as possible when I make my purchase. I guess what I'm asking is there anyone in Ireland or the UK (London preferably) who has a billy Reid bond pea coat in size large I could meet up with and try on for a brief minute. I know its kind of a strange request but I cant think of any other option really? But I'm open to suggestions. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers
Fran
Comments
I can't help you with the try on since I live in the States. But I am also a 44R and I own a large Billy Reid Bond Peacoat. It definitely fits but with very little room to spare. I can't layer much underneath it at all. For comfort sake, I should probably have gone with the extra large. But I have decided to live with the large. It makes me look slim at least.
If you can try one on, you should do so.
Cheers for that! Yeah that would be my preference to try on a coat and hopefully that happens! Can I ask for the Large, is it a snug fit? id probably only be wearing a t-shirt underneath anyway!
Cheers
Fran
Just double checking you realise Bonds is Navy?
Sure you already know that and are after the black but thought would mention before you order just incase!!
I did already know that yeah but I think I'm gonna go with the black version though. Thanks for the heads up anyway!
Cheers
Fran
Don't really blame you. I went for the charcoal a couple seasons back.
If not let me know. May have mine I never used (bought used Navy from fellow AJBer in the end - though I did try on in Bloomingdales in NY when I was there)
Good luck
Cheers :007)
Newer coats' trim looks like a medium to dark brown aniline "pull-up" style leather. I tried explaining this to the BR rep on the phone, and he insisted that Bond peacoats still feature the original leather still shown in BR's photos. But I digress.
While we Bond fans may balk at the revision, I'd be willing to bet that the newer trim lasts longer strictly due to the manufacturing process which "stuffs' the leather with oils and waxes versus coating it with paint or pigment.
OP, I wear a size 42 blazer and the peacoat's Large is my size. I can wear a Medium (I exchanged mine) for an extremely tailored appearance, but it's noticeably more movement and layering restrictive. It's already a slim fit coat with no liner and high arm holes, so focus on the ease of donning/doffing/movement and not having the coat's structured shoulders look like they're starting to create "wings" if protruding past your shoulders. Finally, there's a really good chance you'll need the sleeves tailored as they run long. Hope this helps. -{
However, what I do know is, that the finer the material is, the harder it is affected by daily wear. While it feels nicer (not to wear added polyester), after a while, I started to deliberately look for polyester (not more than 20%) for something I expect to wear a lot, since from my experience they can take it.
Maybe Matt S could add some expertise into this matter...
Finer materials are indeed less durable. I have various coats in pure wool and coats in a wool and nylon (but not polyester, they aren't the same) blend. A wool and nylon blend coat I had over a decade ago wore out faster than any of my higher quality wool coats. This is because wool itself varies considerably, and not all wool will feel nicer than a wool/nylon blend. I have a pea coat from the 1940s that is pure wool, and I'm sure it would hold up better than the wool/nylon blend Billy Reid uses. This is because the wool is heavy and less fine. The Billy Reid pea coat is actually softer than my 100% wool pea coat. This is the same reason why a 100% wool carpet can last a lifetime. A rough wool won't feel nice, but it will sure be durable. Adding nylon to a fine wool still won't be as durable as using a heartier wool in the first place.
So in Billy Reid's case, you get a fine wool with the added durability and lower cost of nylon. I'd prefer a less fine and heavier pure wool for even better durability and sacrifice the hand.
Speaking about these longevity issue... How would you compare the Royale one to the BR? If I am not keen on branding and SA, is it worth paying the extra ?