Sweatshirts

The Pea Coat was adopted by many European navies, especially those of the British and Dutch, and it was eventually issued by the US Navy as early as 1881, becoming standard issue to all enlisted ranks in the early 20th century. The US Navy’s original Pea Coat was fabricated from heavy, 32-ounce melton wool and, up until the late 1930’s, featured black bake-lite buttons displaying an anchor surrounded by 13 stars. The large-sized collar of the coat was designed to block strong ocean winds and the corduroy-lined side pockets helped thwart the numbing effect on hands from the biting winter seas. By the 1940’s, officer’s coats were redesigned and the heavy melton wool was relegated only for the enlisted ranks’ Pea Coats and the 13-star buttons were changed to the fouled-anchor design still employed to this day. The Buzz Rickson Pea Coat is made of 36-ounce melton wool using only military spec details and trimmings of the early 1900's. Made in Japan. $685. Available in store & online here.