A British Warm, British warm or British Warm overcoat is a type of woollen overcoat based on the

greatcoat A greatcoat, also known as a watchcoat, is a large overcoat that is typically made of wool designed for warmth and protection against the weather. Its collar and cuffs can be turned out to protect the face and hands from cold and rain, and the ...

s worn by

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

officers in the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

.''Introducing the British Warm Overcoat''
at www.h-huntsman.com. Retrieved 10 Feb 2015

History

The British Warm first appeared around 1914 as a military greatcoat for British officers. It was made famous, however, by

Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 during the Second World War, and again from ...

.''The British Warm Overcoat''
at britishwarm.com. Retrieved 10 Feb 2015 According to Scottish clothmakers Crombie, the term "British Warm" was coined to describe their version of the coat worn by around 10% of British soldiers and officers. It is currently the only authorised overcoat for serving British Army officers.British Army Dress Regulations (FOI, 2017)
Accessed 9 December 2017.

Characteristics

A British Warm is typically a heavy, double-breasted wool coat made from a 100% wool cloth known as Melton. It is

taupe Taupe ( ) is a dark gray-brown color. The word derives from the French noun ''taupe'' meaning "mole". The name originally referred only to the average color of the French mole, but beginning in the 1940s, its usage expanded to encompass a wide ...

-coloured, has

peak lapel Lapels ( ) are the folded flaps of cloth on the front of a jacket or coat below the collar and are most commonly found on formal clothing and suit jackets. Usually they are formed by folding over the front edges of the jacket or coat and sewing ...

s and leather buttons, often has

epaulette Epaulette (; also spelled epaulet) is a type of ornamental shoulder piece or decoration used as insignia of rank by armed forces and other organizations. Flexible metal epaulettes (usually made from brass) are referred to as ''shoulder scales' ...

s, and is slightly shaped. It falls just above the knee, and is sometimes belted.

References

{{Clothing, state=collapsed Coats (clothing) British military uniforms