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

greatcoat A greatcoat (also watchcoat) is a large, woollen overcoat designed for warmth and protection against wind and weather, and features a collar that can be turned up and cuffs that can be turned down to protect the face and the hands, while the Cap ...

s worn by

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

officers in the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. 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 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British statesman, military officer, and writer who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 (Winston Churchill in the Second World War, ...

.''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 wi ...

-coloured, has

peak lapel A lapel ( ) is a folded flap of cloth on the front of a jacket or coat below the collar. It is most commonly found on formal clothing and suit jackets. Usually it is formed by folding over the front edge of the jacket or coat and sewing it to th ...

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 scale ...

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

References

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