Construction
Half canvas standard
Measured
Fifteen points
Fittings
At least one
Cloth
Chosen by weight
Wool Overcoat, Chiang Mai: a wool overcoat in a dense melton or coating cloth of 400 grams or more blocks wind, sheds light rain and holds its shape for decades. Wool is the more practical overcoat fibre than cashmere: less soft, considerably more durable, more weather-resistant and much less expensive for the same warmth.
Wool Overcoat, Chiang Mai: the practical overcoat
If you are buying one overcoat and you want it to work, buy wool.
Cashmere is softer and it is genuinely lovely. Wool is the coat you will still be wearing in fifteen years, because it survives being carried on a shoulder, crushed into an overhead locker, rained on and brushed off.
The specific quality that matters is density. A heavily milled woollen cloth has been felted until the individual yarns are no longer distinguishable, closing the structure. That closed surface is what stops wind passing through and what makes water bead and roll rather than soak.
Weight
This is the number to ask about, and it should be high.
- 350 to 400 g — a topcoat. Fine for mild weather, not a winter coat.
- 400 to 550 g — a proper winter overcoat. The right range for most people.
- 550 to 700 g — heavy, traditional, extremely warm. Superb in genuinely cold climates and a lot of coat to carry.
A coat that feels light in the shop will feel inadequate in February. Weight is not a flaw here, it is the specification.
Cloth options
Melton is the classic: densely felted, matte, no visible weave, excellent wind resistance.
Covert cloth is a tightly woven twill, slightly lighter, more formal, traditionally with rows of stitching at the hem and cuffs.
Herringbone coating gives visible pattern and texture and reads slightly less formal.
Wool-cashmere blends add softness while keeping most of wool’s durability, which is a sensible middle if you want a coat that feels good against the neck.
Colour
Charcoal and navy are the most useful. Both work over a suit, both work over casual clothing, and both hide wear well.
Camel is beautiful and considerably more of a statement, and it shows marks. A good second coat rather than a first.
Fitting it properly
Everything on the overcoats page about fitting over the layer beneath applies, and applies most strictly to a heavy wool coat, because there is no stretch in dense melton at all. A coat that is marginally tight over a jacket in the fitting room will be genuinely restrictive in use.
Bring the jacket. If you cannot, say exactly what the coat has to close over.
Next step
Walk in, or send your dates and we will tell you honestly what fits in the time you have.
Fabric
Cloth that suits it
Weight decides whether you will actually wear it. Ask for grams, not a Super number.
Wool melton
Dense and felted, so it blocks wind and sheds light rain. The practical choice.400–550 g
Cashmere blend
Soft where it touches your neck, with wool doing the structural work.10–30% cashmere
Explore
Related
Custom overcoats
Tailored overcoats made to measure in Chiang Mai in wool and cashmere. Built here, worn somewhere colder. Length, closure and lining chosen by you.
Cashmere overcoats
Custom cashmere overcoats made in Chiang Mai. Warmer for its weight than wool, softer against the neck, and considerably more delicate.
Wool
Why wool is the default suiting fibre: how it breathes, why it recovers from creasing, and which weights work in a hot climate.
Common questions
What is melton cloth?
A heavily milled and felted woollen cloth with a dense, slightly fuzzy surface and no visible weave. The felting closes the structure, which is what makes it wind-resistant and water-repellent. It is the traditional overcoat cloth and still the most practical.
How heavy should a wool overcoat be?
For a genuine winter coat, 400 to 700 grams per metre. Lighter than about 350 grams and it becomes a topcoat for mild weather rather than a winter garment. The weight is doing the work, so a light overcoat is a contradiction.
Is a wool overcoat waterproof?
Water-resistant rather than waterproof. Densely felted wool sheds light rain and can be shaken dry, and wool stays warm when damp, which synthetics and cotton do not. In sustained heavy rain you will get wet.
How do you care for a wool overcoat?
Brush it after wearing, hang it on a wide wooden hanger, and let it dry fully before putting it away. Dry clean rarely, once or twice a season at most, since dry cleaning is harder on wool than brushing and airing.
Next step
Book a fitting
Walk in, or tell us when you are in Chiang Mai and we will hold a slot. First fittings take about 45 minutes.