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The Ulster Overcoat

Patrick Cooper • Oct 11, 2019

Historically worn in Victorian times with a cape and usually made from tweed, The Ulster has since become synonymous with high-end fashion, still made from tweed but also from luxury cashmere or wool fabrics. 

  • Long and double-breasted. 
A classic Ulster is rather long and double breasted, with two vertical, parallel rows of buttons. Often the ulster comes with a 6×3 or 8×4 button configuration with the buttons placed quite low.

  • Notched lapels. 
Usually a double-breasted garment has peaked lapels. The Ulster, however, has lapels that are notched in a certain way, so they can easily be folded over when the coat is buttoned up all the way. 

  • Contrast stitching. 
For the same reason, an Ulster shows contrast stitching along the edges and cuffs.

  • Patch pockets. 
In order to express the informal country character of the overcoat, the Ulster always has patch pockets.

  • Cuffs. 
You will always see cuffs on a true Ulster.

  • Belt. 
The Ulster is usually cut rather generously and may thus look a little bulky. In order to give the silhouette a little more shape, the Ulster usually has a belted back (“half belt”) with adjustable buttons so the wearer may change the degree of the waist suppression. For comfort and ease of movement, an Ulster also has long pleats in the back. Sometimes, you can also see a belt that goes completely around and buckles in the front—just like a trenchcoat.

  • Tweed. 
A genuine Ulster is made out of tweed, more specifically Donegal Tweed. This heavy tweed—starting at about 22 oz. per yard (about 600 g per meter)—was originally invented in Donegal County in the province of Ulster. It is characterized by its rustic hand-woven look, as well as its multicolored dots.

  • (Optional) Hood/Cape. 
In the 1880’s, Ulster overcoats often had a hood, cape or pelerine. Many people associate the cape as worn by Sherlock Holmes with the Ulster coat. While these overcoats are still Ulster overcoats, a hood or a cape is not essential for an Ulster.


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