Autumn's most useful dress coat may be the covert, a topcoat that's named for a cloth that's named for a thicket where game birds may shelter (as we shall see the brush played a role in the coat's design). I like it because it's city wear that, unlike its relative the chesterfield, is also appropriate in the country.
Covert cloth is a fawn-colored, medium weight (18 ounce) twill-weave fabric that's sturdy and warm. It's principal use is in the eponymous coat, which is supposed to be single-breasted, fly-fronted, and knee length. It is characterized by four rows of stitches on each sleeve cuff and on the bottom hem that were intended as reinforcements to minimize wear that might occur while the wearer was riding through those thickets.
The classic covert coat has two side pockets and an interior game pocket that's just right for the day's newspaper. A brown or green velvet collar is an option for a dressier look and particularly appropriate for men who, like the dandies of old, wear their hair long enough to leave marks on their collars over time. After all, it's easier to replace a bit of velvet than the entire coat when you can't find new collar fabric.
Reasonably authentic ready to wear versions of the covert may be found at London's Cordings for £425.00 including VAT (about $680 ex VAT) or New & Lingwood for £450.00 including VAT (about $720 ex VAT). It's a bit more difficult to locate in the United States - the "covert" shown at New York's Alan Flusser Custom Shop, for example, is undoubtedly a very nice coat but it's definitely not a covert.
