Duffle Coat

A duffle coat, or more correctly duffel coat, is a coat made from duffel, a coarse, thick, woollen material. The name derives from Duffel, a town in the province of Antwerp in Belgium where the material originates. Duffle bags were originally made from the same material.

There are many varying styles to the duffel coat, although the original British style would be composed of the following features:

• Made of genuine double weave Duffel, lined with a woolly tartan pattern, or self-coloured on the wartime version.
• A buttonable neck strap
• Three, or later, four front wooden or horn toggle-fastenings (known as "walrus teeth") with rope or leather loops to attach them to.
• Two large outside patch pockets, with covering flaps on post-war versions.
• Originally knee length, shorter on later versions.
• Bucket hood with press stud adjustment, a neater 'pancake' hood on later versions.

The wooden toggle-fastenings were made to be easily fastened and unfastened while wearing gloves in cold weather at sea. Current designs have toggles made of buffalo horn, wood or plastic. The oversized hood offered enough room to wear over a Naval cap. After rain, a duffle coat has a characteristic smoky smell.