Trench Coats, Brown Coats, And Dusters

[white avenger]

Mal Reynolds has his brown coat, Spike has his duster (or trench coat, whatever, and Buffy has a long coat that she wears a couple of times (breaking into the Bronze to rescue Dawn in OMWF) and I keep noticing coats like that more and more frequently in other places, so I just wanted to ask here, where there are far more fashion conscious people than I ever will be, what's the attraction with walking around wearing a coat that looks like a bathrobe? Are they really warmer or protect more fom the elements, or is it just they're more "cool than a normal length coat or jacket?

 

[PassionBecoming]

First of all, I have always wondered what the fixation of Whedon's wardrobe departments is all about with these coats. Sure, they look all cool and billowy, but I would imagine when engaging in fisticuffs having a bunch of fabric flapping around you would be a hindrance. But maybe not. *shrug*

Personally, I like the look but I'm not sure it's necessarily "functional" for most places. Now, around where I live where it's normal to have temps drop in to the -40*F range in the winter, most people tend to buy winter jackets that cover their bums. I do have a couple of lighter winter dressy coats that go down to my knees. They look cute with boots and provide more protection from the elements. That's about it for me!

 

[Blaze]

Ya, living somewhere where it drops to -40F/C, a lot of people buy coats that at least cover their bums, and sometimes that go down to the knees. Also, might not look like it but a Canadian trench coat is usually really warm (usually not the ones made in leather though). If you buy a good quality one (they are really expensive), you'll have no problem with the winter weather, and they last forever. My brother had a duster all throughout highshcool that he wore.

Mostly though, dusters are worn a lot by cowboys, they're made so that you can ride with them while they still cover you up, so they're pretty useful in the winter. Nowadays though, I think the majority of them are sold to people that do not ride.

 

[white avenger]

I forgot Duncan Macleod and his colleagues who use long coats in order to conceal their swords. Personally, I leave my sword at home and depend on the ol' .45 for such occasions.

 

[Robb Stark]

I think it's done for effect more than anything.

Mal Reynolds really is a cowboy in the show, albeit in space, so attiring him in clothing that accentuates that look is only natural. All the planets he and his team visit tend to be old-west type cultures, so it seems to fit.

In the Buffyverse, I think, and this is purely a guess, that they wanted a really specific and defining look for Spike, and the trench coat became a big part of that. Personally, while I really do identify that specific coat with Spike, the only character on either show I think that it really succeeds in making the character look cooler is Angel.

 

[OFAWB]

Long coats can look really nice and have a royal, "cape-like" air about them, especially if they're made of leather and they're cut properly. They can make a person look taller and more imposing, too.

Also, they're warmer. When it's 10 degrees Fahrenheit outside, your legs will get mighty cold if the only thing standing between them and the iciness is a thin layer of denim (jeans, in other words). I am a collector of coats and jackets, and my warmest outerwear is a wool coat issued by the Belgian military in the 1950s. It's a full-length coat, so I will wear it on those 10-degree days to ensure that my legs don't freeze and snap off. My late grandfather's WWII-era American Army coat is similar, and it's also very warm for the reason that it's so long.

Sunnydale doesn't get very cold, though, so I'll have to go with the fashion explanation.

 

[VisionGirl]

[MENTION=6758]white avenger[/MENTION], are you purposefully forgetting Angel and his coat? 😉

 

[white avenger]

[MENTION=6758]white avenger[/MENTION], are you purposefully forgetting Angel and his coat? 😉

No, I hadn't forgotten Angel. I've come close a few times, but he just keeps popping up.

Seriously, though, there were several other characters who, at one time or another, wore a long coat of some description, including Angel, Giles, and even Clem. They practically abound in the Whedonverse.

 

[fitz1980]

Those shows were produced around the same time as The Matrix films, Blade, Face Off, Escape From LA and several other flicks that featured trench coat wearing action heroes. It's just an iconic look.

I agree that a trench coat has a great badass cape-like quality to it. Even on somebody like Giles, who is more brains than brawn his style of coat evokes classic heroes like Sam Spade or Sherlock Holmes who used their minds rather than automatic weapons to beat the bad guys.

It can get a bit silly when the male character is wearing a trench coat while the females have a miniskirt and tank top. One show that didn't do that was The X-Files. Mulder & Scully both wore long coats; of course they were filming in Vancouver.

 

[neodragon]

It's not just Whedon. It's a trope all through media: look up "tvtropes" then look up "badass longcoat". I'd post a link, but apparently I'm not allowed to yet.