Thinking About the Summer Trench

Summertime and the Living’s Hands Free The Age of Transparency

Thinking About the Summer Trench

I really like fall and spring – I get to wear light jackets in the former without needing to take them off or put another one on and during the latter, once the novelty of walking outside sleeves-free wears off, all I really want to do is strike the perfect over-garment balance of cool and appropriate. (If such a balance even exists.) (But also, I use the word “appropriate” very loosely.)

In the past, the closest I have come to this approximation has been via a leather jacket (which has consistently proven itself suffocating and torturous past June) and a utility jacket (recently, the thrill of wearing one has warn off for me if it does not look like a bonafide safari coat, one that either Eliza Thornberry would have worn or another that could call itself the top-half of a cargo-suit). This season, I want to highlight the importance of a summer trench.

Underscored here are three different versions I have accrued in the last, let’s say, year that serve different purposes but not necessarily different functions.

Starting with the slouchy fit, linen-cotton blend Acne jacket, replete with elastic drawstrings and exaggerated sleeve buckles, this trend coat is one I call the Cool Kid Trench. It creates the illusion of coolness though as dissected last week, we know very well is just an illusion.

Paired with it are ivory leather culottes by Adam Lippes, a grey t-shirt by Zimmermann, gladiator sandals by Rebecca Minkoff, two arm scaves by Anna Coroneo and sunglasses by Mykita. If I were to wear this somewhere indoors, I imagine I would not take off the sunglasses and then explain to people that “I’m so cool, I won’t even talk to myself.”

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The yellow silk robe-y trench coat, which hits close to my ankle, seems to play the role of spectacularly futile which, of course, makes it the most remarkable and indulgent of the group. You absolutely can’t get it wet and if you are to leave sweat rings on it, you best commit to said rings. It’s styled with a striped t-shirt from Zara and white JNCO-style pants by Rosie Assoulin. I’m also wearing a barrette in my hair which makes me feel ten years younger. It’s by Ana Khouri.

I might show up at your doorstep wearing nothing but the trench later.

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Just kidding.

And finally, iteration numero tres features a trench coat that you can and should actually wear on a day like today when the sky is projectile vomiting water. It is very lightweight so I imagine it was intended precisely for the purposes outlined in this post (e.g. comfortably wearing a summer jacket). It’s paired with an old Proenza Schouler t-shirt you can probably find on Yoox or The Real Real and vintage Levi’s jeans. The mules are Chloe and make me feel like I am quinceanara bound.