SCOTTEVEST Women’s Trench Review

You see that big ol’ grin on my face? Simply put, it’s because I’ve finally found the perfect trench coat!

When done correctly, a woman’s trench coat is the perfect jacket. A trench keeps its wearer warm, but it isn’t too heavy; trench coats are belted, so the woman wearing one gains an instant hourglass figure — whether she has one or not! The right trench coat can add instant sophistication to even the most basic outfit; but best of all, a well-cut trench coat can hide a multitude of figure flaws while taking an outfit from day to night. Scott Jordan let us know last October that SCOTTEVEST would be coming out with a women’s trench coat, and the idea of a trench done SeV-style was enough to keep me from ordering elsewhere.

Scott shipped me one of the first SeV Women’s Trench Coats to be tried by anyone outside of his office while I was at CES; the SeV trench is available in black, blue, mud (dark khaki) and the red I received. Dan and Francis were with me at the Cosmopolitan Hotel’s business office when I opened the package; Dan caught the unwrapping on video …

After trying it on, the red SeV trench was the only jacket I wore at CES. That the trench was able to replace a jacket with an embroidered Gear Diary logo on it at a place where name recognition is so important should give you an idea of how much I liked it. But the fact that the same red trench has since become my jacket of choice when I need to look nice while staying warm, that should indicate its status as a personal wardrobe staple more than anything.

Francis, Dan and me headed to a CES party.

There are so many variations of trench coats available out there in every price range and from so many designers; I was pleased to see that SeV did not price themselves out of reach, nor did they mess up the classic trench design elements: There are epaulets on the shoulders, double rows of black plastic buttons on the front, adjustable belts with metal hardware at the wrists, and only four pockets immediately evident on the coat’s exterior. The exterior fabric is thick enough that it doesn’t look lumpy lying over layers of clothing, and the belt is long enough that it can be smartly tied into an overhand knot.

But as with all SCOTTEVEST garments, there is much more to this trench than first meets the eye. Under its 100% polyester water and stain-resistant exterior lies an extensive network of pockets, cable management pathways, and other conveniences. The coat is set up so that you can carry everything you need without using a handbag, and that is a very welcome feature when you are traveling or dashing about while running errands. And look, just because there are 18 pockets doesn’t mean that you have to fill them all or go around carrying enough gear to support a gadget convention (as the X-Ray photo below seems to imply); the large number of pockets to choose from simply means that you can put your gear into the pocket placement that most suits your needs.

The interior of the trench is lightly lined in a silky 100% polyester fabric that doesn’t grab onto clothing; I can insert long-sleeved shirts or sweaters into the trench’s roomy lined sleeves without worrying about garments bunching back up — one of my peeves. ID, pen, device, and stash pockets line each side, and all are neatly kept closed with velcro tabs or zippers, and most have neat little fabric tags showing pictorial suggestions of the devices or items SeV designers had in mind when creating the pockets.

The earphone CollarConnect system and loops are present so that you can thread your favorite pair and keep them handy. The eyeglass cleaning cloth on an elastic cable, a feature that I like so much and look for in every new SeV garment, is tucked into one of the vertical zippered interior breast pockets.

I like that SeV didn’t put one of those big flappy vents in the middle of the trench coat’s back; instead, there are fitted seams above the waist, similar to what you would see on your favorite jean jacket. The bottom of the coat flares into a flattering A-line from the wearer’s waist when the belt is tied.

After returning from CES, I machine-washed the trench coat in cold water and hung it to dry; I was thoroughly impressed that the coat dried virtually wrinkle-free. Perhaps the most noticeable result of the washing was that afterward, the coat’s exterior seemed softer, which was not a bad thing.

I wore this coat all over CES; during the day it tied my outfit together and helped me look professional, but at night the coat kept me warm and looking sharp. January in Las Vegas usually means a variety of temperatures from a high in the low 60s during the day to the bone-chilling 30s at night. Add a bit of wind, and it can all seem even colder. Many times it is impractical to go back to your hotel when there are meetings all day and parties to attend at night. With a scarf around my neck and a long sleeve shirt on, the trench cut the biting wind and kept me warm when I was waiting in cab queues, but it wasn’t so heavy that I ever felt it was too much while indoors.

Perhaps the trench coat’s most impressive feature is that it is a constant compliment-catcher. I have received more positive comments when wearing it than on any jacket I have ever owned. So keep that in mind; you can expect to be noticed when you wear it … which is why I have put in a request for a black SeV women’s trench coat. I leave for Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain on Saturday, and I don’t want to stand out quite as much while there.

Because Helena (my Mobile World Congress traveling partner) and I will have to change hotels after our first night in Barcelona, I am really putting a lot of thought into the gear and clothing I plan on bringing. I don’t want to be overloaded with extra bags full of clothing or gear I might not even need while getting from the airport to hotel, and I can just picture the two of us struggling to move multiple suitcases down the street from one hotel to the next at some odd time in between meetings and evening’s activities; no thanks! Could anything else scream “ROB ME!!” more effectively?

Due to the trench coat’s many NoBulge pockets and its weight management system which keeps the coat’s pockets from unsightly dragging when holding items, I think I’ll be able to bring everything I need for MWC distributed between my large rolling carry-on bag, my back Epi Louis Vuitton Lussac laptop bag, and the SCOTTEVEST Women’s Trench. As an added bonus, exploring Barcelona will be worry-free because I won’t need to carry my purse at all — my identification papers, credit cards, cash, and my mobile phone will be inside a selection of the trench coat’s interior zippered pockets, secured safely away from a pickpocket’s fingers or bag-snatcher’s grasp.

In 2002 I reviewed the v2.5w Vest, SCOTTEVEST’s first women’s garment. Oh, go ahead and look because the review is fun to read — especially now, nine years later! So much has changed since then — beyond just the length of my hair, my last name, or the gear I carry daily. Well a lot has changed with the exception of Louis Vuitton bags and the Delta Dolcevita stylus mentioned; I still carry both of those! It’s fun to think about the evolution of SeV’s women’s garments. No longer does the women’s line consist of just one feminized version of a menswear product; SCOTTEVEST now has a fantastic selection of women’s jackets and vests, and there is something that will work in any weather and with every body type. Vive la différence since 2002 … for both SeV and me! 🙂

The SCOTTEVEST Women’s Trench is available directly from SeV; it comes in red, black, blue and mud, and it comes in womens’ sizes XS to XXXL.

MSRP: $130

What I Like: Machine washable; includes all of the SeV pockets and features we’ve come to expect; the trench has a flattering cut that will hide a multitude of figure flaws; the trench coat dresses up day wear and helps transition it into the evening; the trench coat is available in four great colors that will work with many outfits; the trench coat is the most feminine SeV garment to date, and I love it!

What Needs Improvement: Nothing … this jacket is the perfect marriage of form and function!