The Naval Reefer Jacket: Why the Peacoat Never Goes Out of Style

October 13, 2026

The double-breasted naval jacket is one of the oldest shapes in men's clothing that people still wear every day. Sailors wore versions of it on deck long before anyone thought of it as fashion. Now it turns up on high streets, in film costume departments and at weddings.

Reefer, peacoat or blazer?

Three names cover overlapping things:

Reefer jacket. The traditional name for the short, double-breasted naval jacket. The name is usually linked to "reefing", the job of taking in a sail, which needed a short jacket that did not catch in the rigging.
Peacoat. The heavier, longer wool version. The word is most likely from the Dutch for a coarse woollen cloth.
Naval blazer. A tailored, lighter double-breasted jacket with naval buttons, worn as dress uniform and copied for civilian wear.

Why double-breasted?

A double-breasted front overlaps across the chest, giving two layers of wool where the wind hits hardest. On some designs it can be buttoned across either way, so a sailor could close it with the wind at his back.

The buttons

Anchor buttons are what make a jacket look naval. Plain buttons on a double-breasted jacket look like a business suit; anchor buttons make it look like it belongs on a ship. That is also why a set of naval dress buttons is one of the simplest upgrades for a plain blazer.

Genuine issue or naval-style?

We carry both:

Genuine Royal Navy double-breasted dress jackets, such as the RN Class I & III jacket and the women's WRNS No1B. These are the real thing, sized in centimetres, and popular with re-enactors, costume departments and anyone wanting authentic cloth.
Naval-style jackets, such as the vintage-style peacoat and the anchor-button blazer, made new for everyday wear.

How to wear one now

Peacoat: over a jumper and jeans in winter. Collar up, and it is as warm as most modern coats.
Naval blazer: with a white shirt and chinos or jeans. With a navy beret it becomes fancy dress; without one it is just a smart jacket.
Genuine dress jacket: for themed events, weddings with a naval theme, or re-enactment.

Fit

Double-breasted jackets look best fitted. Too big and the overlap swamps you. Check the chest measurement in the listing, and remember that genuine Royal Navy sizes are in centimetres: chest, then height.