Why is there no shoulder seam on some vintage Burberry trench coats?

Try on a vintage Burberry trench and run a finger along the epaulette to check where the shoulder sits. On some coats, you reach the tip of your shoulder without finding the usual seam where the sleeve joins the body. Look back towards the collar. If the seam runs diagonally from the neckline towards the underarm, you’re looking at a raglan sleeve. The sleeve panel reaches right up to the neck, so the cloth follows the curve of your shoulder.

It’s a detail that speaks to Burberry’s roots in rainwear. When the house describes the Waterloo, a style inspired by its early trenches, it singles out the long cut and raglan sleeves for ease of movement. That combination has a visual appeal, too. Belt the coat and the waist takes shape while the shoulder stays relaxed. Wear it open over a jumper and the cloth follows the slope of your shoulder.

If you love a trench that looks sharp at the waist and relaxed through the shoulders, the raglan sleeve is a vintage Burberry detail worth seeking out.

When browsing these pieces at BBR Vintage, measure a favourite coat from the side of the neckline to the cuff. Compare that with Side Neck to Cuff on the product page to get a sense of where the vintage coat’s cuff will sit.