There are garments that never disappear completely, and this is one of them. Each season it returns in different versions — more classic, oversized, short, or printed — but it always retains certain details. One of them is that small strip of fabric with a button that appears on the shoulders and that we have seen a thousand times without really knowing what it’s for.
Although today it is part of the garment’s aesthetics, it wasn’t originally there by design. In fact, like many elements of contemporary fashion, it was born for a completely practical reason. We have become so used to seeing those shoulder loops on trench coats that they almost seem an obligatory detail of the classic trench, though few people really know what their use was. And that is precisely what is interesting: many of the most iconic garments in today’s wardrobe preserve elements created decades ago to solve concrete needs.
What is curious is that the trench coat is full of such details. There are parts of the trench that seem purely decorative but that, in reality, come directly from its military past. And precisely that is what keeps it having that classic air that never goes out of fashion.
Why the shoulder loops were incorporated
The trench coat has a military origin; it was created for British soldiers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They needed a garment durable, waterproof, and comfortable to withstand bad weather during wars, and from that need emerged the garment that we still wear today.
The trench coat’s shoulder loops
That strip with a button on the shoulder is called a shoulder loop or a “shoulder strap,” and it was used to secure items of the uniform. Soldiers could hook there straps, gloves, small backpacks, or even keep the weapon’s strap fixed so it wouldn’t slip while walking or riding a horse.
With time, the trench coat left the military field and moved into cinema and fashion. Actors, musicians, and models turned it into an elegant and timeless piece, but many of its original elements remained intact, including the loops.
What is curious is that today almost no one uses that part of the garment for its real function. However, it stays there because it helps preserve the trench coat’s classic essence. It is one of those details that automatically make a trench look “authentic.” And note, it’s perfect for hooking the bag handle to prevent it from slipping as we walk.
In the case of the trench coat, that blend of utility and elegance is precisely what has kept it relevant for decades. So the next time you see that small button on the shoulder of a trench coat, remember that it is not there by chance. It is a detail inherited from the military uniform that, without intending to, ended up becoming one of the most recognizable traits of classic fashion.
