The pea coat or pea jacket brings to mind a picture of a sailor on the docks, and rightfully so, since the pea coat was by origin worn by sailors and merchants of European navies. Navy Pea coats are normally short, heavy topcoats that are made from wool and navy blue in color. They are characterized by a set of eight anchor-inscribed buttons or eight large wooden buttons on the front. One column of buttons are only for decorative purposes. Pea coats have broad lapels and vertical or slash pockets. The broad lapels were often pulled up around the sailor's neck to keep them warm when the winds and water were whipping around on deck. The wide overlap of fabric of the double-breasted pea coat puts extra layers of fabric at the opening to help retain body heat.

The name "pea coat" comes from either the Dutch or Frisian word "pijjjakker" or "pijjecker", which "pij" refers to the type of coarse cloth that the jackets were made from. They were typically made from 30-ounce wool, which made them very warm. Beginning in the eighteenth century, the terms pea coat or pea jacket were used to describe this style of overcoat. By the nineteenth century, some referred to them as pilot coats. The United States Navy began to use these wool overcoats early in the twentieth century. The pea coat goes by several other names as well. In Britain, it is known as a reefer jacket and has been worn by members of the Royal Navy. In the Belgian Navy, the pea jacket is known as a pilot jacket.

No matter what you call it, it is a classic and popular style of jacket worn by anyone nowadays, not just sailors or those associated with the seaside. Now made from 22-ounce to 32-ounce wool, they are still guaranteed for warmth. The colors available for women today not only include the traditional navy blue, but also colors such as red, dark brown, olive, loden (grayish-green), and camel. Women's pea coats come with six anchor style buttons, rather than the customary eight buttons. They are typically short in length. Men's pea coats comes with the classic number of eight anchor style buttons and is short in length. A longer version, fashioned after the coats that the chief petty naval officers and officers would have worn, the double-breasted bridge coat resembles the pea coat, but reaches down halfway to the thighs. The bridge coat typically comes in the traditional navy blue wool, but rather than the anchor-inscribed buttons, it features gold naval insignia buttons. In addition, the bridge coat includes epaulets, a half belt in the back and a deep center vent. For those who would enjoy owning an authentic pea coat worn previously by a sailor, those can sometimes be found in navy surplus stores. Authentic navy peacoats would have the name of the sailor stenciled inside.

Most of the pea coats you see today are not authentic, but the current fashions have kept the original style of the pea coat intact while keeping alive the nostalgia associated with sailors and the sea.