In the early 18th century, European seafarers wore double-breasted coats that closed with buttons in different directions when the wind changed to better protect against cold winds.
The double-breasted coat, called peacoat, comes from the Dutch word "Pijjekker", where "Pij" is a kind of tweed cloth, and "Jekker" is the jacket.
The double-breasted front placket is very warm, and the large lapel can be erect to resist the cold wind effectively. For the crew, there is no reason not to love this functional clothing, from one port to another, also influenced more and more European fleets. Later, the Royal Navy adopted the double-breasted peacoat as a uniform for sailors, establishing its standard image as a navy.
Adopted by the U.S. Navy in 1881, it remained in service until 2018.