Spotted: Casablanca, The Trench Coat for Spring 2011

In 1942, the world saw for the first time what would become one of the most classic images in film history: Casablanca's final foggy airport sequence featuring Humphrey Bogart wearing a trench coat, collar up, with a snap-brim fedora pulled low. Bogart was dressed by Orry-Kelly in this Academy Award winning film (Best Director, Best Picture, Best Writing Screenplay). Back then, the trench coat was mainly worn as an army officer’s uniform, which gave it the feeling that whoever wore it was worthy of respect. But it was Bogart, with Orry-Kelly's help, who made this coat a classic in the cult film Casablanca, and once again a look was made popular by a trend-setting film. This spring, one of the standout coat trends is the trench coat for both women and men.

Spring 2011 Women's Ready-to-Wear Collections featuring trench coats:

Spring 2011 Menswear Collections featuring trench coats:

So now that the cold and snowy conditions are hopefully over, the trench coat is the go-to lightweight outerwear for spring, perfect as a windbreaker or protection from the upcoming “April showers.” So if you don't already own one, go get yourself a trench coat for this spring, a must for anyone's wardrobe.

Casablanca (1942) Warner Bros. Pictures | Costume Designer, Orry-Kelly | Director, Michael Curtiz.

Runway pictures courtesy of Style.com

© 2011 - 2015, Louise Junker.