Gloverall's women's Heritage range has four duffle coats and one duffle jacket, and every one is made in England at our factory outside London. Choosing between them comes down to three questions. Do you want boiled wool or tartan-lined Melton? Do you want an oversized or a slim fit? And how long do you want the coat, from knee length to cropped? The five styles are the Women's Original Monty Duffle Coat, the Women's Freda Duffle Coat, the Women's Freda Long Slim Fit Duffle Coat, the Women's Freda Short Slim Fit Duffle Coat and the Women's Shelley Cropped Duffle Jacket.
If you already know what you want, the whole range is in our women's duffle coats collection. If not, start with the table.
The women's duffle coats compared
| Style | Length | Fit | Cloth | Toggles | Choose it if |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Original Monty | Knee length, average 97.5 cm | Oversized | Boiled wool (90% wool) | Wooden toggles, jute rope | You want the classic duffle coat in solid colours |
| Freda | Knee length, 92 to 108 cm by size | Oversized | Double-faced Melton, tartan lining (80% wool), 960 g/lm | Buffalo horn, leather loops | You want a roomy coat with tartan at the hood |
| Freda Long Slim Fit | Knee length, average 96 cm | Slim | Double-faced Melton, tartan lining (80% wool), 960 g/lm | Buffalo horn, leather loops | You want a tailored, knee-length line |
| Freda Short Slim Fit | Upper thigh, 75 to 83 cm by size | Slim | Double-faced Melton, tartan lining (80% wool), 960 g/lm | Buffalo horn, leather loops | You want the most versatile everyday length |
| Shelley Cropped Jacket | Cropped, around 50 to 55 cm | Regular | Plain face, tonal check reverse (80% wool) | Wooden toggles, jute rope | You want a duffle jacket rather than a coat |
Lengths come from our garment measurements. Each product page has the measurement for every size.
Monty or Freda: the real difference
- Cloth. The Monty is boiled wool, a dense, felted cloth, in solid colours such as Camel, Navy, Black and Pine Green. The three Freda coats are cut from a heavier double-faced Melton wool, a closely woven, smooth-faced cloth: plain on the outside, with a tartan lining that shows at the hood and when the coat is open. Colourways include Navy Black Watch, Camel Buchanan and Red Thomson.
- Hardware. The Monty has wooden toggles on jute rope, the original naval pattern. The Fredas have buffalo horn toggles on leather loops, a smarter finish.
- Sizing. The Monty is sized XS to 2XL. The Fredas are sized in UK dress sizes, 6 to 22 on the Freda and Freda Short Slim Fit, and 6 to 20 on the Freda Long Slim Fit.
In short, choose the Monty for the classic boiled wool duffle coat in a solid colour. Choose a Freda for tartan-lined Melton, horn toggles and a choice of fits.
Choosing between the three Fredas
All three Fredas share the same cloth and hardware. What changes is the fit and the length.
- Freda: oversized and knee length, with a fixed shoulder cape, a detachable throat tab and a button-adjusted hood. It has the most room to layer.
- Freda Long Slim Fit: the same knee length, cut slim through the body. Choose it if oversized coats feel too big on your frame.
- Freda Short Slim Fit: slim and shorter, finishing at the upper thigh. It works over the widest range of outfits.
The five styles in detail
Women's Original Monty Duffle Coat
The Women's Original Monty is the classic duffle coat, named after Field Marshal Montgomery. It has an oversized fit, an average length of 97.5 cm, wooden toggles and jute rope, a fixed shoulder cape, a fixed throat tab and large pockets. The cloth is boiled wool (90% wool). It comes in eight solid colours. Best for: the traditional silhouette and room for a heavy knit.
Women's Freda Duffle Coat
The Freda takes its name from the Gloverall founding family. It is oversized and knee length, in double-faced Melton wool with a tartan lining. It has buffalo horn toggles, leather loops, a fixed shoulder cape, a detachable throat tab and a pancake hood. It comes in nine colourways. Best for: a generous, warm coat with visible tartan.
Women's Freda Long Slim Fit Duffle Coat
The Freda Long Slim Fit keeps the Freda cloth and hardware at knee length, with an average of 96 cm, and is cut slim through the body. It suits smart-casual wear and slimmer layers underneath. It comes in nine colourways. Best for: a tailored knee-length line.
Women's Freda Short Slim Fit Duffle Coat
The Freda Short Slim Fit is the shortest of the coats, at 75 to 83 cm depending on size. It is slim cut and has a fixed shoulder cape and a detachable throat tab. It comes in eight colourways. Best for: everyday wear over jeans, skirts and trousers alike.
Women's Shelley Cropped Duffle Jacket
The Shelley is a duffle jacket, cropped to around 50 to 55 cm, in a regular fit. It has wooden toggles, jute rope, slanted patch pockets, a fixed throat tab, a fixed shoulder cape and acetate-lined sleeves. The cloth is plain on the face with a tonal check reverse. It comes in four colours. Best for: the shortest silhouette and milder days. Read the story behind the Shelley.
How a women's duffle coat should fit
Worn over a mid-weight knit, the coat should feel easy, with no pulling across the back. The Original Monty and the Freda are cut oversized, so most women take their usual size. The two slim-fit Fredas are closer to the body, so if you layer heavily, check the chest measurement on the product page first. Full measurements for every size are on each product page, and our size guide explains how to measure. For outfit ideas, see our women's duffle coat styling guide.
What makes a well-made duffle coat
If you are comparing coats from other makers too, check four things. First, the cloth: a heavy, dense wool, with its weight and composition stated. Second, the toggles: wood or horn, on rope or leather, not plastic. Third, the hood: wide and structured enough to stay up. Fourth, the origin: a plain statement of where the coat was made, not only where it was designed. Our article on which duffle coats are still made in England explains how to read the label.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the Women's Monty and the Freda duffle coat?
The Monty is a boiled wool coat in solid colours, with wooden toggles and jute rope. The Freda is cut from a heavier double-faced Melton wool with a tartan lining, and has buffalo horn toggles and leather loops. Both are oversized and knee length, and both are made in England.
What is the difference between the Freda Long Slim Fit and the Freda Short Slim Fit?
Length. Both are slim cut in the same tartan-lined Melton with horn toggles. The Long Slim Fit is knee length, averaging 96 cm. The Short Slim Fit finishes at the upper thigh, at 75 to 83 cm depending on size.
Is the Freda oversized or slim?
The Freda itself is cut oversized. If you want the Freda cloth in a closer fit, choose the Freda Long Slim Fit or the Freda Short Slim Fit.
Is the Monty boiled wool or Melton?
The Women's Original Monty is boiled wool: wool felted with heat, moisture and movement into a dense cloth that sheds light rain. The three Freda coats are double-faced Melton wool: a closely woven, smooth-faced cloth, heavier at 960 g/lm, with a tartan lining.
Is the Shelley a duffle coat?
The Shelley is a duffle jacket. It has the toggles, rope fastenings and shoulder cape of a duffle coat, cropped to around 50 to 55 cm. It is the shortest style in the women's Heritage range.
Are all Gloverall women's duffle coats made in England?
All five Heritage styles in this guide are made in England at our factory outside London. The style-by-style origin record is on our Made in England page.
