During the two World Wars, soldiers from both Allied and Axis were also fighting the wet and cold weather in the European parts of the wars. To protect themselves from the rain, wind, and other harsh elements, they developed an overcoat called a trench coat. This was a lighter alternative to the heavy greatcoats that were worn during World War 1. Aside from acting as windbreakers, trench coats were also used as military uniforms for high-ranking officers. After World War 2, the trench coat became fashionable. Its original role as an army officer’s uniform gave the garment a formal, businesslike respectability. Many writers also incorporated the trench coat as a uniform to their characters such as Dick Tracy, The Phantom, and Jack Harkness. Then in the 1960s, it became a fashionable item for the modernist subculture and, at the same time, an alternative to the fishtail parka. Today, trench coats continue to be popular in wetter and colder parts of the world and they remain fashionable and functional.