His ancient and rumpled trench coat is as well-known as Columbo’s cheap cigar and old Peugeot 403 convertible.

 

This trench coat looked old from the very beginning and was, naturally, getting older, in the course of the series since Columbo was actually wearing the same trench coat in every episode. The shirt and tie that the inspector is wearing in each episode were also the same until 1978, when they were replaced. However, the original trench coat was only replaced in 1992.

 

Columbo wears the wrinkled trench contributes almost every occasion, and there are certainly exceptions, but these can be listed quite easily. With a few exceptions, Columbo is never seen dressed very elegantly. These exceptions are shown in the episodes Forgotten Lady and A Case of Immunity. In Forgotten Lady, he is invited to a film screening and in A Case of Immunity he is a guest in the garden of the embassy during the king’s visit. In both cases, Columbo appears in a suit and wearing a bow tie.

 

In the episode Double Shock, he plays in a TV cooking show, in which the trench coat would not fit very well. So he is wearing a cooking apron - but with a shirt and tie. Rather atypical and unfamiliar to the audience, Columbo appeared in the 1994 episode Murder of a Rock Star wearing a leather jacket during an undercover operations. This is also one of the rare occasions when the inspector is seen with a gun in his hand.

 

In the same episode, Columbo, dressed as mob boss, is dressed in an elegant suit with tie and wearing a hat and a gold ring on her finger. Also completely unfamiliar to the audience is the track suit that Columbo is wearing in An Exercise in Fatality during his investigations in a fitness club. On several occasions, the inspector was also seen in a hospital gown.

 

Disguises are not part of Inspector Columbo's regular requisite. He prefers wearing a suit, shirt and tie - and of course that old, wrinkled trench coat. In one episode, he received a new trench coat from Mrs. Columbo and is trying to forget it somewhere during the entire show. Much to his chagrin, he is always reminded by someone to take his trench coat.

 

 

You may find all episodes of Inspector Columbo here.