The five most-flattering styles of coat to wear this winter
Despite enjoying an Indian summer during the recent fashion weeks, myriad showgoers were keen to exhibit one thing: their winter coat. While street style fashion can often tend towards more impractical trends, the coats on display were a wearable feast of autumn inspiration.
The trench 2.0 feels modern with touches of print, and is heavy-duty enough for winter wear, while a statement red coat is surprisingly versatile, and will eliminating any getting ready angst by giving sombre wardrobes a lift. We’ve narrowed the must haves down to five key styles, with every occasion, temperature and budget covered...
Heritage checks
A tailored checked coat is the ideal accompaniment to a casual jeans and jumper look, and adds a masculine edge to pretty frocks and knee-high boots. The best kind are slim fit, but with roomy sleeves with space for a chunky knit, like this brown checked option from Sandro.
If you’d like one that will see you through the next four or five winters, choose slim lapels which won’t date as quickly as oversized ones, and a below-the-knee or longer length which is most elegant and will work with jeans, trousers and midi dresses.
Grey checks are the easiest to find on the high street, but a print with coloured detailing (head to Mango for blue, red and purple accents) will offer a fun but subtle update.
Red and black, ￡119.99, Mango; Large grey, ￡85, Monki; Small brown check, ￡450, Sandro
Statement red
Shades of crimson, cherry and scarlet brightened up the streets at Paris Fashion Week, and while it’s fair to say the bold hue makes a statement, it’s also surprisingly easy to wear if you track down one that complements your skin tone - so it’s key to try on before committing.
Global fashion search platform Lyst has seen ‘red coats’ become the fastest growing outerwear search term in the past month, and predict they’ll be as popular as their pink counterparts were last year, so be speedy if you’re in the market for one.
Wary of such a bright hue? Try burgundy, which is just as versatile and won’t leave you with as many dry cleaning bills. Both shades will look fabulous with grey, camel and navy.
Single-breasted, ￡165 , & Other Stories; Red double-breasted, ￡79.99, H&M; Burgundy wrap, ￡260, Ganni
The trench 2.0
A classic trench, particularly in eternally chic camel, will work for a plethora of occasions, but this season its edgier cousin, complete with embroidery, a print, or contrasting cuffs, has been gracing the backs of many a fashion editor.
“The joy of this heavyweight trench is that it’s reversible so you get two coats for the price of one,” says Kenya Hunt, fashion features director at UK of her printed J.W.Anderson x Uniqlo coat, right. “Both sides are easy to wear and don’t require much thought. I’ll wear the printed side through winter with jeans, brogues and a men’s cashmere knit from Uniqlo, and the plain side with heels and a dress for evening.”
Khaki, ￡79, M&S; J.W.Anderson x Uniqlo reversible tartan, ￡139.90, Uniqlo; Grey check, ￡95.99, Zara
The teddy bear coat
As the name suggests, this cosy coat is fluffy, soft and heavy-duty, and it’s worth noting that as such, it can add unwanted bulk to even the most willowy women if the cut is wrong. Look for one that hits mid-thigh (the most flattering cut-off point) and is a fuss-free single-breasted style, especially if you have a bust. Wearing it open, although granted not ideal in December, eliminates the bulk issue, particularly if worn with a slim-fit knit.
Harvey Nichols has already sold out of Maison Martin Margiela’s red teddy bear coat (perhaps as it ticks two boxes) even though it’s an investment at a mighty ￡1700. Thankfully Stand, Harvey Nichols new contemporary brand, also has a great camel number for a fraction of the price, and the high street does the trend well, too.
Iris & Ink grey, ￡195, The Outnet; Pink, ￡450, Baum und Pferdergarten; Stand camel coat, ￡250, Harvey Nichols
The vinyl jacket
Much like sheer black tights and pie-crust blouses, this trend can be traced back to Alexa Chung, and in particular, the vinyl trench from her second Archive by Alexa collection for M&S last year. Chung’s sold out almost immediately, with smug early-birds revelling in their cult buys as the the rest of us searched ebay for resales.
Many designers and high street stores now have their own take, and Lisa Aiken, retail fashion director at Net-a-porter.com, championed a navy DVF version while at Paris Fashion Week.
“It holds a classic trench shape and timeless silhouette but is updated with this super cool vinyl fabric,” she notes. “I’m not about bold colours, and this makes a statement with the fabric instead.” Her checked trousers and white accessories are the perfect complement to her 80s style coat.
Aubergine, ￡180, Uterque; Black A-line, ￡99, Warehouse (Out 23rd Oct)