TLDR: 18 Great Winter Coats

If I was allowed to buy another coat…

…which I am most certainly not, I might buy these. But I have coat issues that already needed urgent attention ten years ago. Coats are my biggest weakness and always have been. Thirteen leopard print, five assorted navy, three camel, six trenches, too many black to count, faux fur, leather, quilted, suede, tweed, vintage, preloved, last season and this. Checkered coats, floral coats, raincoats, poncho coats, peacoats, duffles and capes. Nothing makes an outfit like a great coat, no garment makes its wearer more instantly put together and stylish. But they are expensive, command too much wardrobe real estate and having already bought two since January (an absolutely bargainous secondhand Gucci and a 1960s-style suede number from Massimo Dutti), I simply must abstain for the remainder of the year. But a girl can still admire and not acquire. And sharing the love is almost as good as wearing it. So here are some coats I’ve been perving over. I should declare that the list became so long that I was forced to eliminate all jackets for the sake of (only relative) brevity. But little jackets are a key look for this autumn / winter, so if you’d like a rundown of those too, I can post them separately next week. Let me know.

The much worn - and torn - Toteme double breasted. See 4 for a great dupe.

1. Jaeger (L), 2. Massimo Dutti (R)

1. Jaeger Pure Wool Checked Double Breasted Wrap Coat (sizes 8-20), £350*

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I have always loved Jaeger and am thrilled to see M&S come to their rescue after a few years off-market. This is just a brilliant coat. I love the very chic and easy to wear black and brown colour combo, the maxi length and how bold and unusual it is without losing its classic feel. 

2. Massimo Dutti Long Wool Blend Coat in Burgundy, £249 (sizes 8 - 14)

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I apologise now for how much Massimo appears in this list. I am not being lazy, only continuing to be obsessed with their output. There are just too many good coats not to mention at least a handful. Burgundy is the colour of the season and here, it’s the main character. Everything else, from the single breast, unadorned pockets and spread collar is clean, unfussy and minimal, meaning it will go with everything. It’s a wool and recycled polyester blend, which isn’t to everyone’s taste, but I always like a dot of something manmade, because it means the moths will stay away.

3. Uniqlo (L), 4. Massimo Dutti (R).

3. Uniqlo Wool Blend Wrap Coat, £109.90 (sizes XXS - XXL)*

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I have an identical black coat to this from years ago and although it seems relatively unexciting (both of the above do, I now see when I look at the photos together), it’s endlessly useful and I’ve worn it year after year. It’s smart enough to wrap to fit and belt over a dress, unstructured enough to throw over a chunky jumper and jeans and wear open. The dressing gown style is never in fashion so it’s never out of fashion. It can take bold accessories like scarves, bags and hats and never fights them for attention. It’s just a great workhorse and in this case, a ruddy great bargain. There’s another here, at M&S*.

4. Massimo Dutti Long Wool Blend Double Breasted Coat, £249 (sizes 8 - 14)

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I’m going to go as far as to say that this smart, mannish number is a flat-out dupe of my old Toteme double breasted black coat and since I’ve worn that to death (almost literally - the lining is torn to shreds), this has to be a good buy. Work, weekends, pubs, parties, funerals, Christenings, Bar Mitzvahs, over a posh dress and heels or your scruffiest jeans and heavy boots. This always appropriate, cool but classic and unfailingly stylish coat will take you anywhere and everywhere for life. There’s a similar one in a better size range at Mango (sizes XXS to XXL), here.*

5. & Other Stories (R), 6. H&M Premium (L)

5. & Other Stories Wool Double Breasted Maxi Coat with Bold Shoulders, £295 (sizes XS - L)*

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More burgundy but make it dressy. This is a beautiful coat for smarter dressers, corporate professionals or those with a life past 7pm. The way the whole coat hangs from the sharp statement shoulders is gorgeous. If your size is out of stock, it’s also worth looking at the Hobbs Livia in Malbec (sizes 6 - 22)*, which has a different and softer, but equally smart, silhouette. 

6. H&M Premium Collection Wool Blend Coat, £169.99 (sizes XS to L)*

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I love the H&M Premium Collection. Don’t bother looking for it in-store because it’s scattered all over the place and consequently, impossible to find. But online it’s all neatly listed together in one section that essentially serves up an entire capsule wardrobe of high quality basics at what I think are fair prices for the (superior) quality. I was recently stocking up on my favourite T-shirts* when I saw this excellent felt overcoat. I like everything about it, but I am most drawn to the colour, which is an unusually cool-toned, almost dark taupe shade of brown. And the sleeves are Raglan style, meaning they can cope comfortably with the heft of a chunky jumper or sweatshirt under-pits.

7. Mango (L), 8. Sezane (R).

7. Mango 100% Oversized Leather Coat in Malbec, £399.99 (sizes XS to XL)*

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Leather and suede are everywhere this autumn, but unusually, black is often my least favourite way of wearing them. I’m happy to wear a black leather jacket, but in a coat, all that shiny black looks too stern and Marvel film villain to me. This red wine shade makes a high street coat (albeit an expensive one) look even dearer, more feminine and imaginative.

8. Sezane Clyde Trench Coat, £275 (sizes 4-20)*

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This is not a “trench coat”. It doesn’t have storm flaps and a belt, for two things. It is very definitely - to me - a car coat, which I love just as much. This car coat jumped out at me because of its beautiful and very versatile dark olive colour, which I find more interesting and seasonal than classic stone as autumn rumbles on. The buttons are substantial and the fabric is nice and weighty for a fluid, smooth, expensive-looking drape.

9. Aligne (L), 10. Massimo Dutti (R).

9. Aligne Jamison Denim Trench, £199 (sizes 6-22)*

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This, on the other hand, IS a trench. I have three denim jackets but no denim coats. This one has tempted me. I love the very skin-flattering bright indigo colour of the wash, as well as the contrasting buttons. Admittedly, it’s not going to keep anyone toasty in a windstorm, but I like the idea of it over autumn layers of knitwear and corduroy. I also found this very similar version at Sainsbury’s, which is an absolute steal at £60, and this gorgeous dark rinse version, which is very much not, by Frankie Shop*.

10. Massimo Dutti Long Pinstripe Wool Blend Coat in Navy, £299 (sizes 8 - 14)

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If I wasn’t on a coat ban and didn’t already own a problematic amount of navy clothing (including an almost identical old maxi coat from Raey), I would buy this right now. It is perfect. The shape, the length, the colour, the sleeves, the subtle masculinity, the pinstripes that are just faint enough to stop things getting corporate. I love the way it’s styled in the photo, against an all-navy outfit, but it would go as well with black, white, denim, brown, red, kelly green, cobalt blue, grey, charcoal or beige. It is beyond chic. 

11. COS (L), 12. H&M Premium (R).

11. COS Hooded Wool Duffle Coat, £270 (sizes 32 - 44, runs big)*

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I LOVE duffle coats, whether in or out of fashion. But this season, they’re flying. This huge, slouchy camel coat lives in the same neighbourhood as Victoria Beckham’s at almost five times the price. It looks absolutely fantastic over wide legged trousers or flared jeans and a pair of heeled boots or retro trainers. If it wasn’t so wholly incapable of fitting into the Rizla-width available space in my wardrobe, I’d be shoehorning it in there right now.

12. H&M Premium Selection Long Wool Blend Coat, £219.99 (sizes XS - L)*

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Unbelievably, I didn’t own a charcoal grey coat until last year but I wouldn’t want to be without one again. I loved wearing it with jeans, trainers and a flash of bold colour from a bright red scarf or socks. This - another from the always great H&M Premium Selection - is actually more me than the one I own, but one can’t turn back the clock. I love the extra long length on this one, despite being a titch.

13. Topshop (L), 14. River Island (R).

13. Topshop Animal Faux Fur Long Coat, £115 (sizes S - L)*

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Leopard print is huge for this A/W, but I’m a dreadful inverted snob about it when it comes to coats. Animal print outerwear is, in my view, meant to be more Christine Keeler on the razz, not Lady Astor at the races. It’s meant to look fake, a bit subversive, sexy and rough round the edges. And so with only some rare exceptions, I tend to love animal print coats only from the high street. My most worn ever (20-odd years and counting) was £60 from Topshop, so I went straight to its new home on ASOS to find this one. The length looks brilliant and cool with jeans and a cashmere jumper. I’d wear with old-skool trainers or pointy boots.

14. River Island Dark Brown Faux Fur Mid Length, £89*

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On a similar tip: this “fur” coat. There are other colours available, but I don’t like any of those - there’s something about this specific brown shade that gives me late 1950s Shelagh Delaney kitchen sink drama vibes. Throw it over some black opaques, a turtleneck, a mini, some flat Chelsea boots. While you’re there, maybe take up smoking rollies. Iconic. 

15. Barbour The Edit by Alexa (L), 16. COS (R).

15. Barbour The Edit by Alexa Liam Waxed Parka, £469 (sizes 8 - 18)

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Barbour waxed jackets are brilliant, practical, extremely durable and in my opinion, very, very cool. I own three Barbours (two ancient and already second hand when I bought them) and I wear them all. Which is why I can in no way justify any purchase from Alexa Chung’s latest edit. Especially not this coat, the most expensive of the lot. But look at it! So good. Great for autumn/winter storms and showers, dog walking on a blustery day, town shopping, festival going, seaside strolling. I love both the available green shades and the cheeky flash of tartan on each. I think it’s completely terrific. And yes, expensive. But it will last a lifetime. I would ordinarily suggest sizing up at least once in any Barbour (I’m an 8 and a 12 is perfect) to get a cool, slouchy fit (too smart and fitted can look a bit chief judge at a dog show) but in this style only, I’d suggest sizing down.

16. COS Belted Double Faced Wool Coat £225 (sizes XXS - L)*

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I have an almost identical tobacco coloured wrap coat from Acne Studios. Every time I wear it, someone asks me where I got it but since I bought it in the sale several years ago, I’ve never been able to link to a dupe. Until now. Here it is - its doppelgänger. It’s a brilliant autumn coat, way more interesting than the usual brown or black and yet still very much a neutral. 

17. Blank NYC (L), 18. M&S Collection (R).

17. Blank NYC Dirt Bike Jacket, £228 (sizes XS - L)*

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Suede is the fabric of Autumn 2024 and while I have mixed feelings (it’s such an impractical material, even when doused in spray protectant), I’m obviously not immune to the soft, slouchy, laid back silhouette a good suede coat can give. A couple of months ago, I snapped up the Massimo Dutti brown vintage-looking suede midi coat for the five minutes it was available other than on resale sites, and I adore it. It’s my key piece for A/W. But this from Free People is a good alternative that’s still available (well, just. At time of writing, there are XS and L left). 

18. M&S Collection Checked Longline Trench Coat with Wool, £109 (sizes 6-24, most small sizes sold out online)*

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My friend Nic messaged me from M&S last week with a snapshot of herself in this, wanting my opinion. My opinion was YES. Great pattern, colourway, price and style. “Not too smart, not at all scruffy” is the secret to maximum versatility in coats, and this exactly hits that spot. It looks - in a very good way - like the best charity shop find of your life.

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Thanks for opening / reading! Let me know if you’d like me to do something similar on the jackets I had to cull for space. Or on anything else for that matter. I’m currently putting together a nice rug edit, but any other requests are welcome.