The winter coat guide - The Inside Pocket

It’s that time of year again: coat season is here and with it one of the most important purchases you’ll make all year. But why restrict yourself to just one coat all season long? A good outerwear line-up will see you through early almost-winter commutes to freezing post-party taxi queues to icy January days when comfort’s high on the agenda. Here’s our take on what to buy and how to wear it this winter.

Your coat shouldn’t be an after-thought. What’s the point in putting together a well-planned outfit if your poorly considered outerwear lets down the side? Treat your coat as an extension of your outfit and choose accordingly.

An overcoat is a classic in British tailoring but choose one with standout detail (like a statement check or a tactile milled finish) for true outfit-crowning status. Anchor a loud pattern by coordinating one of its shades with your accessories, or wear said shade head to toe to keep the focus firmly on your knockout coat.

Autumn should mean brisk days that get reliably colder as winter gets closer. The reality? Freezing mornings that transition into bafflingly warm afternoons. When the weather can’t make up its mind, why should you? A padded gilet is your solution to four-seasons-in-a-day dressing, adding a warm layer and eeking out extra days for your jacket until it’s time for a coat.

Ours are made with lightweight ThermoTech insulation that keeps heat in without adding bulk. And the two-way zip? Back when people had driving outfits, it was a way to make space for sitting at the bottom without undoing a carefully put-together outfit at the top. Great if you’re prone to a well-dressed weekend drive. Also great if you need to let some heat out on a packed train carriage.

When the depths of winter arrive, keeping warm jumps to the top of the priority list. But that doesn’t mean style should go out the window. Luckily, parkas are more than just practical this season, with plenty of designers layering the Britpop favourite over suiting in the autumn/winter collections.

But however you wrap it up, a parka is just about the best thing you can put on if you want to keep the cold out – after all, the original parka came from the Arctic. We’ve made our Arctic parka (see what we did there) essential winter kit with seriously warm ThermoTech insulation, storm cuffs and a faux fur lining. Choose one in black, navy or khaki for a tailoring-friendly finish that’ll throw on easily over any outfit.