How to Pick Out the Perfect Winter Coat

After an unseasonably warm start, the winter is starting to bear down in full force. Now some would say the best way to prepare would be to stock up on supplies, ensure your roof isn’t leaking (El Nino rains are on the way, or so they say), but no one ever talks about finding the perfect winter coat. If anything that’s probably the most important step to enjoying the winter because if all else fails, you’ll at least have a coat to keep you warm. And why not make it a stylish one?

When choosing a new piece of outerwear, you want to make sure that it checks multiple boxes. It should first and foremost serve some sort of function, whether you’re looking for it to be waterproof, extra warm, or if you’re looking for something longer in length like a topcoat versus a shorter coat meant to simply keep your core warm.

Now the next thing to think about when choosing a coat is what it brings to the table as far as looks go. With outerwear it’s always better to choose a piece that is on trend but not too trendy that it’ll look outdated by the next cool season when you need to pull it out. Great examples of coats and jackets that will hold their style value for years to come are to choose styles that continually come around time and time again.

A military-inspired parka jacket or coat is always a great option because they tend to have tons of functional features: zip and button closures, hoods, waterproof exteriors, fleece or shearling-lined hoods, etc. Besides, military inspired clothing is always on trend; colors or proportions may change but there is something about military clothing that stands the test of time in the fashion world.

A trend that’s become quite popular this winter is the addition of shearling. Whether on the collar of a classic denim jacket or on a coat, shearling has made a triumphant return (someone tell Uggs). My recommendation for finding a coat with a bit of shearling would be to opt for one that has touches of it but doesn’t overwhelm the piece. It’ll help increase its longevity.

Finally, color is always important when choosing a new piece of outerwear. It’s always safe to go with black, grey, or navy, but experiment with some other colors. Try a military green or a warm brown. A word of advice with color choosing: think about what your current wardrobe consists of. If you’ve got tons of bright colors or print and patterned layers maybe opt for something a little more subdued so that it can be worn with a wide variety of pieces from your wardrobe. If you’re a man all about neutrals, try something with some color—it’ll give your neutrals new life.

Photography: Steven Brooks Photographer

Models: Carlos Costa, Gwilym Pugh, Tommy Brady

Clothing: Aigle