Winter Coat Lookbook

It’s about this time of year that Keiran starts to moan at me for the amount of coats blocking the walkway in our hall.

If satin dusters and lightweight layering were “in”, then maybe we’d be okay, but given that teddy fabrics and faux furs are still reigning supreme, the sheer bulk of mass that’s currently overflowing from the coat rack at home has become somewhat of an obstacle. And I do understand his plight to some degree. There is nothing more annoying than carrying two plates back to the kitchen, only to have the mayonnaise-embalmed cutlery flung to the floor because of an overhanging fluffy trucker. You have to go to the kitchen to drop the plates off, come back for the knives and the forks and then do a carpet clean with the neglected bottles lurking beneath your sink. It’s a whole thing, a whole annoying thing.

That being said, I LOVE COATS. I say it over and over but I’m an extremely lazy dresser, so this time of year when any outfit can be hidden and/or enhanced with a warm, good-looking jacket is particularly sexy to me. I’m trying to cut down on my coat consumption this year because of waste and all that, but as it stands, my collection is inhabiting one giant IKEA bag in the cellar (not a fancy cellar - a shit damp cellar), one coat rack in the hallway and one upstairs put-everything-in-and-forget-about-it cupboard. I’m an addict, okay? I love being toasty.

My Back To Uni lookbook from last month seemed to be quite helpful, so I wanted to keep the format going and pull together a more comprehensive collection of outfits, which will hopefully give a better idea of different styling options as well as how to transition some summer pieces into Autumn with the help of outerwear. When it comes to coats for me, I do tend to spend a little more than I usually would on other items. Unlike jumpers and jeans and whatever skirts I've decided I will definitely, definitely wear again next year, coats, as Keiran has discovered, tend to stick around for longer. With that in mind, I also tend to opt for more classic colours and shapes - things I know I can get a lot of wear with both in terms of different outfits, but also different winters.

Et voila, here we are. My lil’ coat look book, composing of five different coats that are either new or already well-loved. I hope you like, and let me know what kind of lookbook you'd like to see next! I've had a lot of requests for workwear so that is in the pipeline, but any other suggestions, pop 'em down below.

C x

Items: Coat - Weekday / Tee - Topshop / Skirt - Topshop / Boots - Topshop / Bag - Loewe / Earrings - Ania Haie*

Perfect for: You know when it's too cold for a blazer but not quite cold enough for your big winter coat? This is the perfect in-between, and the shape makes it a little more casual than longer-line or belted numbers. Also comes in a check colour way which I'm trying to resist (kinda...).

Items: Coat - Monki (this colour is no longer available, but the coat is still stocked. I bought this nearly two years ago so it must be a popular style!) / Tee - Weekday / Jeans - Weekday / Boots - Topshop / Belt - ASOS / Bag - J.W. Anderson / Earrings - Ania Haie*

Perfect for: Hangovers, lazy days, blocking doorways - you name it, this big beauty is good for it. Teddy coats shot back onto the sartorial landscape with a bang a few years back, and by the looks of things, they're here to stay. And let's be honest, are we surprised? Who could ever get tired of walking around in a giant blanket, right? Mine is far too big for me, and that's how I like it *heh heh*.

Items: Coat - Arket / Tee - Topshop / Skirt - Realisation Par / Boots - Topshop / Bag - Zara / Earrings - Jane Koenig* / Necklaces - Kirstin Ash*

Perfect for: Chucking over anything and looking deceptively put-together. The belted coat in a neutral colour is great for everyday work-wear and commuting in winter, as well as popping over dinner or 'going out out' outfits in the evening. A smart multitasker which you'll keep forever.

Items: Coat - Zara (old - similar here) / Cardigan - & Other Stories* / Tee - Topshop / Skirt - Zara / Boots - Topshop / Necklaces - Kirstin Ash* / Earrings - Jane Koenig*

Perfect for: Chucking over anything and looking deceptively put-together. The belted coat in a neutral colour is great for everyday work-wear and commuting in winter, as well as popping over dinner or 'going out out' outfits in the evening. A smart multitasker which you'll keep forever.

Items: Coat - Weekday / Tee - Topshop / Jeans - & Other Stories* / Trainers - Puma* / Earrings - Orelia Jewellery* / Necklaces - Kirstin Ash*

Perfect for: Feeling bougie, looking expensive, and staying warm (but not dry - these coats are certainly not waterproof and even the slightest drizzle can leave you looking like a puddle-diving doggo). As much as I'm a lover of a simple, tailored jacket, there's something so extra about a big faux fur jacket that feeds the queen in all of us. This icy blue colour pairs particularly well with denim, but if you're going with faux fur, don't hold back. All colours, all prints and all lengths get the a-okay. The more rich divorcee, the better.