COATS TO WEAR THIS SEASON

A winter coat is arguably the most important piece in your autumn/winter wardrobe, but sometimes the trickiest to find. You need it to make a statement for the days when you won’t be taking it off, but it also needs to complement all your winter outfits. Junior Editor Lizzie Griffin is the Editorial team’s resident coat connoisseur: ‘The layers we saw on the AW25 runways were an indication of what to expect this season: faux-fur coats (see: Alaïa), cinched waists (see: Givenchy) and funnel-neck jackets (see: Burberry). Whichever coat you decide to invest in this season, make sure it has some dramatic flair.’

Inspired by her runway report and the latest winter coat trends, we’ve rounded up the standout styles of the season – from trench coats to 90s fur-trimmed styles – to help you overcome any winter outerwear hurdles once and for all.

The trench coat has a rich legacy dating back to the late 19th century. Iterations were designed by Thomas Burberry and became functional outerwear for soldiers in the trenches. After lining it with the now-iconic Burberry check, the trench coat has become a true icon of British style. They now come in all shapes and shades – like the brown trench coat, khaki, leather-look and the Burberry-born neutral – and have found a daring new form for AW25: cropped. Partially thanks to Kylie Jenner’s KHY, the cropped trench coat serves as a stylish entree into the world of 90s minimalism.

 

GET THE LOOK:
ASOS DESIGN oversized short trench coat with belt in black, £58
SNDYS wool look faux leather maxi coat in charcoal, £124
Bershka Trench coat in stone, £49.99
Topshop short trench coat in stone, £65

Faux-fur coats reappear in every A/W trend lineup, proving just how timeless they truly are. We advise against stocking only one faux-fur style in your arsenal; depending on length, colour and volume, different styles complement different cold-weather situations. As a rule of thumb, pick long coats for glitzy occasions – think slip dresses and slender heels on date night – and shorter ones with puffier proportions for city adventuring.

 

GET THE LOOK:
ASOS DESIGN top collar midi faux fur coat in cream stripe, £95
ASOS DESIGN vintage longline faux fur coat in brown, £95
Never Fully Dressed oversized longline faux fur coat in bottle green, £199
Cotton On mimi faux fur jacket in cream, £69

The wool coat layers some professional polish over any combination of clothes – so you can see why office workers and A-listers alike adore them so much. But what’s new in the bustling metropolis of warm, smooth, longline wool coats for AW25? The emergence of the collarless variation – a futuristic, sculptural take on this coat-rack staple. Among our favourite winter coats – both collared and collarless – include Aim’n’s ankle-length wool coat and Mango’s tie-waist coat. The latter’s collar can be configured into a chic funnel neck, too.

 

GET THE LOOK:
Weekday wool blend car coat in black, £142
Mango wool mix longline tie waist coat in brown, £139.99
Aim'n Dark clay wool coat in dark clay, £279
Native Youth oversized longline wool overcoat in brown, £90

The zeitgeist has spent the last few years refreshing girlhood icons into womenswear mainstays – think SS24’s gingham revolution to the cape and pea coats of AW25. Or perhaps it’s our collective insistence on reheating Alexa Chung and Kate Moss’s 00s nachos – regardless of theory, one thing is clear: cape and pea coats are firmly back on the fashion radar. These nostalgic layers are best styled similarly retro: skinny or slim denim, low-pros or knee-high boots and A-line skirts for a healthy dose of feminine fun.

 

GET THE LOOK:
ASOS DESIGN leather look cape detail trench in black, £55
ASOS DESIGN wool blend pea coat in burgundy, £80
ASOS DESIGN oversized mid length pea coat in herringbone, £75
ASOS DESIGN cropped cape formal coat in mushroom, £55

If we’re speaking ‘the best winter jackets’, we can’t ignore the leather-look category. We’re not just talking black biker jackets or bomber jackets (although they fit the bill, too) – experiment with moto styles, masculine Harringtons and coats that blend all of the above. On the topic of key AW25 colours, Topshop and Scandi brands have made a case for vintage acid washes in charcoal and deep browns. Don’t restrict yourself to black, however tempting it is.

 

GET THE LOOK:
Topshop faux leather bubble vintage wash bomber jacket, £75
Cotton On Faux leather puff bomber in navy, £65
Stradivarius Double-faced faux leather jacket in brown, £65.99
Bershka Oversize faux leather jacket in brown, £49.99

We couldn’t exclude the functional outerwear final boss: puffer jackets. Resistance to rain and frost aside, they have an impressive fashion legacy. French Connection’s high-neck puffers are cinching waists and loading up on lustre; elsewhere ARKET’s quilted styles are blending Swedish minimalism with British heritage. Black puffer jackets are the uniform for It-girls right now, plus, they're basically an on-the-go duvet – if cosiness alone isn’t reason enough to invest, we don’t know what is.

 

GET THE LOOK:
French Connection high neck hooded puffer jacket, £175
The North Face Hyalite down parka jacket in black, £260
ARKET down quilted oversized midaxi coat with high neck, £199
Polo Ralph Lauren icon logo puffer jacket in navy, £495

Afghan coats (AKA Penny Lane coats) were mainstream styles you’d catch on every corner in the 90s, and they’re now more accessible than ever thanks to Superdry and ASOS DESIGN. Not only do their signature shaggy fur trims and velvet-like fabric keep them ultra comfortable, but they’re instant attention grabbers. Updating their vintage DNA with AW25 codes is how to style them: think knitwear, flared denim, statement jewellery and crisp turtlenecks.

 

GET THE LOOK:
ASOS DESIGN penny lane faux fur trim coat in red, £75
Superdry Long afghan coat in taupe, £99.99
Reclaimed Vintage faux fur trim leather look short jacket in brown, £72.99
Daisy Street embroidered penny lane coat with faux fur trim in brown, £95