Coat Season Is Here—8 Chic Outfits That Will Make You Excited to Layer Up
A great coat holds the power to totally transform your winter wardrobe. The first cold snap of the season has hit, and a light jacket will no longer suffice. Instead, turn to the plethora of quality coats landing daily on luxury and high-street fashion sites. From cocooning silhouettes to sleek leather designs, the best of the bunch tick two important boxes: practicality and style.
Personally, this time of year is my favourite fashion-wise, but not everyone enjoys having to wear a coat day in, day out once winter arrives. I promise I'm looking past my own bias when I say that it's worth learning to love them; they come to define every cold-weather outfit, especially if you choose a thick, long-line style that almost covers you head-to-toe. Rather than mourn the cute look you've assembled underneath, no longer visible once you toss on your final layer, invest in a beautiful coat that you don't mind wearing daily.
When you find your cosy cover-up of dreams, styling it is a different matter. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to avoid looking bulky and feeling weighed down—start with the eight easy-to-copy coat outfits below.
1. Wool Coat + Tailored Trousers + Trainers
Style Notes: A wool coat is arguably the most sensible investment if staying warm is your priority. They can veer towards feeling formal, but you can easily get around this by slipping on some casual kicks.
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2. Scarf Coat + Straight-Leg Trousers + Mules
Style Notes: The hype around scarf coats shows no signs of slowing down—if anything, it continues to grow, with more and more brands releasing their own version. I love how Anouk has balanced out the voluminous style with slim trousers and pointed heels.
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Our editors have predicted this designer-looking coat will be a bestseller for & Other Stories.
3. Camel Coat + Ribbed Dress + Suede Knee-Highs
Style Notes: If you don't already have a camel coat in your wardrobe, perhaps this polished look will inspire you. Use tonal styling to make your coat complement your outfit rather than overwhelm it.
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We all need those easy throw-on dresses for lazy mornings.
4. Check Coat + Leather Skirt + Chunky Loafers
Style Notes: Is it just me, or does a hint of leather make an outfit feel doubly directional? Faux or real, this fabrication is key for winter. Note how Hanna's Aligne skirt pops from beneath her soft check-print coat.
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There's a reason you've been spotting Aligne's leather pieces all over Instagram: they're such high quality, and sustainable too.
Just one of the many pairs of M&S shoes we're lusting after right now.
5. Teddy Coat + Jumper + Loose-Fit Jeans
Style Notes: Cosy queens, unite. A snug teddy coat is your antidote to the cold; opt for a roomy design to leave space for a chunky jumper, then finish the look with a relaxed pair of jeans and heeled boots for a touch of polish.
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6. Maxi Coat + Puddle Pants + Chunky Boots
Style Notes: Maxi hemlines are big this season, and coats are being wholeheartedly included in the trend. Match the length with tailored puddle pants, preferably in a similar hue.
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If you haven't already invested in a pair of chunky boots, consider this Chelsea-style iteration.
7. Statement Coat + Wide-Leg Jeans + Ballet Flats
Style Notes: Don't be afraid to make your coat the focus of your outfit—it is the first thing people will see. I think we can all agree that Viki's pink-and-blue cocoon coat is the highlight of her look (although we also love those shoes).
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8. Leather Coat + Simple Dress + Kitten Heels
Style Notes: Back to leather (I told you it was a core winter fabric!). A longline belted coat in buttery soft leather will keep you warm and cool at once.
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Next Up: Winter Has Arrived—6 Jumper-Dress-and-Boots Outfits That Are Chic Yet Cosy
Bébhinn Campbell is an Edinburgh-based fashion and lifestyle writer. After receiving an Audrey Hepburn box set for her 10th birthday and subsequently swooning over the actor’s wardrobe, Bébhinn felt pretty confident she wanted a career that involved clothes. She started her first blog at age 14—the title was a pun, but we’ll leave it at that—and went on to intern at print and digital publications in Berlin and London, including Dazed & Confused and Indie magazine.
A job at a fashion startup took Bébhinn from Ireland to Scotland in 2019, where she now works as a freelance journalist and copywriter covering everything from travel and interiors to styling advice. As a contributor for Who What Wear, Bébhinn always keeps her eyes peeled for emerging trends and looks worth writing about. She prides herself on her ability to cut through the noise and identify solid investment buys, exciting new brands and updated takes on classic designs.
While she still loves Audrey Hepburn films, these days, Bébhinn’s sartorial taste sits closer to Annie Hall’s and Alexa Chung’s. In her spare time, she’s likely cooing over cute dogs on rescue websites, playing folk songs on her guitar and browsing bookshops for new additions to her already-overpacked shelves.
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