Winter is Coming: Stylish Winter Coats

Actually fall is coming and that means the great winter coat hunt begins.

I have lived my whole life in India, in cities where a coat was an exotic article of clothing no one needed to wear. It was something that people in cold countries wore and looked slick in. But I have always wanted to look that slick. Once I moved to London, the interest (I don’t want to term it as an ‘obsession’) in acquiring a fantastic coat and an amazing pair of boots increased.

I didn’t end up buying a flashy coat last year for a number of very good reasons but was sorely tempted to do so while online window shopping. Some of the new coats were so beautiful and some so chic. This post is a compilation of the beautiful and chic coats offerings available on the high street.

And now finally here goes…

When I mentioned beautiful coats earlier in this post, I was probably thinking of this lovely maroon Zara one. I saw it at the store and felt the material and can confirm it is feels as beautiful as it looks. The raw edges make it casual and edgy at the same time.

All of these options above are great for workwear (depending on the kind of place your work is, of course).

I had to give some black and black-like options. One thing about black coats is that since the colour is a basic, the design can be a little more interesting. I made a compromise last year and opted for a black coat which looks like a biker jacket on top. These are some of the interesting options I found in black.

Last item on the agenda is coloured coats. This is quite a commitment. I am quite confident my next coat is going to be a bright red one but its definitely going to be design simple. You can also choose from greens, yellows, blues, prints and so on (although no stores seems to take the plunge towards floral coats). Most of the coats here do have a certain design or detail that stand out. But my preference for a coloured coat would definitely be something simple and easy to wear like the first one.

And the very last – despite all the disclaimers I could not resist adding this super flashy beautiful red faux fur coat from M&S.

Disclaimers:

1. This post is not a practical post about which winter coat you should purchase. (You should purchase a warm, sensible winter coat, with sleeves, a hood, a zip, in a neutral colour. Therefore, you should definitely not purchase most of the coats listed here if you want to stay warm in December in London.)
2. This is not a review since I have not bought, tried or used any of the coats mentioned (unless otherwise specified of course). Any opinions and comments you have about any of these coats are most welcome.
3. I have limited myself to high street brands as far as possible and most of the coats listed are under £90. However, this list may include items no longer available. (Apologies if you fall in love with something here and can no longer find it. Just keep scrolling down. There will be many more to choose from. Although there will also be many more you fall in love with and won’t find, or will not be available in your size or suitable for your pocket.)
4. The list includes men’s coats as well. (I firmly believe you should not limit yourself. If you can find your size, taste, comfort and pocket narrows down to a coat in the men’s section, so be it.
5. Shockingly I am not in favour of black coats. (This is shocking because of my wardrobe being limited to about five colours as mentioned here. Of course, I own three black coats but from a theoretical perspective, it’s a no. I admit point no. 1 above does imply a black coat as sensible purchase material.) As far as possible, buy a non-black coat. Unless, of course, you are one of those people who never wears black clothes and mixes all sorts of colours perfectly and effortlessly. In that case a sharp black coat can be a great contrast.
6. Notwithstanding the dramatic title of this post, most of the coats listed here would be more suitable for fall rather than winter in case you seriously want to give it a go (see point no. 1 above).

Are you shopping for any of the winter coats above or looking for something else?

– Anisha