All wrapped up

Essential outerwear to keep you cosy through the long, cold days of winter.

Remember last winter, when everywhere you turned there was someone wearing an oversized black shearling biker jacket? The insanely popular jacket originated at Acne, but was copied by Zara (who else?) and practically every other high-street retailer and sold like hot cakes.

So far this year, there hasn’t been one coat to rule them all on the streets, but then it’s hardly been cold enough for proper coats yet, has it?

That’s all about to change, with November forecast to be very chilly.

What’s on the outerwear agenda this season then?

Biker jackets are taking a backseat for the most part, with super-snuggly puffers and capacious capes coming to the fore – you’re in no danger of catching cold with these on your back.

Here are the six key coat trends to clock this winter...

1. TEDDY COATS

There was an overarching theme of “protective” fashion at the AW18 shows – owing to turbulent world affairs, designers said – and nowhere was that more apparent than with outerwear.

Thick, fluffy teddy textures were everywhere, some in traditional bear browns – chiming with the season’s 70s trend – and others in bright, optimistic hues – Cookie Monster blue or Elmo red.

Miss Selfridge Rust Teddy Coat, currently reduced to £61.75 from £65; Navy Chevron Compact Knitted Jumper, £35 (sunglasses, stylist’s own).

Elvi Megan Faux Fur Midaxi Coat, £119

2. PUFFER JACKETS

Another iteration of the fashion-as-armour theme, puffer jackets have swooshed off the ski slopes and onto the catwalks in recent years.

We may have just reached Peak Puffer, with the frankly bonkers range of floor-length capes created by designer Pierpaolo Piccioli for outerwear brand Moncler, but on the high street, you’ll find much more wearable quilted jackets and coats inspired by Balenciaga and Marni’s collections.

Glamorous Rust Longline Puffer Jacket, £64

New Look Mustard Colour Block Puffer Jacket, £39.99

3. CHECK COATS

The Queen has been a style icon for decades – and this season, she’s more in vogue than ever, with tartans and heritage checks all over the catwalks.

Erdem, Givenchy and Calvin Klein all showed classic tweed and wool coats, while Emilia Wickstead’s homage to Her Majesty, a bright-red tartan jacket and kilt, was even more obvious.

A check coat is always a sound investment – opt for a well-made wool design in a simple straight cut and it’ll reign in your wardrobe for years to come.

Next Check Tartan Coat, £80 Monsoon Fergie Wool Blend Check Coat, currently reduced to £100 from £150

4. LEOPARD PRINT COATS

If we had to guess which style will turn out to be the answer to this year’s shearling biker jacket, leopard print coats are a good bet.

Animal print was a massive trend in the autumn designer collections, with leopard coats taking the top spot at Max Mara, Givenchy, Calvin Klein and Victoria Beckham.

There are two ways to play it with their fierce theme – a louche leopard print or a fluffy faux fur – it just depends how glam you want to go.

Wallis Brown Leopard Print Faux Fur Midi Coat, currently reduced to £59.50 from £85; Black Stud Detail Polo Neck Jumper, reduced to £20.80 from £26; Black Tapered Leg Trousers, reduced to £28 from £35; Black Low Cut Shoe Boots, reduced to £44.10 from £49 (belt, stylist’s own)

Red Herring Leopard Print Wool Blend Longline Coat, £69, Debenhams

5. TRENCH COATS

Forget boring old beige, this season’s trenches are bright and/or shiny, like the leather styles seen at Miu Miu and Acne or the vinyl beauties at MSGM.

If you’d usually associate a light trench with spring or early autumn, fear not, the high-shine finish adds extra insulation.

Or you could try another catwalk-styling trend and layer your wet-look trench with a furry coat in a tonal hue.

River Island Light Brown Borg Longline Coat, £85; Brown Vinyl Tie Waist Trench Coat, £85; Cream Turtle Neck Long Sleeve Jumper, £26; Mid Blue Amelie Ripped Hem Super Skinny Jeans, £42; Beige Layered Sole Lace-up Trainers, £42

Next High Shine Trench Coat, £70

6. CAPES

Previously seen as uncool, blanket wraps are now back in a big way. Gucci gave us carpet-print capes while McQueen’s came with sporty stripes, and even every cool kid’s favourite brand Off-White did a cornflower blue version.

These buttonless versions are more like big scarves than stiff wool capes – all you have to do is throw it on and go. White Stuff Caitlin Check Cape, £55 Wallis Monochrome Geometric Print Wrap, reduced to £21 from £30

Anti-clockwise from below: Wallis Monochrome Geometric Print Wrap, White Stuff Caitlin Check Cape, Next Check Tartan Coat, Glamorous Rust Longline Puffer Jacket, Red Herring Leopard Print Wool Blend Longline Coat, a model on the catwalk during the Emilia Wickstead Autumn/Winter 2018 London Fashion Week show, Wallis Brown Leopard Print Faux Fur Midi Coat, Miss Selfridge Rust Teddy Coat, model on the Roksanda AW18 catwalk, River Island Light Brown Borg Longline Coat, Monsoon Fergie Wool Blend Check Coat.