WHY IT WORKS
A smart work coat needn’t be black or grey – it all depends on how you wear it
QTaking care over my outfit and then covering it up with the same black winter coat each day seems like a waste. Are there any other options?
AMaybe it’s my Spanish blood, or memories of my mother braving the cold in olive greens, deep reds and vibrant blues, but I have to wear colour in the winter to get me through the darker days. The morning commute is definitely more cheery with a splash of red or pop of mustard, and I enjoy standing out in a sea of black and grey. At this time of the year, the coat becomes a major part of our everyday uniform and there are so many more possibilities than the usual black.
I appreciate that working in a corporate environment can limit how much colour you can wear, but a smart burgundy coat worn over a navy dress is not too shouty. I have a mustard coat from Betty Jackson that I bought 15 years ago that I still wear every winter. Jigsaw’s graphic-buttoned golden coat would transform a black outfit underneath.
But you don’t need to be as brave as to try mustard. I am after a deep burgundy coat for this winter to wear with pretty much everything (regular readers will now be aware of my burgundy obsession).
Harris Wharf is a small British brand that makes beautiful, simply cut coats, and I love the herringbone weave of their claret style. Don’t save green for the weekends, either: it’s such a beautiful colour for colder weather and if you stick to khaki you avoid any Christmas tree references.
This Reiss coat, with its sharp tailoring, is a good example of combining a bold hue with winter whites. I tend to steer towards stronger colours with my dark hair, but recently an elegant blonde friend made a case for pastel winter coats. She works in a predominately male industry and I love the idea of her arriving for work in sherbet pink. Hugo Boss’s version would be a good pairing for greys, burgundy or even camel, and as a colour trend, pink is here to stay. Joseph has a pretty powder blue coat if pink is too girlie for you.
Finally, red is the classic winter bright, and every shop seems to have its own version of it at the moment thanks to a catwalk trend for the colour, so you’ll be spoilt for choice.
I think there is nothing chicer than a tailored three-quarterlength coat in the most flattering tomato red worn with navy or camel underneath. From Max Mara to Marks & Spencer, there really is one to suit any budget. To ask Isabel Spearman your workwear questions, email isabel.spearman @telegraph.co.uk or follow her on Instagram @isabelspearman