Despite the fact we’re getting more sunlight and daylight, the end of January and the month of February are notoriously the chilliest months in the Northern Hemisphere; the wind bites, the rain lashes and ice congeals over puddles. Your coat should be both a shield against the cold and an intentional fashion statement. But choosing which coat fulfils this criteria can be exhausting. From the ‘be-all, end-all’ puffer jacket to the longline trench coat ‘buttoned all the way to the top’, there are numerous options available to update your winter wardrobe, both fashionably and functionally. Prioritising practicality and style, here are some of my favourite coats that keep me wrapped up all winter long.

“I’ll be prioritising something that makes – not breaks – an outfit”

The puffer jacket

I have a love-hate relationship with the puffer jacket. It’s the most practical piece for winter but sometimes I find it a hindrance to a cute outfit underneath. Thus, this winter, I am attempting to wear the puffer jacket with intention. I’ve been experimenting with various silhouettes and have found the cropped puffer jacket to be a nice addition; it has all the practical puffer jacket charm but doesn’t engulf your whole outfit. I have also experimented with colour, but mindfully - a return to the gregarious red puffer I wore in Year 7 or the 2020 viral brown North Face was firmly not on the cards! Of course, it’s your prerogative if you rock these colours, however, for the longevity of my wardrobe, a sage green puffer is more feasible as outerwear to complement every outfit. This transition from black puffer jackets has helped with the intentionality conundrum I was facing.

That being said, I still have a black puffer that gets her time to shine in winter – the college puffer. It’s an unpopular opinion but I love her. In first year, I vowed I’d never wear college merch, condemning it as cringy. It still kind of is, but, slowly but surely, I’ve been enjoying leaning into it in an entirely ironic preppy sense. I can’t guarantee that it’s an item I’ll be reaching for in the ‘real world’, sooner wearing it to walk the dog in my sleepy village, but let it be known that I have a newfound respect for the college puffer.

When winter thaws, I’ll be in the market for the puffer jacket’s tangential sister – the bomber jacket. Again, I’ll be prioritising something that makes – not breaks – an outfit.

The wool coat

A longline wool coat is probably my favourite for winter. Draping down to the calf, it doubles up as a wearable blanket. One of the easiest pieces to source from the charity shop, it really is a no brainer to consider adding to your collection. With an increasingly digitised shopping experience, there is such joy in shopping for this coat in person. You can hone in on the feel, both the sentiment and literal quality, of the item. You can scrutinise the fabric labels, searching for wool blends or other natural fabrics that will actually insulate — and for no more than £20. It’s a worthy investment considering how long it will last you.

“I try to let style and functionality co-exist, and even inform each other”

In the spring you can even extend the search to find a short wool coat like a boxy double breasted blazer or a wide lapelled peacoat.These oversized silhouettes can offer a comfortable, yet precise tailored look that can easily pull any outfit together. While I’m not averse to a jeans and a blazer combo, I think there are more creative ways to lean into business casual attire. In fact, I love a full oversized suit moment - think Julia Roberts at the 1990s Golden Globes, Saint Laurent Fall/Winter 2024 and indeed, the upcoming Met Gala 2025 theme – ‘tailoring fine style’.

All things fur

While I have no care for TikTok’s ‘mob wife’ aesthetic, I am a lover of a (faux) fur jacket. The fur provides an additional lining of warmth whilst simultaneously being a classic silhouette to layer up with on a cold night out. Without going into the politics of it too much, it’s true that the fur jacket remains contentious in the fashion world with concerns of animal welfare, the environmental impact of fur production and the economic symbolism that it bestows. By no means am I advocating for the consumption of real, new fur. Instead, choose either second-hand fur jackets, which are far more sustainable, or second-hand faux fur, since new faux fur is essentially just plastic.

The everyday counterpart to the luxurious fur jacket is the Afghan-style coat, which originates from – you guessed it – Afghanistan. The coat was popularised by The Beatles and, since then, has had a huge resurgence in its iterative form, the Penny Lane coat. Attempting to differentiate myself from the overdone (and overpriced!) Urban Outfitters fur-trimmed jacket at the time, I bought a light brown suede Afghan-style coat from eBay, and it has remained one of my favourite items in my wardrobe. The fur-trimmed collar and cuffs cleverly substitute a scarf and gloves, whilst the cropped silhouette means I can pair it effortlessly with patterned pants or jeans.

While there seems to be a complex relationship between aesthetics and practicality, I have found that the winter coats I most gravitate towards fulfil the dialectical phrase of finding style in functionality. I try to let style and functionality co-exist, and even inform each other. Yes, the number one priority is to stay snug. But equally, especially in our more moderate UK winters, I think it’s possible to find coats with silhouettes, textures and dimensions that complement your taste, too!