It’s tempting to look to the skies, grey and bleak, and then back to one’s wardrobe (steadily becoming greyer and bleaker) and approach the task of getting dressed with a grim resignation. Gone are the glory days!
The joie de vivre of slipping on a summer dress, the frivolity of strapping your feet into a peep-toe sandal (not on the Tube though — have some respect). But dressing for winter doesn’t have to feel like a punishment. It takes a little inner resolve, yes — unfortunately not for purchase on the high street — but you know what is? A very, very good coat. One capable of injecting a little life and verve into your daily uniform.
Thankfully, the autumn/winter 2025 catwalks were lush with inspiration. There’s a playfulness to the offerings this season: Charlotte Simone has charmed London’s style set with its limited-drop shaggy coats, while Rixo is making outerwear with whimsy: think velvet, a touch of embroidery, lace details. Try a bold colour — red, indigo — or a statement in the form of texture — glossy patent, or a fuzzy, faux-fur finish.
For those who prefer a workhorse of a coat, there are some very good options on the market: single-breasted is the way this season, with designers opting for clean lines but maintaining a sense of structure. Black and dark grey are standard options, but deep brown has solidified its status as a goes-with-everything neutral over the last few seasons. Add a silver cuff or earrings to keep it modern.
Fit is also key. If you have to cover up every other thing with a giant layer, as is necessary for survival, it would serve for it to be well-tailored — whatever that means for you. Oversized styles have been in for a while, but make sure the shoulders line up (otherwise that’s just the wrong size). Make sure to pay attention to the material. Cos is known for solid 100 per cent wool options, while Paris-based label Nour Hammour makes artful leather and shearling styles that will stand the test of winters to come. Here are the five winter coat trends to shop this season.
Hit the floor
If Calvin Klein, Prada and Simone Rocha all agree on something, we’re listening. Swap a calf-length winter coat for a little more drama and intrigue, like the ankle-grazing styles on show on the autumn/winter 2025 runways. Queen of chic outerwear Sophia Richie Grainge recently paired her billowing SRG coat (£1,035, revolve.com) with tights and heels, while & Other Stories makes a more city-ready version in dark grey (£279, stories.com). Doên often leans whimsical, but there’s an urban sleekness to its ultra-long tailored Wilhelmina coat (£958, shopdoen.com). For more of a statement, Nour Hammour’s suede style will turn heads (£1,400, nour-hammour.com). This trend comes with a word of caution: London streets aren’t known to be friendly to grazing hems. But what’s fashion without a little risk?
Boho renaissance
Calling all would-be Sienna Millers circa 2009: the Penny Lane is back and shaggier than ever. Modern styles take on that 1970s freewheeling ethos without veering into costume territory. Take Mint Velvet’s suede number (£499, mintvelvet.com), or Rixo’s off-beat embroidered Cienna coat (£1,200, rixolondon.com). If that’s not your style, lean into the boho look through colour. Olive green is an off-beat way to engage with the trend, courtesy of Scandi favourites Baum und Pferdgarten (£389, baumundpferdgarten.com). Add a touch of texture — shearling trim, suede — and you’ve mastered the trend, without letting on that you know about the trend at all.
Faux fur
Who needs reality? This season, we’re embracing the faux. At Acne, faux fur strode the runways in the form of hip-length jackets and long overcoats. While the no-trousers pairing is weather-dependent, a fuzzy layer is ideal for inclement temperatures. Shrug on an ultra-soft overcoat that’s as warm as it looks from Acne (£1,400, acnestudios.com) or Nour Hammour (£1,840, nour-hammour.com), or double down on the animalism with a leopard-print number from Sister Jane (£150, sisterjane.com). You’ll be hitting two trend notes at once — feline is also having a moment. If you’re not quite ready to embrace an all-over fur look, opt for a touch of detail around the collar with a retro Prada single-breasted style (£5,400, prada.com).
Shawl thing
Burberry, the British standard bearer for coats, issued a clarion call on the autumn/winter 2025 runway: the trench might always endure, but a new favourite for the season has emerged in the form of the shawl coat, with its wrap-around two-in-one detail for extra warmth (and style). Alexa Chung is a fan of Zara’s snowy white wool-blend version (£149, zara.com) while Soeur’s Finn coat (£735, soeur.uk) is like being wrapped in a blanket (albeit one made of heathered wool). We can also imagine being cocooned by Max Mara’s nutty brown cape-coat (£970, gb.maxmara.com). If you’re looking for a bit more structure, Loro Piana’s blouson style take on the trend (£4,665, uk.loropiana.com) is the go-to.
Heritage flair
Is that a little prep in your step? Checks, plaid and heritage-inspired prints stormed the runways for AW25, from Miu Miu, who kept a crayon-bright, playful spin on things, to Isabel Marant, where plaid was layered with leather for a little punk, and The Row, where silk and wool wove a subtle, silvery check (£7,300, therow.com). Go for a classic pop of pattern trim under the collar courtesy of Nobody’s Child (£169, nobodyschild.com) or Burberry (£2,150, burberry.com) — budget depending.
Otherwise, lean into the cosiness with Toast’s raglan style (£595, toa.st) or Samsoe Samsoe’s soft pastel take (£460, samsoe.com). Call it a hankering to live an easier life in the bucolic countryside. Cocker spaniel not included.
