Many people link coats to style and when you wear the same coat every day throughout the season it becomes part of your everyday wardrobe. In fact it can make up a large portion of the outfit that people see as you walk past.
Choose a coat. Because it’s different to choosing most things for your wardrobe.
More than something you wear outside
You actually spend a lot of time wearing a coat, walking around town, on trips, to parties. To choose the right coat you have to think about all these occasions.
Same coat – dozens of outfits.
In terms of the clothes you wear every day, the coat is often another element of your wardrobe which you wear outside and becomes more part of your general style.
The shape changes everything
Two coats of the same color can give quite different feelings. One because of its length and the other because of its cut and details.
A long, straight coat makes for a clean cut silhouette. A belted coat highlights the waist. An oversized coat has a much looser silhouette than that. The shoulders, the length of the sleeves and where the buttons are placed all contribute to the general look of a coat.
An overall shape of a coat is of equal interest as the color of it when choosing between two coats.
Why we keep returning to certain colours
Why the same colors keep appearing.
They are easy to introduce into an existing wardrobe.
A neutral coat does not mean an entirely neutral outfit. A neutral coat means you can wear different colors under it, such as a black sweater one day and a brightly colored or secondKnitwear sweater the next.
A brightly colored coat, on the other hand, can add a splash of color to a simple outfit underneath it.
Buttons, belts and collars deserve attention
Small details of coats that differentiate between similar styles.
As well as the overall look of the coat, the buttons, belt and collar all add to the overall personality of the coat. A wide collar is very different from a high neckline and a belt can be tied up to change the look of the coat or left loose to create a different silhouette. Large buttons become part of the design and can be a feature, whereas hidden fastenings are a simple solution to closing the front of the coat.
And another thing – the pockets! At first sight, they do not say much, but when you put on the coat, you will see how they function very fast.
These details can also explain the differences within seemingly similar designs.
The coat you automatically reach for
Most wardrobes eventually have one.
It is the first to go on. It is the closest coat to the door. It is the one to take on a trip, because it goes with most of your clothes.
By the coat that we automatically choose from our wardrobe, it is not necessarily the most extreme version of a coat. Often it is simply the most functional one.
Trying on coats to wear and thinking of other ways the same coat can be worn are also important considerations when choosing a coat to add to your wardrobe to wear over your regular outfits. The more ways you can think of wearing the same coat, the more you will wear it and the better value it will be.
A different coat can change familiar clothes
One of the simplest ways to mix-up similar garments is to swap the outer-layer of clothing.
A long coat will change the way you look in trousers and jumper that you would normally wear short. A dress that you wear lots will look different under a coat. In many cases a big change for the garment.
Why you can use an outer layer to make familiar garments look more different.
Finding the one that feels like you
There is no coat that everybody needs to own.
Different people have different preferences when it comes to coats. Some like them to be long and simple, others prefer oversized or detailed, or short coats. They might look differently from the coat that you would choose but would still go with the majority of the clothes in your wardrobes.
That is part of what makes choosing a favorite coat so interesting.
At Harper & George, coats are more than just extra layers to keep you warm when the weather turns. A great coat becomes a part of your everyday style, your travel style, and is an added means to add individuality to your clothes.