I become slightly obsessed this time of year with COATS, my husband thinks I collect coats, I don’t, but they do tend to come into the house, stay a while, then go back to the shop or are rehomed, so hence I am still on the lookout for the perfect coat, which is herringbone or houndstooth check & mid-calf. 

I think my lovely late Dad may have had the same obsession with coats, he once bought a tweed coat for 15 Euros in 40-degree heat in Italy, he wore it on the plane home with his shorts, polo shirt and chunky boots, we were glad to be seated elsewhere on that flight! 

Being small of stature, getting the right length coat for me is tricky, I love a long coat, but too long & I can look like I am in fancy dress and too short, well I can look even shorter! 

Currently on the high street, the long trench coat is everywhere, (belted or not) & the oversized puffer or duvet coat is also still around, faux furs are still big news, & the teddy coat is a great alternative if faux fur is a bit too Shirley Bassey. 

I think Mango & Zara have the best wool coats this season, but if you are after a puffer or duvet style, Next, Superdry or Uniqlo have a good selection. ASOS also have a great selection, my niece came to visit a week ago & she was wearing a gorgeous houndstooth coat from ASOS (pictured below)

Some tips for buying a winter coat

*Make sure it is warm, some coats are just not that warm, down & wool are good options (I bought one recently that was made of recycled polyester, and it was like wearing a flattened cardboard box)

* Think classic, stay away from trends if you only have a certain amount of money to spend, it’s better to spend on a classic that will cover all bases. 

* But…if you are always out in the evening and you do have the extra cash, you might want two, a classic & a faux fur or pleather mac.

* Do you need a hood; does it need to be waterproof? if you walk a lot this is essential.

* If you drive a lot, you may need a car coat, trying to drive in a duvet coat, maybe dangerous to you & other road users!

* If you are buying vintage or from a charity shop, it is important that you try it on in person to see the quality up close, because of pilling etc.   

*  Think practicality, for colour & washing, that cream wool coat might look gorgeous in the shop, but probably won’t withstand our British winter or a red wine spillage. And if you never dry clean anything, well then your coat will need to be washable.

* How heavy is it, you can have warmth & lightweight, so don’t be fooled into thinking because it weighs a ton it will keep you warm, it won’t, it will just make your arms ache!

Here is my selection of some of my favourites on the high street right now (some are too long on me, but would be fine if you are 5’5” & over)

ZARA OVERSIZE ADERERROR COAT 2010/840 £169.00, ZARA OVERSIZE COAT 9197/757 £159.00

MANGO woollen coat with belt 47041281-SIRENITA-LM £159.00, MANGO oversized coat 37055550-GAUGUIN-LM£109.99

& OTHER STORIES, Double Breasted Coat £225, ASOS DESIGN smart heritage check oversized coat £85.00

NEXT Rib Sleeve Onion Quilted Coat M87-695 £80.00 MARKS AND SPENCER M&S Collection Faux Fur, T591144C £89.00

NEXT Rochelle Longline Double Breasted Padded Hooded Coat T65-369 £115