The big coat debate

Get ready for the teddy

When it comes to keeping cosy the Evening Standard’s fashion editor Karen Dacre stays true to the teddy

The coat is autumn’s great consolation prize, the season’s great salvation and the reason we all make it to the end of September with optimism still fluttering in our bellies. As delicious to shop for as they are to wear, coats are autumn/winter’s raison d’etre. But is it a good idea to pledge allegiance to just one style? Probably not. Yet such behaviour among coat geeks is inevitable. We are an inherently loyal breed. For me, it’s the tactile teddy bear coat that keeps me coming back for more. A champion of the autumn/winter 2014 season — and in my opinion, always a winner — the teddy bear coat is Gucci designer Frida Gianni’s current plaything.

A regular visitor to the autumn/winter collections of Isabel Marant and Miuccia Prada, the draw of a cuddly coat is not only the fact that wearing one is comparable to the most heavenly hug you’ve ever received but also that it looks seriously marvellous too.

The joy of the teddy bear coat is that it oozes with a Sixties inspired sort of cool that is not inherent to London. It’s also perfect for those who like to make one strong statement with their clothes instead of lots of half-hearted little ones. In essence, the teddy is every outfit’s headliner and a coat that works best when worn with your favourite selection of pared-back basics.

This season there are more cosy covetable coats on offer than ever before. For the most up-to-date teddy’s around, head to Whistles where catwalk-approved pastel shades are in favour and also, to French favourite Maje who count the shaggy teddy as an intrinsic part of its DNA.

As a general rule, look for quality fabrics when hunting down your teddy — a shaggy shearling or high quality interpretation will look miles better then acrylics — and don’t shy away from volume. A teddy with a strong silhouette looks great with a narrow trouser while a longer style looks great strewn over a cocktail dress. Ready, teddy, shop.

Supersize you

Menfolk, it’s time you enveloped yourself. Simon Chilvers, style director for MATCHESFASHION.COM, praises outerwear that gives us room to breathe.

Boom! You’re barely out of your trunks and it’s time to think about a new coat. Truly, fashion can be an arduous beast. But with September ushering in a sort of inevitable back-to-school mindset, the Great New Season Wardrobe Switch Up is nigh. This season, there are two words to add to your coat vocabulary: ‘swingy’ and ‘roomy’. Now, admit it, doesn’t that make the thought of coat shopping sound altogether a perkier experience?

The autumn/winter 2014 catwalk heaved with roomy overcoats that swung down catwalks, from Saint Laurent’s jumbo fuzzy monochrome number to Maison Martin Margiela’s broad shouldered checked style or Valentino’s unbuttoned couture coats, which kicked out perfectly on either side. Languid, luxurious and long-lined outerwear also took starring roles at Louis Vuitton, Ermenegildo Zegna and Haider Ackermann. A key aspect of the rebooted overcoat is they come unburdened with chunky linings — this helps the swing factor. Check out Burberry’s cashmere Chesterfields and Jonathan Saunders raw edged wool versions for proof.

Topman, never one to miss a trend, included roomy overcoats in its catwalk range: sloped shouldered and long, they come in icy blue, ketchup red and classic black while its main line features a great budget version in navy blue, complete with a drop shoulder. Don’t worry if you feel slightly like you’re drowning in fabric, that’s kind of the point; the roomy overcoat is where minimalism meets cosiness.

Take that classic shot of James Dean in Times Square, mid-1950s, in the pouring rain. He is wrapped up in a long, dark wool coat, the jacket’s wide shoulders emphasised by the actor’s hunched-against-the-elements posture. This overcoat has nothing to do with shout-out-loud fashion and everything to do with grown up wardrobe appeal. Another cracking archive reference is David Bowie during his mid-1990s minimal phase: think almost floor length overcoats worn with roll necks, very 2014.

Modern poster boy Robert Pattinson is more often seen in bomber jackets. However, on the set of forthcoming film Life, based on a road trip James Dean took with photographer Dennis Stock, whom Pattinson plays and who shot that Times Square image, has seen the actor looking suitably sophisticated, swishing about in the kinds of coats, which give good hem swing.

Dean himself is being played by Dane Dehaan who has excellent roomy coat previous. In the recent Beat generation flick Kill Your Darlings, the takeaway Dehaan tip? Shove both hands in the pockets and pull the jacket into your body rather than buttoning up. Easy, sold etc, etc.

In association with Westfield