My fashion formula for the perfect winter coat… How to dress like an adult with SHANE WATSON

Can a jacket be too smart? I think it’s possible. I dream about a navy military-style jacket I once saw on a woman in the park – it had flashes of red and looked like it cost three months’ rent.

But in real life, even if I could afford it, how often would I wear this jacket? Once a year? Twice? Never, because it would always feel a little too clever?

I mention this because this year marks the return of the proper coat. Go into any shop on the High Street and you will find custom-made long, double-breasted coats; Midi wrap coats with belt; short, neat swing coats; checked jackets; and faux fur coats in every length.

What they all have in common is that they are old-fashioned jackets. Good button-down jackets with lapels in fabrics and styles we wore before the advent of the down-filled puffa, the fleece-lined parka and the all-weather hooded mac.

Last fall a quilted khaki lining was at the top of the fashion crowd’s wish list, this year it’s a coat that Kate Middleton could easily wear during her public engagements.

Kate Moss’ gray faux fur coat, worn over a dress and boots, adds a glamorous touch to her evening look

Awesome! But with so much choice, how do you choose one?

First choose a jacket that you immediately like (you will keep your hood waterproof for all weather days) and then check the following.

Will it keep you warm? Many jackets look sturdy, but feel the quality and do not keep out the cold. And the thinner it is, the less it will keep its shape.

Will it overwhelm you? I’m tall and have tried on double-breasted midi coats that feel like lead and look like drainpipes.

Is there any movement? Not all jackets need a back vent, but a longer overcoat can look solid without one.

Does it feel nice? A nice coat, if it’s stiff and scratchy, won’t be comfortable to wear and you’ll end up putting it away for that extra smart day that never arrives.

Which brings us back to . . . think about how you are going to wear it. You want a jacket that will fit over most of the clothes you wear (is it roomy enough for a chunky turtleneck?), making you look instantly dressed, but not overdressed.

After all those calculations, you’ve eliminated half of the jackets, leaving you with the following choices:

A relaxed, knee-length coat like Gigi Hadid’s goes with everything, over everything

THE PEACOCK COAT

There are a lot of masculine double-breasted jackets, but in terms of versatility, you can’t beat a shorter, tailored jacket – which is covered to mid-thigh with a bit of an A-line flare.

In other words: a peacoat or a variation on the iconic maritime style with double-breasted buttons and thick lapels.

I’ve been a fan of peacoats for a long time because they flatter everyone, you can wear anything under them and they never go out of style.

Turn up the collar and you look like a cool New Yorker; leave it alone and you have a nice jacket to take to work or out to dinner.

In my book it should always be navy blue – try John Lewis (£159, johnlewis.com), or & Other Stories (£225, stories.com), or Marks & Spencer makes a relaxed variation on the theme (£99, marksand spencer.com).

THE RELAXED SHORTER JACKET

It’s all about the relaxed fit and the shorter length, so it goes with everything and goes over everything, but at the same time it has to look neat and tidy.

Marks & Spencer has a good tailored single breasted coat in electric blue (£69) and I like Mango’s Crombie style short relaxed double breasted coat (£99.99, mango.com) in black , sage green or a pale oatmeal.

If you prefer to go longer, Hush has a lovely relaxed-fit coat in camel (£249, hush-uk.com).

THE FAKE FUR

If you feel like your everyday coat is covered and you want to add some pizzazz that goes with everything, a faux fur coat could be the solution.

These come in all lengths this year and are smooth and chic, not the fun fur in bright colors of last year. I’ve just bought one from Zara in ice grey, which isn’t too dissimilar to the Max Mara one (£79.99, zara.com).

A light gray fur coat seems wildly impractical, but as long as you don’t let the dog sleep on it there’s no problem and the whole point is that it’s fun – a topper that makes you smile when you’re in the mood – not to mention not to mention extremely hot. I have not seen a better priced, higher quality faux fur.

If you’re not into fur, how about a soft blue checked M&S coat, similar to the sell-out pink one Sienna Miller featured in that advert (£160).