Winter coats you can buy now and wear until summer… Dress like an adult with SHANE WATSON

You’ve probably had the thing going around. Is it super cold? Is it the flu? Is it a post-Covid hybrid that is slightly worse than both, but with less congestion?

Anyway, this is the time of year when you message your girlfriend “Now I got it” and she texts you back “Oh no!” Receive First Defense and Vitamin C (up to 3,000 mg).”

And this year you might also receive a photo of your girlfriend, in front of the mirror in her brand new coat, with the message: ‘If you better buy this. It makes you happy every day (M&S!)’

That’s where we are at the end of 2023 with jackets. They’ve broken away from the outerwear section and are now the happiest and most talked-about item in our wardrobe.

For a long time, all we wanted in a jacket was a high-tech answer to keeping us warm and dry, but now we’re interested in all the other benefits we forfeited in the navy blue puffa years: the uplifting, mood-brightening, entrance-making:’ Wow! Now that’s what I call feeling ready to go out.’ Properties that you find in a good jacket.

The Princess of Wales looks stylish in a red coat worn over a tartan skirt and paired with black boots

And come December, not only are we in the mood, we’ve got the added incentive of some pretty cold weather and Christmas in a few weeks.

A coat isn’t just for Christmas, but now feels like the perfect time to buy a nice, warm, special winter warmer, if you haven’t already.

My friend’s cheerful coat and the one that will brighten your (and everyone else’s) holidays is a gorgeous poppy red, textured, single-breasted piece (£79, marksandspencer.com).

I’m not crazy about red as a party color, but a fluffy bouclé red coat with a good thick lapel collar and good buttons (snaps won’t cut it) looks great over any block color or a print with a hint of red – the Princess of Wales has this look elaborated down to the last detail.

It’s a perfect way to add a touch of festive pizzazz that – come spring – will look beautiful with camels or shades of blue. Red is so smart.

If you want to be cozier, the shorter (mid-thigh) faux sheepskin version of this coat in off-white is a bargain (€69).

This too has Christmas value – you can easily imagine Cameron Diaz in The Holiday wearing it with all the other off-white shades in her wardrobe – but it also has potential for next year and looks chic with black trousers and a black white and white striped sweater, that’s how they style it on the website.

Jaeger stays true to M&S, but goes up in price: Jaeger has a quilted, reversible coat (£250) – scarlet on one side, navy on the other – that does exactly what it says on the tin. It is fully reversible (‘for two cool looks’) and the quilting is in a subtle J-stitch which makes it look expensive.

Pussycat Doll and TV host Ashley Roberts pairs her red jacket with green silk trousers and a matching shirt

Shane Watson recommends going for clear or white when it comes to a winter coat

But what really makes this jacket special is the removable double-sided scarf. I’m not really into quilting in general, and I wouldn’t look twice at it if this was plain navy blue, but with the giant twisted red stripe at the neck it’s striking and elegant.

Another brilliant bright coat, also at the pricier end of the scale, is Hush’s Scout wool coat (£299, hush-uk.com). This has many advantages: warmth, a great cut (long and double-breasted) and smart color.

I say smart because Mediterranean blue isn’t the first shade you’d reach for in winter, but it really suits the season and, like a bright blue sky on a snowy day, looks great with off-white or beautiful color blocks with shades of blue. blue or clashed with a color like red.

Faux fur coats are still hitting the stores and one that caught my eye is Zara’s shaggy ecru coat (£89.99, zara.com). Faux fur has returned to the classic Blackglama look (Blackglama is the name given to fine dark mink).

But this one stands out because it’s the perfect icy pile color, with just a hint of Anita Pallenberg in her glamorous rock chick era.

Last but not least: the all-rounder jacket that never goes out of fashion, keeps you warm and works with an R in all months of the year, is a classic sheepskin leather outer.

There are some good counterfeit options on the High Street, and once again Marks & Spencer comes out on top (£99). The sheepskin lining looks authentic, the buttons are high-quality faux bone, and the longer line (it goes around the knee instead of mid-thigh) works better in winter. To enjoy.