A British winter rarely announces itself. It is not the deep, dry cold of a continental January so much as a long run of damp, grey mornings somewhere between three and eight degrees, broken by a week or two when the temperature genuinely drops. The coat that serves you best is the one built for the ordinary days rather than the exceptional ones, with something warmer in reserve. This guide sets out how we think about it, and which pieces from our coats collection suit which kind of winter.
Why a wool overcoat beats a puffer on the commute
For most of the season, and for most of the week, a wool overcoat is the better choice. Wool holds warmth without bulk, breathes when you move between a cold platform and a heated carriage, and sheds light drizzle far better than its reputation suggests. It also sits properly over a jacket or a jumper, which a puffer, however well made, rarely does. A knee-length coat covers the seat of your trousers on a wet bench and keeps the wind off your legs on an exposed walk from the station.
The Hampstead Longline Overcoat is our answer to the five-day week: cut long, regular through the body, with enough room to layer. Worn over a shirt and a fine-gauge knit it will carry you from November through to March on all but the coldest mornings. Our full range is in the overcoats collection.
Stand collar vs double-breasted vs peacoat, and which suits you
The silhouette matters more than most men expect, because it decides how the coat behaves when it is done up, which in Britain is most of the time.
A stand collar fastens high and clean at the neck, so it keeps the wind out without a scarf and looks as considered with knitwear as it does over tailoring. It is the most modern of the three and the easiest to wear. The Wimpole Wool Stand-Collar Coat (£179) is the one we would recommend first to someone buying a single winter coat this year.
A double-breasted overcoat gives you two layers of cloth across the chest, which is genuinely warmer, and a broader, more traditional line through the shoulder. It rewards being worn buttoned. The Greenwich Double-Breasted Overcoat is cut to sit over a jumper and suits a man who likes a little structure.
A peacoat is shorter, usually hip-length, with a wide collar that can be turned up against the weather. It is the most casual of the three and the easiest to drive or cycle in, but it leaves the thighs exposed and offers less cover in a downpour. Choose it if your winter is mostly short journeys and weekends rather than long walks.
Down puffers for the coldest weeks
There will be a fortnight, perhaps two, when the forecast drops below freezing and the wind comes round to the north-east. That is what a down jacket is for. Fill power and fill ratio tell you most of what you need to know: a jacket filled with a high proportion of down rather than feather traps more air and weighs less for the same warmth. The Harley Hooded Down Puffer (£159) uses a 90% down fill with a hood that actually stays put, and packs small enough to live in a bag until it is needed. For the full range see our puffer jackets collection.
A word of realism: down loses its loft when it is soaked through, so a puffer is a cold-weather coat rather than a wet-weather one. On a mild, rainy day, reach for the wool.
How to size a coat to layer over knitwear
The commonest mistake is buying a coat that fits perfectly over a shirt in October and then will not fasten over a jumper in January. Decide first what you will wear underneath on an ordinary day and size for that. If that means a mid-weight knit, your usual size in a regular-fit overcoat should be right; if it means a chunky jumper or a suit jacket, go up one. Check the shoulder seam sits at the end of your shoulder, that you can cross your arms without the back pulling, and that the sleeve finishes at the wrist bone, so a cuff of knitwear shows beneath it. Every WARDLEY coat page carries a garment measurement table, and our size guide explains how to compare it with a coat you already own.
What to wear underneath
Keep it simple and keep it breathable. A cotton shirt or a fine merino base, then a single layer of knitwear that is warm but not bulky. A ribbed half-zip such as the Ashby works particularly well under a stand collar because the zip and the collar meet neatly at the neck. Add a scarf on the colder days; the Chiltern cashmere scarf is light enough to fold into a pocket when the sun comes out at lunchtime. Leave the heavy layers at home. A good coat should do the work.
Everything in this guide ships with free tracked UK delivery in three to five business days, and if the fit is not right you have 30 days to return it.
