How to choose a winter coat
To choose a winter coat, pick the length first, then check that it fits over your thickest layer and what it is made of. Warmth comes from the fabric, the lining and any fill, so read the composition rather than judging by looks. Below is each choice in order, using the Masidas coats for women and men as examples. The mac and the trench are compared near the end.
How long should a winter coat be?
Length decides what a coat can cover. A short coat moves freely over jeans and trousers. A coat to mid thigh covers a blazer, and a coat to the knee or below covers a dress or a skirt. Here are our coats from short to long, in size S, or M where a coat starts at M.
| Coat | Length | Its page says |
|---|---|---|
| Stand collar puffer jacket | 24.4 in (S) | A boxy puffer |
| Belted cape coat | 24.8 in (S) | A short coat |
| Button front mac coat | 31.9 in (M) | Falls to mid thigh |
| Single breasted overcoat | 33.5 in (M) | A slim fit overcoat |
| Lapel button coat | 33.5 in (S) | Cut long and straight |
| Longline tailored coat | 33.9 in (S) | Hem just above the knee |
| Double breasted coat | 37.4 in (S) | Sits just above the knee |
| Lapel collar longline overcoat | 42.9 in (S) | Hem below the knee |
| Open front trench coat | 48.4 in (S) | A long open front trench |
Where a hem lands depends on your height, so compare these lengths with a coat you own.
Winter coat sizing: leave room for your layers
A winter coat has to close over your thickest layer, so judge the fit with a sweater or a blazer underneath. Read the chest measurement in each size table and compare it with a coat you own. Some of ours need care with the size:
- The longline tailored coat runs small, and its page says to take one size up from your usual size.
- The button front mac is cut in Asian sizing. For room over a sweater, its page says most US shoppers go one size up.
- The double breasted coat covers a blazer comfortably, as its page says.
- The single breasted overcoat has a little stretch, which helps it sit well over a jacket.
- The stand collar puffer jacket is a roomy cut with space for layers.
Our measuring guide shows how to take your own measurements. For what to wear underneath, a quarter zip sits neatly under a coat, as our guide on how to style a quarter zip explains.
Single or double breasted winter coat?
A single breasted coat has one row of buttons. It is simple and easy to wear open, over a suit or over a knit. A double breasted coat has two rows of buttons and a wider overlap across the chest, which gives it a more structured, formal look. Our double breasted coat has notch lapels. For men, the single breasted overcoat is slim, with notch lapels.
What makes a winter coat warm: fabric, lining and fill
What a coat is made of decides how warm it is. Wool and down are the classic warm materials. Polyester can make a light layer or a warm one, depending on its weight, its lining and any fill. Read the composition on each page, and treat a coat with no lining as a lighter layer.
All nine coats in the table are polyester or mostly polyester, as each page states. The lapel button coat is lined. The lapel collar longline overcoat, the open front trench and the belted cape coat are unlined, so wear a knit underneath on cold days. A fine knit takes less room under a coat than a chunky one: see women’s knitwear and men’s knitwear.
Puffer coat or tailored coat?
A puffer is the casual choice: roomy, quilted and quick to put on. Ours has a high stand collar that comes up to the chin, a polyester shell and a polyester fill. Its page calls it warm without bulk. A tailored coat, with lapels and buttons, goes over a suit, a blazer or a dress. If you can have only one, choose by where you go most.
Mac vs trench coat: what is the difference?
Both began as coats for rain. A mac is plain and single breasted, usually with a point collar and a row of buttons. It takes its name from the mackintosh, an early rubberized raincoat. A trench is cut fuller, traditionally double breasted, with wide lapels, a belt and shoulder straps. Its name comes from the First World War, when British officers wore it in the trenches.
Our button front mac coat is a single breasted mac with a point collar, buttons down the front and button tabs at the cuffs. It falls to mid thigh and sits neatly over a suit. The open front trench coat is a looser take. It is a long, open front trench with wide lapels and side slits that let it move as you walk. Neither page promises protection from rain, so carry an umbrella when it pours.
How to care for a winter coat
Check the care line before you buy, because coats differ:
- Dry clean: the longline tailored coat.
- Hand wash or professionally dry clean: the lapel button coat.
- Machine wash cold, tumble dry low: the double breasted coat, the longline overcoat, the trench, the cape coat and the single breasted overcoat.
- Machine wash cold, hang to dry: the button front mac.
- The puffer: follow the care label sewn inside.
Questions about winter coats
What winter coat goes over a suit?
A coat to mid thigh or longer, with room at the shoulder. Our button front mac falls to mid thigh and sits neatly over a suit. The single breasted overcoat has a little stretch that helps it sit well over a jacket.
Should you buy a winter coat a size up?
Only if the size table says so, or if you wear thick layers. Check the chest measurement against a coat you own. Some of ours run small, and their pages say to go one size up.
What is the difference between a mac and a trench coat?
A mac is plain and single breasted, with a point collar. A trench is fuller, traditionally double breasted, with wide lapels, a belt and shoulder straps.
Is a polyester coat warm?
It depends on its weight, its lining and any fill. A thin, unlined polyester coat is a light layer, while a polyester fill, as in our puffer, holds in warmth. Read the composition on each page.
Masidas sells knitwear, coats and dresses for women and men. See every coat in women’s coats and jackets and men’s coats and jackets. For what to wear under a long coat on a night out, see our guide on what to wear to a holiday party.
