John Lewis Wide Leg Jeans, Mid Wash
£49.00
Stuck in a boring winter coat rut? Our style columnist makes the case for something brighter - and yes, you can still wear it every day
A coat is the most important buy in your winter wardrobe. Functionally, because a good one will keep you cosy (and a bad one won’t). But also because it is the single item that you’ll wear the most – even if underneath you’re wearing a catwalk’s-worth of brilliant outfits, the coat is the only bit that can be seen for so much of the day. So best make it a good one, right?
I stuck to school-uniform regulation navy, black or grey well into adulthood, since they seemed to be sensible go-with-everything colours suitable for any office or occasion. They are also, mostly, dreary. If you are going to wear something every day for months on end, then you should love it. It should bring out the colour in your eyes, clash perfectly against your favourite handbag, or brighten up a grey day – lots of grey days, actually.
My pick of the bunch is cobalt blue, vivid enough to stand out on a commuter train filled with boring black coats, but also a colour that’s easy to wear with what you already have in your wardrobe, from slouchy loungewear to denim and dresses…