And just like that, coat season is officially upon us once again. With it comes a slew of fresh trends (or anti-trends) to keep us looking chic and warm this winter. Finding the perfect coat can often seem like an overwhelming task. For one thing, coats don’t often come cheap, so you’ll probably want to take time to consider before making an investment purchase. You’ll also want to ensure you’re choosing something that not only feels comfortable, warm, and stylish but will also rack up a lot of mileage on your outerwear odometer.
If you need some coat-buying guidance this season, then you’ve come to the right place. After analyzing the fall runways in great depth, seeing what’s trending with the fashion It crowd right now, and getting plenty of input from our Who What Wear editors, we rounded up the must-have styles to invest in this season. From cape silhouettes to beautiful brown tones, keep scrolling for every major 2024 coat trend to consider adding to your cold-weather wardrobe.
Curious about what insiders will personally be shopping for and wearing this winter? I’m here to inform you that their number-one item is a cape coat. These dramatic toppers swept the runways from Chloé to Bottega this season and their impact is simply undeniable. If you’re after a luxe and sophisticated vibe with your cold-weather wardrobe, a cape coat is just about the chicest sartorial decision you can make.
It should come as no surprise to see that the color that has been dominating everything in fashion this year—from handbags to shoes—is also set to have a strong moment with outerwear for the remainder of the year and well in 2025. I’m talking about none other than chocolate brown, and the many rich and nutty tones we spotted on the fall runways that indicate the color trend is only morphing and growing stronger as we enter coat season.
Ever since the launch of Phoebe Philo’s namesake collection which featured a delicious eggplant-hued leather jacket complete with a high funnel neck, everyone and their mother has been buzzing nonstop about the tall neckline and how chic it is. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that Philo singlehandedly sparked a major outerwear trend with a single piece because since then, funnel-neck jackets and coats have been a key silhouette across wool coats, trenches, and leather jackets in the fall collections.
This season, designers are giving a fresh twist to classic tailored wool coats by morphing them into beautiful hourglass silhouettes that nip in at the waistline and flare out at the hips. It’s a powerful take on corporate attire, and per the runways, looks especially chic paired with tights and pointed-toe pumps, a combination I’m expecting to see fashion people utilize in the coming months.
Whether they’re faux or faux real, massive fur coats are yet again on the menu for winter 2024/2025. When it comes to getting all dolled up in the evening or making the most casual looks feel more fashionable, adding a fluffy, furry coat atop your look is the only way to go. Cue Carrie Bradshaw’s fur coat-and-pajamas outfit in the New Year’s Eve episode of Sex and the City.
Just as some outerwear themes are new and forward-thinking this season, some are as classic and timeless as ever, and the return of the little peacoat is an example of the latter. Designers like Bottega Veneta, Ferragamo, and Miu Miu all shared their vision of a woman’s winter wardrobe complete with a swingy and short double-breasted wool coat in shades of charcoal gray, navy blue, and olive green.
Functional and fashion-forward, toggle-embellished coats are trending this season thanks in part to their large presence on the fall 2024 runways. (We’re looking at you, Altuzarra.) The outerwear piece feels fresh and of the moment for winter—especially when styled with contrasting feminine pointed-toe pumps.
Source: WhoWhatWear
