A proper coat is one of those wardrobe purchases where getting it right matters significantly more than getting it quickly and we’ve learned this lesson the expensive way by buying something that seemed fine in the shop in October and then resenting it by December. What we look for when we’re buying a coat is whether it works with the actual range of things we wear rather than just one specific outfit. Something that only goes with suits isn’t a coat we’re going to reach for very often. Something that works over a suit but also over weekend clothes is a coat we’ll wear constantly. Fit matters enormously here too. A coat that’s too short makes your legs look strange. One that’s too long makes you look like you’ve borrowed someone else’s. Somewhere between the hip and the knee depending on the specific style is usually the right territory. Spend properly on something in good quality wool and it’ll last for a decade.