I've Tried On So Many High Street Coats—These 3 Need to Be Seen

It feels as though as soon as September arrived so too did autumn. After months of bare arms and light layers, we’ve been plunged into the cooler days, almost overnight, and our wardrobes called out for us to shift our summer wares for autumn icons. In response, I immediately looked to my coats and jackets that were last seen in late spring and concluded I was ready for something new to celebrate the months of cold weather on the horizon. With longevity in mind, high quality a must and sleek style a prerequisite, I naturally turned to Whistles.

(Image credit: @florriealexander)

As I like to go the extra mile in supporting our readers through their shopping journey, I hit the shops to add extra guidance on fit, size and texture. And after one stroll around my local shop it was clear that Whistles’ autumn collection is set to be a strong one. There’s a plethora of cosy knits, a concise edit of sleek tailoring and a footwear collection to rival designer styles. But with coats top of my shopping list, I quickly honed in on 3 elevated styles that offer both a fashion edge and timeless design in equal measure.

The trifecta of coats covers three iconic styles; the leather jacket, the trench coat, the wool coat. These three styles return every year, ready to bring an elegant finish as the outermost layer of our autumn and winter ensembles. With temperatures steadily dropping, let’s get straight into it. For reference, I’m 5’2″ and usually wear a size 8/small.

Keep scrolling to shop the three standout Whistles coats.

SHOP THE 3 STANDOUT WHISTLES COATS:

1. THE RILEY TRENCH COAT

Woman wears a beige trench coat from Whistles

(Image credit: @florriealexander)

Style Notes: Whilst I could go on and on about the timeless nature of a trench coat, or how versatile it is pairing with day looks as well as elevated evening ensembles, I have to talk about how soft this coat is. Made from a viscose and polyester mix, the fabric is incredibly soft to the touch, making it also extremely comfortable and drape in such a good way. Here I’m wearing the size 6 as the coat is oversized, which is a size down from my usual size, but with knits underneath my regular size will be perfect. The beige shade is my personal favourite for its nod to the classics, but Whistles knows that we all have different preferences, offering this trench in black and khaki too. Even though I’m 5’2″ I love the look of the length on me, but if you prefer a shorter style, both the beige and khaki colourways come in petite versions too.

Shop The Riley Trench Coat:

Riley Trench Coat

Whistles

Riley Trench Coat

Whistles

Riley Trench Coat

Whistles

Riley Trench Coat

2. THE CLEAN BONDED LEATHER JACKET

Woman wears leather jacket from Whistles

(Image credit: @florriealexander)

Style Notes: The Whistles Clean Bonded Leather Jacket has become an iconic piece within fashion circles. Taking on the leather jacket style in a pared-back, minimalist way thanks to the simplified silhouette and refined design that gives it an enduring elegance. The oversized silhouette further adds to its fashion credentials, ready and waiting to be layered up with chunky knitwear or simply worn with a T-shirt like I have. With many of our editors having tried on this particular jacket, we’re unanimous in the fact that its best to size down for this style. Like the Riley Trench Coat, the Clean Bonded Leather Jacket comes in three shades—black, brown and khaki, and the black also comes in a petite option too. Here I’m wearing the size small in petite.

Clean Bonded Leather Jacket

Whistles

Clean Bonded Leather Jacket

Whistles

Clean Bonded Leather Jacket

Whistles

Clean Bonded Leather Jacket

3. THE JULIA WOOL DOUBLE FACED COAT

Woman wears camel coat from Whistles

(Image credit: @florriealexander)

Style Notes: A wool coat is destined to be worn on repeat from autumn, through winter and into spring if the British weather is anything to go by. Covering three of the four seasons, this makes it a smart piece to invest a little more in. It takes a special design to bring together ease and elegance in one combination, and the Julia coat does just that. The relaxed shape is primed to layer over even the chunkiest knits, supporting both easy day looks like mine or ready to step up to the challenge should you be heading to the office or a more glamorous event. The silhouette again is oversized, and as it is already flying off the shelves I was only able to get my hands on the size medium, but have already checked online for my preferred size small.