How to wear a long wool coat

A long coat is the piece you are seen in most from November to March. People meet you in it, photograph you in it and remember you in it. That makes it worth choosing slowly and wearing deliberately. This guide covers the four decisions that decide whether a long coat looks considered or simply warm: the length, the shoulder, the closure and what sits underneath.

Start with the length

Long coats fall into three lengths. Knee length is the easiest to wear and the most forgiving with any shoe. Midi length, landing between the knee and the middle of the calf, is the length most of our coats are cut to; it reads as the most elegant and it covers a dress or skirt completely. Maxi length, at the ankle, makes the biggest statement and works best with a heeled boot or a substantial flat that gives the hem somewhere to land.

The rule of thumb: the hem should never stop exactly where something else stops. If your dress ends at the knee, choose a coat that clears it by at least ten centimetres. If your boots finish mid-calf, a midi coat that covers the top of the boot will look intentional; one that ends at the same line will look like an accident.

Oversized or fitted: read the shoulder

Where the shoulder seam sits tells you how the coat was designed to be worn. A dropped shoulder, where the seam falls a few centimetres down the arm, means the coat is cut oversized on purpose; it should look roomy, so do not size down unless the product notes suggest it. A seam that sits exactly on the edge of your shoulder means a fitted coat, and here the fit across the back matters more than anything else. You should be able to cross your arms without the seam pulling.

Oversized coats need a little structure underneath to stop them swallowing you: a fine roll-neck, a slim trouser or straight jeans, and a defined waist from the belt. Fitted coats can take more volume underneath, such as a chunky knit, as long as the sleeves leave room for it.

How to belt a coat

A self-tie belt is the most useful detail a coat can have, because it gives you two coats in one. Worn open with the belt hanging, the coat is relaxed and long. Tied, it shows the waist and makes the skirt of the coat flare a little as you walk.

• The loose knot: wrap the belt once and tie a single loose knot slightly off-centre. It looks unstudied and holds well.
• Tied at the back: when the coat is open, tie the belt behind you through the back loops. The front stays clean and the back gains shape.
• Over the coat, buttons open: leave the double-breasted front unbuttoned and let the belt alone close it. This is the softest, most draped way to wear a wrap-style coat.

What to wear underneath

Think of the coat as the outer frame and choose one strong line underneath. A black roll-neck with straight denim and knee boots is the combination you see in most of our photographs, because it lets the colour and cut of the coat lead. For evenings, a slip dress or a lace maxi dress under a black coat is one of the oldest and best tricks in dressing: the coat is the warmth, the hem of the dress is the surprise.

Five complete outfits

• Weekday: khaki wool coat, cream roll-neck, dark straight jeans, black leather ankle boots.
• Office: black fitted wool coat buttoned to the top, grey tailored trousers, loafers.
• Weekend: red oversized coat open, white T-shirt, light denim, white trainers. The red does all the work.
• Evening: black oversized maxi coat over a black sheer ruffle maxi dress, heeled boots.
• Travel: belted long trench, fine-knit sweater, wide-leg trousers, flat boots. It folds over a suitcase handle without creasing badly.

Choose the coat for the length and the shoulder. Everything else you can change every morning.

Shoes and bags

Long coats look best with a shoe that has some weight. Knee boots in leather are the natural partner. Chunky loafers and lug-sole boots suit the oversized cuts. Trainers work with the casual coats but keep them plain and clean. For bags, choose a shoulder bag with a short strap or a structured tote; long cross-body straps cut across the front of the coat and spoil its line.

Finally, check the coat in a full-length mirror from the side as well as the front. A long coat is seen moving, and the side view is where you see whether the length and the volume are right for you.