The Winter Overcoat

On a cold evening the coat is what people see for the first and last twenty minutes, which makes it the piece worth dressing around rather than dressing under.

Everything beneath is deliberately quiet: one knit, one trouser, one shoe, all of them dark, so the navy melton is the only thing with weight to it.

Why it works

• Navy over charcoal over black is three shades of the same decision.
• The scarf is the only mid-tone, and it sits exactly where the eye lands.
• Merino under wool means no bulk at the shoulder when the coat is on.

Swap it

The navy blazer under the coat instead of the crew, if the room is colder than the street.