HOW TO FIND THE PERFECT SPRING COAT

A 'Spring Coat' sounds like something only a Mitford sister would worry about.  And even then, Unity was probably more interested in black shirts.


So how has the Spring Coat made sly incursions on today's multitasking wardrobe, where, until recently, seasonless clothes have been the holy grail?

Personally, I'm happier with season-more.  Who was it who first said there is no such thing as bad weather, only inadequate clothing?  The Scandinavians probably, but who cares, because it has been repeated ever since by  everyone from Sir Ranulph Fiennes to me.  And it's true.  


There is simply nothing to be  gained by wearing skimpy 'summery' clothes before the weather has really changed.   There will do the very opposite of what's intended and depress you.

The Mitfords and their ilk, for all their faults, knew this.  An old-fashioned Spring Coat isn't some flimsy scrap of nothing in an 'uplifting' colour.  It is a proper coat, made from light but densely woven cloth.  Double-faces cashmere or alpaca, unlined, is best, or a wool mix, but a robust gabardine or cotton and linen mix also keep out the chill. The key is to find a shape loose enough to be layered over jumpers or lightweight down jackets.

The colour should make you happy - the fabric even more so, therefore it needs to be cosy but without bulk.  Get it right and it will serve you for many springs (and autumns - plus probably a few Augusts.  don't think of it as yet another coat, but rather the right kind.

(from Lisa Armstrong in The Telegraph)