4 Ways To Wear It

Checks In The City

In a sea of commuter gear as dreary as the English Channel, check coats are a stylistic life raft. While everyone else wraps up in the same basic windstopper, checks let you add texture, pattern and color without going rogue on your office dress code. A textured overcoat or waxed cotton raincoat teams up nicely with a suit or roll neck but can also dress up a pair of jeans at the weekend.

Houndstooth and windowpane checks are the safest options for corporate surroundings, while tartan throws some Celtic swagger at the other end of the spectrum. For something in the middle, find a Prince of Wales check with a strong accent tone and smuggle some color into your work wardrobe.

Ted Baker

Think Big

Oversized winter coats are a staple of British heritage menswear. It’s Withnail or Sherlock Holmes and looks excellent with tailoring and layered knitwear. But these days you don’t have to be a traditionalist because the oversized trend is now as much about streetwear as Baker Streetwear. Pick one that’s as long as it is baggy and wear it over a hoodie.

The XL styling means it’s wise to go large with the checks themselves to keep things in proportion. Then continue the maxi vibe with an overtly tactile fabric, like a coarse wool or alpaca. It might feel like a big look, but it’s one that will last, says Arnold. “The oversized overcoat is an essential wardrobe staple that can be worn year on year.”

Zara

USA! USA! USA!

Bold plaid checks in primary colors are synonymous with rugged American outerwear and have been since the mid-19th century. Not that you have to be a woodsman in Minnesota to make this work. “A worker jacket or plaid overshirt is a practical option for the winter season and lends itself to more of a streetwear look,” says Arnold.

The classic red and black buffalo check is a little overdone, but blues, greens and yellows all look authentic – or try an extra pop of color with a Madras check. Whatever your preference, keep the American dream alive with mid-wash blue jeans and a plain tee or some chunky knitwear, but swap the work boots for sneakers. You don’t want to look like a fancy dress lumberjack.