Reiss

Trench Coats

The trench’s origins are as murky as the weather it’s designed for. Initially claimed by Aquascutum in the 1850s, Burberry reinvented the style in 1901 as the army officer’s raincoat and its legend was forged in Belgium’s trenches.

But it’s made its mark on civvy street too. From Dick Tracy’s canary yellow to Morgan Freeman’s outerwear as Detective Lt. William Somerset in Se7en, the trench coat is the tell-tale uniform of the private eye.

Perhaps because the trench is so easy to style. “It’s the most versatile of all outerwear options, as it can be dressed up or down seamlessly,” says Kemp. “Make sure it fits well at the shoulders and flows nicely with your build. Look for a lightweight, water-repellent material, and the length should finish at mid-thigh. You can easily wear it over your suit, or dress it down with a check shirt, black jeans and minimal white trainers.”

This season, the trench is going large. Long and often oversized too, the switch-up leaves more than enough room for suiting or thick winter knitwear underneath. But the point is more about formality. Floating and flapping in the wind makes the style a lot more casual, reflecting wider trends in menswear and lends the style to high-low outfits that involve denim or even sportswear.

Zara

Raincoat

Few of the so-called wear-anywhere coats are fit for purpose when the weather forecast is one that would worry Noah. Materials like shearling play poorly with rain. So when the heavens open, you need something more robust. “A rain coat should fit true to size,” says Kemp. “Don’t go too slim, as you’re likely to be wearing it over a couple of layers, or too big, as it will overwhelm your shape and, more importantly, let the rain in.”

Waterproof fabrics are a must, naturally. But don’t be fooled by ‘water repellent’, which will shrug off the odd shower, but not rain that’s like having a shower.