Egyptian, Pima and Sea Island cotton pieces are supremely soft and durable Sunspel Sea Island Cotton T-Shirt

Also keep an eye out for: mercerized cotton, which has a finer feel and is more lustrous and resistant to shrinkage due to chemical washes, and merino wool, which is fantastically soft as well as temperature-regulating and moisture-wicking.

Synthetic fabrics – being specifically developed to withstand wear and tear – shouldn’t be automatically shunned. Ideal for coats and jackets made for braving the elements, outerwear crafted from synthetic materials is often lightweight, wind and water-resistant, breathable, and even reflective. Which would you rather brave a British storm in: a cashmere overcoat or a hooded nylon jacket? We rest our case.

Look to the likes of Moncler, Stone Island and Arc’teryx for man-made materials that are worth the expense.

Man-made fabrics are ideal for tackling the elements, making them great for outerwearStone Island AW15

Key Pieces

• Best Of British For M&s Collection New Pure Cashmere Ribbed Crew Neck Jumper
• Sunspel Sea Island Cotton T-shirt
• Suitsupply Blue Washed Egyptian Cotton Shirt
• John Smedley Luke Fine-knit Sea Island Cotton Sweater
• Uniqlo Men Lambswool Crew Neck Sweater
• Uniqlo Men Extra Fine Merino Polo Neck Sweater
• Arcteryx Veilance Align Shell Jacket
• Stone Island Ripstop Primaloft Hooded Jacket
• Moncler Chauvon Quilted Shell Down Jacket

Don’t Shop Blind

Ultimately, when it comes to materials, bricks and mortar shopping will always have the edge over buying online. Go into stores, touch fabrics, see how they hang on you, and hold them up against each other to compare and contrast.

Yes, purchasing online is convenient but filling out a returns form and waiting in a post office queue isn’t everyone’s idea of a fun lunch break. Unless you already have a good idea of how an item fits and its fabrication, swap cyberspace for old-school shopping.