Warning: This story might cause the sudden urge to purchase autumn coats from Selfridges.
As I brace myself for the changing seasons (and that sad day I swap my closet over from dainty summer dresses to chunky knits), the only thing that makes the cooler temps more palatable is the thought of slipping on some new outerwear.
There’s nothing quite like it. A large, hero piece in any closet, autumn coats take serious consideration as it must be interesting enough to brighten up those grim winter days, but classic enough that it can go with most anything in your closet—and so you don’t get tired of it in a month. Sounds like a near-impossible find, but when I stepped into Selfridges on Oxford Street (AKA London fashion girl mecca) in search of the perfect piece I realised my struggle was going to be not leaving the building with all the coats I tried on.
There are fabrications and prints I naturally gravitate towards. Leopard print is all the rage this season, with every luxury brand from Dior to Alaia leading the charge, but I tend to prefer its more subtle sister—the zebra print—which happens to be the statement stripes splattered across Marc Jacob’s new collection, popping at Selfridges.
I couldn’t resist trying on the iconic Saks Potts faux shearling lined coat that every self-respecting fashion girl seems to own and found myself falling in love with a stunning, oversized Frankie Shop denim duster that nearly came home with me.
Of course, chocolate brown, butter yellow and reds being a dominant colours trend for autumn, I had to sprinkle some throughout to test just how versatile they can be.
Here are the autumn coats I tried on at Selfridges for this week’s Dressing Room Diaries…
The Marc Jacobs Zebra Coat
It’s hard to miss the Marc Jacobs autumn 2024 collection that popped up in the atrium of Selfridges. Immediately I was drawn to the capsule’s principal print—zebra. Splattered on dresses, knits and bags, I couldn’t help but wonder how a full coat in the statement stripes would look and turns out, even when paired with a matching knit under, it certainly makes for a commanding outfit. I love the cocooning fit and its hefty weight that makes it as a warm as it is stunning.
The Max Mara Teddy Coat
We’ve all seen the Max Mara Teddy coat on everyone from Kim Kardashian to Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, so of course I had to try it on. I love the dramatic lapels that give this giant coat some structure from the front, but I found it quite overwhelming on my frame. I did, however, love how it paired with a dreamy Jil Sander knit dress in butter yellow—a colour combo so could you could almost taste it.