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We get it. Throughout your life, you’ve likely been advised to tailor your garments to your body, ensuring a perfect fit for a more flattering appearance. While this timeless approach remains valid, there’s room — pun intended — to embrace a different perspective, especially when it comes to your overcoat. While my personal preference leans towards a sharper 60s cut for topcoats, there are moments when the comfort and swag of more voluminous outerwear beckons, especially as the temperature drops. Fashion, after all, is about finding what works authentically for you — different strokes for different folks.
Fashion-conscious guys and gals have been rocking oversized coats for quite some time now, but it is not just relegated to the street-savvy set. Everyone can, and should, look outside their comfort zone from time to time, and allowing for more volume and length in your coat allows for comfort infused with a certain swagger that resonates with the current fashion climate. Going for a longer, roomier overcoat opens possibilities — wear it with a hoodie (classic move, but it works), leave space for a chunky cable knit, or a denim or tailored jacket underneath. A coat with more room not only allows for this physically but creates an interesting contrast aesthetically. You can mix and match here as the coat is the one making the overall statement – all else is somewhat complementary.
That’s not to say you should go a few sizes up and call it a day. To avoid looking like you raided your dad’s closet when you were a kid, make sure the shoulders are draping correctly on your shoulders, and check the sleeve length is not too long. This way the look is intentional, not accidental. You also want to be wary of a too-boxy cut, instead allowing the coat to elegantly drape and move with your movement.
A swaggy-chic topcoat not only keeps you warm but also makes a bold statement, allowing you to wrap yourself up in the wool-like blanket and feel its sartorial silhouette drape in the wind. Whether it’s a double-breasted, peak lapel, raglan-sleeved, belted, or a combination, a coat with some volume gives you the freedom to exude a certain on-trend flair and ease of movement that an extremely tailored coat might lack. You can often tell if a coat has these attributes by how it fits the model online, and, some are even labeled oversized. Here are some of our favorites to buy right now.
This double-breasted buffalo plaid coat from Loewe is crafted from heavyweight boiled double-face wool. The fusion of these two fabrics eliminates the need for lining, resulting in a super-soft, warm, and perfectly draping and enveloping coat.
With wide lapels and boasting a striking, handsome blue houndstooth pattern, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more wearable, classic, yet unique option. This quite literally advertised ‘oversized’ coat from Todd Snyder hits all the right large-scale notes.
The Row is renowned for their luxurious minimal elegance, and this plain black wool and cashmere overcoat is no exception. With a knee-length cut and a robe closure detail, this oversized coat is perfect for both weekend errands and weekday work.
This double-breasted topcoat from Madewell is crafted from Italian fabric and features their signature Insuluxe fabric, ensuring warmth on the coldest days — all at an unbeatable value. With its relaxed cut and versatile charcoal color, you can rock this coat with streetwear or tailoring — either way, it all works.
A rich, midnight blue topcoat will never go out of style, and this relaxed-cut version from Gucci is no exception. Crafted from wool felt with broad peak lapels and cuff straps, its authenticity pairs effortlessly with jeans & striped T, or tailoring — or anything, really.
This oversized chocolate brown coat from one of New York’s coolest brands, Stoffa, is a prime example of studied nonchalance. The raglan sleeves — a sleeve that extends fully in one piece from the collar leaving a diagonal seam from the underarm to collarbone — add character and a vintage aesthetic.
Gant is known for their Americana preppy vibe and highly wearable accessories, but their super well-designed outerwear deserves a spotlight as well. The texture of the brushed wool, the wide lapels, and the camel color all make this oversized coat a home run at a steal of a price.
Private White V.C. describes their English Tweed overcoat as ‘being wrapped in a big tweedy blanket,’ and it undeniably looks and feels the part. In a limited-edition collaboration with Permanent Style, this herringbone-patterned coat, featuring raglan sleeves and a belted waist, would appear just as fitting overlooking the cliffs of Dover as it would over a hoodie strolling the streets of NYC.
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