A coat is the piece you wear most and replace least, so it is the one we are slowest to buy. Every coat on the floor has passed the same four checks.
The shoulder comes first. A coat that fits at the shoulder can be altered almost everywhere else; one that does not, never quite sits right. Our stylists check it on three body shapes before we order.
Third, the finish inside: seams that are bound or felled, buttons sewn on with a shank, a hem with enough allowance to let down.
Then the cloth. We look for a dense weave that holds its shape after a wet Queen Street commute, and a lining that lets it slide over knitwear without catching.
Third, the finish inside: seams that are bound or felled, buttons sewn on with a shank, a hem with enough allowance to let down. These are the details that decide whether a coat lasts ten winters or two.
Last, the colour. Camel, charcoal and navy do the most work for the most months. If you only buy one, start there, and book a stylist if you want help choosing.
