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It’s that time of year again, when we start to think about layering up and the hunt for a new winter coat begins.
There are so many to choose from on the high street, but if you don’t know where to start, fear not, as our Fabulous Fashion team has scoured the shops to find their favourites.
From coats that come complete with a detachable scarf, to on-trend leopard, there is so much to choose from.
Scroll below to find your favourite - and see how our Fashion team has styled each one.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I own far too many coats - but I can’t resist adding a new favourite each year.
I love autumn/winter fashion, and John Lewis always tops my list for outerwear.
I’m obsessed with this scarf coat and pleasantly surprised by its reasonable price.
The detachable scarf makes it versatile enough to wear into spring and the hits at my hips and elongates my legs.
Plus the navy colourway goes with pretty much everything else I own, so it’s a true investment piece that I’ll get lots of wear out of.
I’ve styled it with an argyle jumper and suede bag for a look that's great for both everyday wear and the office.
Coats are my catnip. Do I need another one? No.
Will I buy one anyway? Of course.
For years, I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect leopard print coat and this one from River Island is just that.
It's not faux-fur (which always makes me feel like I'm in fancy dress) and the straight, tailored cut makes me feel instantly put-together.
Layered over an LBD for a night out or with my usual jeans and a jumper, the coat still performs - and makes a statement.
I’ve had my eye on this coat from Kitri for a while.
I love everything about it: the vinyl fabric, the burgundy hue and the detachable fur around the collar and the sleeves - meaning you don’t have to worry about it getting soggy in the wet weather.
Because it's such a statement coat, I’ve kept the rest of my outfit simple: a plain t-shirt from COS, which is the best I’ve come across on the high street for quality, with some wide leg jeans and a smart bag, plus leopard print .
Despite being trend-led, this coat is such a classic shape that I know I’ll get my wear out of for years to come.
I am a sucker for a big oversized coat and there is something just so cosy about this borg number from Arket.
I already have a jacket version that I have worn to death for the last few years so I know I will get my money's worth out of this one, and because it's much longer, it'll keep my bottom warm when the temperature drops.
I spend most of my weekends outdoors so this is the perfect coat to wear to a long dog walk that ends in a country pub with a roaring fire and a pint.
I can also switch up the accessories and style it with chocolate suede bag and boots for a day out in town.
Basically, I am not taking it off until March!
Fabulous' Fashion Director, Tracey Lea Sayer shares her thoughts.
I WAS 10 when I first discovered the utter joy of high street shopping for clothes with my mum and nan.
Going into town on Saturday became a family tradition – a girls’ day out we would look forward to all week.
My mum’s favourite shop was M&S, where she would gaze at jackets with big shoulder pads and floral sundresses, while my nan would make a beeline for John Lewis and their classic coats and elegant court shoes.
I was all over Tammy Girl – Etam’s little sister – and Chelsea Girl, which was later rebranded to high street fave River Island.
I would spend hours in the changing rooms, watched keenly by my two cheerleaders, who gave the thumbs up – or thumbs down – on what I was trying on.
Frilly Ra-Ra skirts, duster coats, polka dot leggings, puff balls, boob tubes… I tried them all, often making my nan howl with laughter.
Fashion wasn’t so fast back in the 1980s and every item was cherished and worn until it fell apart – literally – at the seams.
At 18, I went to art college and my tastes became more refined.
Extra cash from a part-time job in a bar meant I could move on to slightly more expensive stores, like Warehouse, Miss Selfridge and the mecca that was Topshop.
I knew at this point I wanted to work in fashion because the high street had totally seduced me.
One day, I wrote an article for a competition in a glossy mag about my love of retail therapy and my favourite LBD – and I won!
That led me to where I am today – Fashion Director of Fabulous.
It’s not just me that loves the high street – big-name designers are fans, too. When ‘Cool Britannia’ hit in the Nineties, they all turned up in one big store.
‘Designers at Debenhams’ was a stroke of genius by Debenhams CEO Belinda Earl, designer Ben de Lisi and fashion director Spencer Hawken, who introduced diffusion ranges from John Rocha, Matthew Williamson and Betty Jackson to name a few.
This meant we could all afford a bit of luxury and wear a well-known designer’s signature style.
Years later I hosted a night with Debenhams and Fabulous for 250 readers, who were in awe meeting all the designers. It was a real career highlight for me.
In 2004, H&M started rolling out their international designer collabs.
Karl Lagerfeld was first, followed by Roberto Cavalli, Marni, Stella McCartney, Maison Martin Margiela, Sonia Rykiel, Comme des Garçons, Balmain, Versace and many, many more. I could barely contain myself!
Then in 2007, Kate Moss launched her first collection with Topshop, with thousands queuing along London’s Oxford Street.
I remember sitting behind Ms Moss and Topshop boss Philip Green at a London Fashion Week Topshop Unique catwalk show.
I had my three-year-old daughter, Frankie, in tow and we both made the news the next day after we were papped behind Kate, my supermodel girl crush.
At the time, the high street was on fire. Who needed designer buys when Mango stocked tin foil trousers just like the designer Isabel Marant ones and you could buy a bit of Barbara Hulanicki’s legendary brand Biba from Topshop?
High street stores even started to storm London Fashion week.
Although Topshop Unique had shown collections since 2001, in 2013 River Island showed its first collection in collaboration with global superstar Rihanna, who was flown in by a friend of mine on a private jet. KER-CHING!
A whole new generation of high profile high street collabs followed.
Beyoncé created Ivy Park with Topshop’s Philip Green and I even flew to LA for Fabulous to shoot the Kardashian sisters in their bodycon “Kollection” for Dorothy Perkins.
I am pleased to say they were the absolute dream cover stars.
Fast forward to 2024 and while the high street doesn’t look exactly like it did pre-Covid, it has made a gallant comeback.
Stores like M&S, Reserved and Zara, and designer collabs like Victoria Beckham X Mango and Rochelle Humes for Next are giving me all the feels.
The supermarkets have really come into their own, too, smashing it with gorgeous collections that look expensive, but at prices that still allow us to afford the weekly shop.
The last 30 years of high street fashion have been one big adventure for me. Bring on the next 30!
