Most people own more outerwear than they wear. The reason is rarely taste — it is overlap. Three coats bought in three different Novembers usually turn out to do the same job, and the one that gets worn is whichever is nearest the door.
Start with the weather you actually get
Not the weather you imagine. If your winter is mostly cold and dry with a few wet weeks, you need one warm coat and one that sheds rain. If it is mostly wet and mild, invert that.
Three coats is usually enough
A long coat for the days that need to look considered. A trench or a shorter weatherproof layer for rain. A puffer or an insulated jacket for the cold end of the range. Between them they cover a whole season without repeating.
Buy for the layer underneath
A coat that fits perfectly over a shirt will not close over a heavy jumper. Try the coat with the thickest thing you plan to wear under it, or size up one step and let it hang.
Length changes what it goes with
A hip-length jacket works over trousers and jeans and looks short over a midi dress. A longline coat covers everything and makes almost any outfit look deliberate. If you only own one, make it the long one.
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