The Financial Times

The slouchy coat

Quoted from The Financial Times

“A spring coat pulls everything together and solves the problems of weather and of day-to-evening dressing,” says Annabel Hodin, a London-based stylist whose clients include professionals and celebrities.

The post-lockdown coat, whether a medium-weight wool, a trench or a take on the parka, must have one thing, according to Hodin, and that’s slouch. “That’s the look of the moment. Slouch is luxury, no scrimping on material. Even if you’re petite, a little fitted coat like the Queen used to wear isn’t going to do the job right now.”

The ultimate purveyor of the right kind of slouch in Hodin’s opinion is The Row. “It does the right proportion. Even if you don’t buy from there, it can be your inspiration.” The brand’s Dilona cashmere, wool and silk coat fits the bill (£3,960, mytheresa.com, entirely out of my budget but, please, feel free), while Max Mara’s wrap coat in beige (£850, maxmara.com) and Max Mara Studio’s wool cashmere and silk in ivory (£815) ooze similar nonchalance. A trench is another option, but Hodin says no to any colour other than a spin on beige, and it must be a roomy style.

Under your coat, top-to-toe one-tonal colour is the “most modern” way of dressing, says Hodin. “It’s elongating and lends more presence. I wear top-to-toe cream or a cream-beige mix, all black or all navy with a coat in navy, black or a powdery pastel. Powdery makes you feel wonderful and is much more useful than bright.”

With the exception of Acne Studios, most brands and buyers seem to be playing it safe by stocking only neutral coats this season. But for a more casual look, Hodin likes the quilted coats of varying lengths and (powdery) colourways by British brand Marfa Stance (from £595, marfastance.com). “They’re really fantastic, not a predictable parka, more like a car coat. The pale yellow you could wear to work over a shirt,” she says. “It’s all about going for relaxed impact.”