The autumn is finally here, we can feel the colder weather creeping up on us as the nights start to get longer. Personally, the autumn time is one of my favourite times of the year, don’t get me wrong I love the summer sun and heat but there’s something special about this time of year. It’s the time we see the leaves change from velvet green to dusty orange brown and it’s the time of year when we start to layer up with our men’s knitwear and men’s outerwear.
Stay protected from the Autumn weather with outerwear
The climate is changing, we can no longer deny it, because of that change we see strange weather patterns with irregular heat waves and sporadic storms. But we can rest assured as we head towards winter, we can expect two things: rain and cold weather. It’s important to stay protected against these elements and one of the most important items of clothing for any man during this time is a quality, well-made coat. There are a few important elements one must consider when buying a winter coat / jacket, and they are: water resistance, breathability and functionality.
Before we go into these, the purpose of why you are buying the coat is also very important. For example, if you want to buy an everyday coat or jacket then you need a durable, well-wearing coat that’s heavily water resistant (ideally waterproof) and breathable. But if you are looking to buy that special piece of outerwear that you will save for the memorable occasions, then you would look more to the finer finishes and luxury fabrics that feel extra special when you wear them.
Water resistance
Probable one of the most important factors when buying a winter coat is the water resistance, it’s important to choose a coat that has sufficient water resistance as we’ve all experienced a time in our lives when we have been soaked through in cold weather. Herno have been making coats & jackets for over 70 years since the end of World War II. In that time, they have developed their signature ‘Sartorial Engineering’ mantra which they develop into all their garments. The Laminar range is their answer to rainwear, made with GoreTex fabrics these are mostly waterproof or extremely water resistant. The key piece this season is the ‘Herno Laminar GoreTex 2 Layer Parka With Detachable Hood’ which comes in black.
Another brand which has perfected this is Nobis, they have used a Sympatex® membrane that allows their coats to be waterproof to 10,000 mm and windproof. The Yatesy is their classic parka which is just about as technical as it comes when it comes to materials and construction, they also make models called Oliver and Wayland that are reversible (2 in 1) coats with one side made with a Sympatex® membrane and the other a quilted nylon finish (for drier weather).
Breathability
Now it’s all well and good having a coat that keeps you dry but you don’t want a coat that overheats easily. A coat must keep you warm but regulate your temperature so that you don’t overheat, that’s why having a coat that is breathable is very important as it stops over heating from occurring. This seems straight forward but is often a hard balance and only the best manufactures and brands have mastered this fine art, one of them being Mackage. Mackage is a Canadian brand that is relatively new in the outerwear game compared to some of the others but has absolutely blasted onto the scene with some great pieces such as the Edward Parka, Dixon Bomber and many more styles.
The Edward parka which is available with fur (Edward-X) and without fur (Edward-NFR), is one of those coats you put on and you never want to take it off. Minimalist and clean in design this coat has a removable hood and chest piece which allows you to dress the coat sportier with the hood and more smarter without. The 800+ traceable duck down and 2-layer fabric with membrane allows this piece to keep you warm way into minus degrees and keep you cool on an autumn / winter evening.
Functionality
As we mentioned previously it’s important to know what kind of coat you want to buy and why, if you’re looking for more rain protection then Herno’s Laminar range and Nobis are great options. If it’s a more rounded coat that you can dress smarter then Mackage has some lovely styles. Then if you want the most luxurious fabrics and craftsmanship then look no further than MooRER.
MooRER is a 100% made in Italy brand founded in 2006 by Mr. Moreno Faccincani in Veneto. This brand is like the Rolls Royce of the outerwear game in our opinion. Usually, priced higher than your average piece of luxury outerwear these coats are made from some of the softest and most luxurious fabrics around. It isn’t an everyday coat brand as the finer fabrics means that you need to take a bit more care with them but the attention to detail and craftsmanship is undeniable as soon as you touch and open any one of their pieces. Some of the key pieces this season are the BRETT-SH, ALBERT-SHK and CASCIANO-FUR-SH.