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From cropped scarf coats to a Meghan Markle–approved wrap Wool Coat
As much as my fashion-editor heart adores a fall coat trend, I’m determined to spend this season and next in a single, beautiful, reliable coat that won’t feel dated by 2024. The best wool coats are up for the challenge.
Big, voluminous, structured wool coats have a certain advantage other styles don’t. Whether they’re mid-length or skimming my ankles, the best wool coats are often polished enough to be my fall outfits’ main attraction. (Quality versions are, of course, naturally well insulated and feel soft to the touch.) Designer Maria McManus loves to stack layers like banded V-neck tops and cashmere hoodies under her wool coats as temperatures drop. Some versions come out of the box in such gorgeous condition, elevated winter basics are all she needs to wear with them. “The right coat doesn’t require much—even [wearing it] over a white T-shirt and old jeans does the trick,” she says.
Finding that “right coat” comes down to a balance of first impression aesthetics and straightforward function. The higher the percentage of wool in a coat’s knit, the warmer you’ll be. And over all, “a classic silhouette, superb fit, and quality fabrication are what make a wool coat last through several seasons,” McManus says.
Shop 21 of the best wool coats that check all of those boxes ahead. Each coat was selected based on materials, style, shopper reviews, and my own extensive testing.
Editors’ note: This story was originally published in 2022 and updated with new wool coats in 2023.
Take a page from celebrities’ off-duty style and try one of Mango’s affordable longline coats. As fans like Katie Holmes, Sienna Miller, and Gigi Hadid can attest, it’s a versatile, structured option. Thankfully, being featured on Deuxmoi isn’t a requirement for owning it. This one comes in three colors and inclusive sizing, and it has a removable belt.
Colors: Green, medium brown, black
From puffers to shackets to cocoon coats, Aritzia makes winter outerwear everyone can adore. I’ve found everything I could need from a wool coat in the Only Coat, a single-breasted overcoat that can withstand Arctic temperatures (specifically, down to -4 degrees Fahrenheit). This one comes in 11 rich colors to suit whatever’s already hanging in your closet.
Colors: Camel, cedar, gray, black, taupe, and more
What reviewers are saying: “Embrace the oversized look. I bight in Pilar gray and get SO many compliments. She’s gorg.”
As part of one of fall 2023’s most exciting collaborations, former Givenchy creative director Clare Waight Keller designed an open-faced wool coat that looks so much more expensive than it is. It’s a collarless design that can be layered like a cardigan, yet it’s just as warm as a standard wool coat.
What reviewers are saying: “I fell in love with the coat the moment I tried it on. The sleeves are amazing… roomy enough to look chic and accommodate layers underneath yet not big enough to wear you down (even if you have a petite frame). More than anything, I love the flow of the coat. It moves beautifully as you walk. Seems slightly kimono-inspired while still looking modern and sharp. It’s sophisticated and bohemian in equal parts to me. Looks best with a flared long/longish skirt.”
This coat sums up everything that keeps me coming back to AYR for everyday classics. The Closer is a single-breasted belted wrap coat made from a top-notch Italian wool that looks great on top of casual errand outfits and wedding guest dresses alike. When you’re in danger of overthinking your winter outerwear, it’s the coat you know will look good regardless of how you style it.
Colors: Camel, shiitake heather, navy
What reviewers are saying: “Initially I was concerned that the package was so light but once I put it on I fell in love with the coat. The Navy color is dark and beautiful. The quality of the material and cut is impressive. I bought a small since I always wear small and there is room for a big fluffy sweater. I never spent this much on a coat before so I was ready to return it if I wasn’t sure of it. I love it.”
Can a wool coat cure incoming seasonal depression? Medical professionals might want to study the effects of this vibrant coat on anyone who wears it. The red wool is such a welcome switch-up from the classics, whether it’s worn over a neutral sweater and jeans or a sequin holiday dress.
Colors: Red, soft brown, mist blue, black
What reviewers are saying: “This coat is as classic as they come, and beautifully executed. Nicely lined, love the tan color, love the pockets, the cut, and the red under the collar - what a fun touch! Quality and stitching is excellent. It’s not super thick, but is very warm due to the material.”
This Ralph Lauren coat is the embodiment of fall, with its rich red-and-hunter-green plaid. It’s made from a wool and alpaca blend that will keep you cozy as you walk through an apple orchard or around your nearest city.
This clean minimalist wool coat has more than meets the eye. For days when you want to stay neutral, the gray side with a high-neck fastening can go on the outside. Then when you’re feeling more colorful, the coat reverses to a stunning iris blue. The entire coat is made from a mix of wool and cashmere for the softest, coziest feeling.
Sizes: XXS–XXL, 1X–3X
Add the eternal shape of a single-button car coat to a warm wool check fabric, and you land on a wool coat that will last for decades. This style from Skall Studio, one of my favorite brands from Copenhagen Fashion Week, encapsulates just why Scandi brands are so revered for their outerwear. The shape is practical enough to wear all over the city—even on a bike—but the overall look is timeless. Personally, I’d love to channel Skall Studio’s runway styling and tie a lace or crochet scarf on top.
Cape coats are the silhouette for dressing like the main character. This high-neck, highly comfortable version takes only a second to pull on, but it’ll immediately make your winter outfits that much more opulent, thanks to its volume and steely gray shade.
What reviewers are saying: “This is the best thing for weekends out or really anything. Super cozy, can dress it up or down, and looks great with leggings and boots.”
When I think of a big, sexy fall coat, the Row is exactly the label that comes to mind. Its oversize coats are a highlight of the fall and winter collections each year. For 2023, all eyes are on this double-breasted wool coat with exaggerated shoulders and long sleeves.
It’s been a few years since Meghan Markle first wore a version of Mackage’s waterfall wrap coat. Many special appearances and feverishly tracked outfits later, this coat style is the first that comes to mind when I think of the best wool coat with Markle’s endorsement. The 2023 update comes in cream, black, and sand, all with a draping fold-over neckline and instant royal-adjacent elegance. Reviewers say it’s a lighter-weight option—the better to smartly layer other sweaters underneath.
Colors: Cream, black, gray, sand
What reviewers are saying: “I bought this in sand and it is the most beautiful coat. It’s lightweight and luxe. Dress it up or down. It’s long. I bought a medium and I’m 5'6" and it’s below mid calf, but it’s beautiful belted or worn open. I would highly recommend.”
Short cocoon coats are the best shape to try if you’re looking for a more transitional silhouette. This mid-length jacket won’t fully envelope you or conceal your outfit, but it’s plenty warm on days you’re wearing slouchy trousers and a light sweater.
Colors: Gray check, black, camel, navy, oat
What reviewers are saying: “Bought this last year and was very pleased with the fit, style, color, and material. Perfect to wear with pants and dresses. Looking forward to wearing it this winter again.”
If the best cape coats ask whether you’re the drama, the best shackets do the aesthetic opposite. They’re the easygoing layer that doesn’t ask for extra attention or an Instagram Story shout-out—just that you pull them on every time you’re in need of a relaxed but cozy jacket. This slightly cropped style from Reformation is oversize with a boxy shape, best layered with a creamy turtleneck and straight-leg jeans.
Sizes: XS–XL Colors: Nutella, beige, Ghirardelli
Oversize blazers and straight-leg jeans are my most-repeated outfit formula. To update it for dropping temperatures, I’ve swapped a suiting blazer for this wool-blend blazer coat (layered over a black turtleneck sweater, of course). Chic may be an overused word, but this jacket is exactly that. It uses the classic codes of suiting, but it doesn’t look like it’s trying too hard.
Slipping on this jacket is as close as one can get to a weekend at an English countryside estate without a plane ticket and a passport. The toggle buttons and patches of corduroy make this vintage-inspired jacket feel even more like a Princess Diana moment—and since it’s crafted in a cozy wool, it will never fail to keep you warm.
As for styling? Fashion Month was full of ways to modernize classic barn coats, such as layering one over a midi tulle skirt and chunky sneakers. You can’t go wrong with a cable-knit sweater and denim combination, either.
Toteme’s scarf jacket has dominated the world of outerwear for more than a year now. With the same bell sleeves, warm wool, and detachable scarf details, plus expanded colors to choose from this year, I can’t imagine this coat’s reign will end any time soon.
Colors: Chocolate, gray, black, harvest, light gray
Your search for the end-all, be-all belted camel coat ends with Max Mara. The house is known for elegant clothes for women who know what they’re doing and need a wardrobe to help them get there, outerwear included. Whether you cinch the belt closed over a blouse and slouchy trousers or wear it open over a winter dress, the result is the same: It’s simply sophisticated.
What reviewers are saying: “This is a beautiful coat! I purchased for a trip up north and I wasn’t disappointed. […] Ordered my usual size and it fit perfectly. Also [received] a number of compliments from strangers? Always a reminder that it was a super purchase.”
Runway credentials aren’t the only thing going for this delicious Dries Van Noten coat. The classically rounded shoulders and single-breasted closure are accentuated by spritzes of gold embroidery and beading at the waist. At last: Bundling up in a coat doesn’t necessarily hide your shape.
Tory Burch’s peacoat explains why the classic style is trending yet again, just by balancing a modern oversize fit with those classic double-breasted buttons and heavy wool. This particular fall select is also one Bazaar editors called the “perfect transitional coat.” If you’re tapped out on black outerwear, Tory Burch has a deep olive option for a twist on classic neutrals.
Here we have the epitome of a minimalist winter wool coat. Another Tomorrow cut this slightly oversize coat with same understated precision as its best suit sets, and released it in an embellishment-free, classic black. Enjoy it over everything you own this winter—it’s the most versatile option on the list.
Halie LeSavage is the fashion commerce editor at Harper's BAZAAR. Her style reporting covers everything from reviewing the best designer products to profiling emerging brands and designers. Previously, she was the founding retail writer at Morning Brew and a fashion associate at Glamour.
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