If you started your coats collection from scratch, what would you have without excess?

[LoopingTwice]

I have never been a coats person, thinking them expensive heavy necessary evil, probably stemming from wearing heavy coats growing up in cold climate.

Now in my 40s in the UK, through trial and error, I am almost at peace with my selection. I have:

A navy wool wrap coat from Jaeger (2 years old)
A navy down duvet long coat from Gant (new)
A long black trench from Warehouse when it was good, leather buckle (about 10 years old)
A short black leather bike from Debenhams collab with Preen (about 12 years old)
Dark olive waisted utility jacket from Baukjen (1 year old)
Black waxed jacket from Belstaff (about 5 years old, an expensive mistake, but I am trying to love it or might sell)
Black longline fur lined ultimate biker from Whistles that looks like a long aviator (3 years old and another mistake, but I will wear it for local walks and gym to get the value)

What is missing is a something light in colour and versatile for spring-summer like the denim jackets used to be - I looked at the windbreakers but I am short and small, they swallowed me.

And a faux fur coat that I should have bought instead of the Whistles biker. DD has one and I love the mob wife vibes….

I don’t own a coat. Or a jacket

Those with lots of coats - where do you hang them all? DD has moved out, so we are now using her wardrobe and struggling for space. But DH does have 30 coats if not more and does wear them all somehow.

I have a triple built in wardrobe all to myself!

@LoopingTwice we have a massive built-in cupboard in the hall (some other houses in our street have it converted into a WC) which houses coats and stocks of toiletries. DP calls it “the apothecary”.

@LoopingTwicelots of wardrobes, DH also doesn’t have a lot of outerwear. Big puffers go in the loft

Some of the best money I’ve ever spent is on my Holland Cooper Marlborough coat. They’re not cheap, but I honestly don’t think you can get the same quality for the same price elsewhere. I’m planning on getting another in a different colour.

Black wool calf length Armani for funerals.

Rab navy with mustard lining hooded down jacket, very warm.

Trench coats
Nichole Farhi short beautiful iridescent olive green, silk/cotton mix, fancy flounced buttoning.

Armani long trench in chocolate brown canvas, perfect with orange scarf and bag.

Pringle navy trench with patterns cut out of the fabric.

Filthy farm coat.

Padded blue coat I should really Vinted.

Short olive green leather jacket by bcbgmaxazria.
Teal stretch denim, short.

Pale yellow boucle jacket for over a favourite summer dress.

I love a coat, covers a multitude of fashion sins.

I love this thread! I couldn't start from scratch. They all have their place! have:
A super lightweight beige cotton jacket
A lightweight beige hip length raincoat from Uniqlo
A denim jacket
Grey Uniqlo hip length puffer jacket (that's the warmest I need in London and I'll replace it this winter)
A Hobbs black wool jacket with a boucle collar - probably 10 years old
Seasalt navy raincoat
I just bought an Ugg Coleta Bubble jacket in green ready for autumn
M&S ice grey wool 3/4 length coat
Red Hobbs wool coat (about 8 years old)
A black borg jacket and a beige Borg jacket
A couple of blazers

I live in Scotland where we can get all 4 seasons in one day and I'm embarrassed to say how many coats and jackets I own. I regularly try to thin out my wardrobe and fail dismally. In defense of my extravagance it's a collection I've purchased over 20 years. Here goes:
1 Black Jaeger winter maxi (expensive mistake at £600, worn 3 times)
1 Camel Jaeger winter coat (also expensive @ £500 but worn often and always complimented on)
4 Trench coats - black, stone, navy/taupe, and light grey with hood
4 hooded rainproof jackets - pink, white, grey and yellow.
1 gold padded 3/4 jacket
2 Parkers with fur trimmed hoods - pink, rust
I have even more short jackets and blazers. They are all classic styles and therefore don't date. When I attempt to thin our my collection, I try them on and end up hanging them back in my wardrobe because I love them ALL I'm a lost cause!

I live rurally and have pared it down to:

a super-warm and indestructible shooting jacket
a Boden animal print cotton rain Mac.
a fitted red & navy traditional wool overcoat
a long, slightly more glam Jaeger coat
a black max mara swing coat
a black poodle wool evening jacket
two American ski jackets

I am equipped for every eventuality😊

I’ve got a Jigsaw city coat in grey, a shorter jigsaw wool coat in dark red, a navy wrap knee length wool coat from Reiss, a black short wool jacket from ME + Em, a black canvas jacket from Whistles, a long waterproof hooded mac from Jaeger (M&S), a navy padded parka type jacket with a hood from Jigsaw, a short black duvet type jacket and a black faux fur jacket. I won’t be needing so many dressed up wool coats now I’ve finished work I suppose. I took a load of jackets and blazers to the charity shop last year as after Covid the office went much more casual.

I have:
The warmest 3-layer coat from Patagonia - in navy. Works for when it is freezing cold or when I am standing at the edge of the ice-rink during my son's hockey practices.
A Max Mara "Manuela" coat in navy - their classic camelwool one. It is gorgeous, knee length. I wear it a lot in the winter.
A Sentaler baby alpaca coat in burgundy, a shorter length than the Max Mara, so good for the car during the winter.
A navy blue Burberry trench coat - for wet days in colder weather.
A navy blue Protected Species waterproof - for wet days that are also warm.
Two Moncler short, packable down-jacket, one more sporty, one with a round neck and no collar, which is a little more dressed up.
A short, dark, denim jacket (maybe from Sandro, can't remember).

I want a short autumn/ spring jacket and was looking at the pale pink Burberry ones, but also hesitating as I know the color and style will date... but do really like it.
us.burberry.com/cropped-tropical-gabardine-mayfair-trench-jacket-p81264701

My dream coat would be a maxmara camel wool coat in a lovely caramel colour. But that is very unlikely to happen.
The jigsaw maxi coats look nice too and a lot cheaper.
I also want a cropped bouclé cream jacket with gold buttons.

Max Mara do have different ranges at different price points. All expensie of course but I saved up.

The main line of cashmere coats are incredibly expensive. I got one of the S MAx Mara virgin wool coats (the sleeves only are lined in silk). I bought it on holiday and ended up paying around £700 after the tax back was claimed but I later saw it on sale in the UK for similar.

You can often get a Weekend Max Mara coat in the sale for around £500.

They are still very expensive I know but they are also often available on Vinted too.