Does no one wear a coat any more? – have you noticed this too?

[clary]

So I am really not a big coat person. Apart from a short waterproof badged with my club that I wear when my summer officiating role includes a rainy day, I own one coat – a 5yo Seasalt rainproof coat with a hood and a cosy lining.

The main times I am outdoors tbh in cold or rain are a) watching DS play his sport or b) when I am out at an event (Christmas craft fair, trip to concert or theatre) or on a winter city break where I use public transport. Otherwise I drive to work (not accessible any other way unless you live close enough to walk).

Maybe that's it. I mean I think of myself as a coat refuser but even I wore one to work yesterday – it’s almost November, chilly and possibly rainy. But when I put it on the coat stand and then took it off at the end of the day, there was only one other coat there.

So do Gen Zs and Millennials (I am neither but there are lots at my work) just not wear coats any more? Any thoughts?

I don’t think I own a coat - too bloomin’ hot since menopause.

I am alwsys amazed by how many people wear coats so often! Its v mild and I only put sweatshirt back on a couple of weeks ago and yet see people in coats and hats and it's mid teen temps... what do they wear when it's 0?

Yes...
Coat off, coat on, coat off, coat on...... repeat a million times.
I'd rather not bother to have one and just put a scarf/hat on if I am actually chilly.

Back in the Olden Days none of us ever wore coats up in Nottingham.
(caveat to say I don’t know what it’s like now, hopefully someone might update 😊)

I always find it amusing in Europe in the shoulder seasons - to see all us Brits out in vibrant shorts and skimpy summer sportswear - whilst the locals walking alongside us are invariably already in head to toe black, long puffer jackets and scarves - when it’s 20 degrees.

I'm a millennial but work almost exclusively with Gen Z and none of them wear coats. I do think coats are an older generation style.

I've recently thinned out my coat collection as most just weren't getting worn.

Overall it's warmer than it used to be.
I'm in my 50s and my body is running hotter these days.
I WFH so can bunker down for the day if the weather's particularly vile.

I only bought a proper coat when DS started playing grassroots footy 🤷‍♀️

Early 40s here. Years ago I treated myself to a posh trench - I would live in it if I could - utterly obsessed, it is timeless. I also have a huge winter coat for dog walks when it is too cold. My kids on the other hand seem to live in a state of perpetual heat where anything resembling a coat would be akin to torture. My son is currently out in a polyester American sport vest meanwhile I've got logs on the fire and the heating on.

18 people in my sightlines, only one without a coat.

Although they might keep a spare one in the car. I have one, a hi vis one, for this purpose.

I see people wearing coats all the time although I'm mostly looking at adults, so that includes millenials. I think teenagers tend not to wear coats but I figure it's because it covers up their carefully chosen outfits.
I'm in London and quite centralish so people rarely drive and need to keep the rain and wind at bay walking to the bus and tube. I have lots of coats and generally put one on automatically as part of going out from mid-October to February. If it feels warm or I go indoors I just take it off and carry it (or hang it on my dc's buggy handle).

I don't often use accessories like a hat, scarf, gloves. I find it more of a hassle to keep track of 4 little bits, it's easier to zip my coat up and put the padded hood up and stuff my hands in my pockets, then drape my coat on my arm when I go indoors, than find somewhere to stash a hat scarf and gloves. My usual coat is a uniqlo ultralight so I can even stuff it in its own sack if I need to, and it weighs barely anything.

@clary Climate change is a factor. First, I think some people may be embracing the cold after the insufferable summer we had. Second, some of these autumn days have been warmer than usual.

As for boys and young men; some of them intentionally don't wear coats to convey that they are hard men who are immune to the weather. That's why they also run around wearing shorts in the middle of winter. I find the idea of not wearing warm clothing to convey a "tough guy" image absolutely cringe-inducing, but that's what some men are doing.

Agree Londoners are in coats - can’t be waiting on buses, tubes and trains when not dressed warmly!

So I reckon this is highly correlated to standard of public transport and dog ownership.

I wore my coat today.
In the weeks following the heat wave when it was still a pleasant mid 20s outside, I put it on in the supermarkets who are on a 3 week lag with their aircon - feckin' freezing!

Same. Or at a push a gilet :)

The 'big coat' usually goes on end of October, and is then surgically removed sometime the following May!

I have a multitude of gilets, jackets and coats which cover most eventualities. Most are more casual and suitable for dog walking.

There are some days that I have needed to wear my long waterproof/windproof dog walking coat this autumn as it’s been wet and the wind has been bitter.

I wear a coat. We are lucky enough to be able to walk to and from school and work though

All these people who don’t take a coat when going in the car….do you not worry what would happen if you break down? I always take a coat (but don’t wear in the car as it impairs the seatbelts).

I love the idea of a cape but being short and fat I fear I would look like a hogwarts professor. Where do you get yours? Can you link? I’m intrigued.

I live in NZ - land of the puffer jacket! People wear them all year round, all ages, I wore mine one day this week (in spring). These people who don't take coats because they drive to work - do none of you leave the building in your lunch breaks?

When I was working I walked so there was no way I was going out on a frosty morning without a coat/jacket.

You mention about watching DS play sport... Do people not wear coats to this?

I feel it hugely depends on where you are and lifestyle. When I drive, I don't wear coats - although keep one in the car just in case.

When I'm in London, coats all the way. Not many people in London that don't wear a coat, and it's a very young city (Gen Z/ Millenials)

The example you gave of nobody at work wearing coats may be just that - people driving in. Equally, I see a lot of people keeping coats at their seat, and even wearing their coat indoors if the heating isn't working well.

Side note, do you class puffer jackets and gilets as coats? As that's mostly what younger people wear where I am...

My family has it the other way round
Its very rare that I wear a coat, a cardigan is enough for me
We hike and if I have to put on a coat because its raining I end up hot, sweaty and with the coat stuck to me
My gen z young adult owns several coats for different weathers from warm dress style coats to waterproof puffer jackets
Gen alpha son also likes his coats including ones from nordic countries to deal with extreme cold
I swear they ain't my kids lol
Out and about most people of all generations seem to have coats on in recent weather but oddly younger generations seem to be wearing shorts and a t-shirt with coats over

I’m mid-40s, love the summer (live in the south) yet have an unhealthy obsession with coats. I bloody love them, have way too many. Multiple colours and styles of leather jackets, wool coats, dog walking coats, casual coats. I don’t wear them all (and most definitely not all at the same time 🫣🤣) and often forget I have them, putting off wearing them unless I really have to, because I’d rather channel my inner teenager and go without, yet I can’t help being drawn to nice coats!!

I’m in the grim North, I’ve had my big coat on, with a scarf.