A statement parka with Charlie Gowans-Eglinton

I can’t stand carrying an umbrella – which would be fine, if I didn’t live in Britain. But even so I’m not relenting, especially as it’s usually too windy for a brolly to keep me properly dry anyway. Nor will I be putting on one of those plastic pac-a-macs that makes its own sound effects and turns my hair into a ball of static energy (only acceptable on a theme park log flume, at a stretch). My newest wardrobe staple is a cracker that will stop me from getting soggy in the rainy season, but also one that I’ll want to wear on dry days, too. It’s a parka that’s chic enough to wear with everything, even a party dress. 

The oversized cut leaves room for chunky knits, and the bum-covering length will work with trousers and dresses alike. The colour is neutral but not boring or too sombre (one of my pet peeves in winter, when days need brightening up all the more), and it has enough weight to keep me cosy when the wind picks up. Here’s how I’ll be wearing it, whatever the dress code – or weather forecast.