Is it politics, the climate, or both? All we know is that uncertain times call for comfort dressing. As luck would have it, the imminent arrival of autumn presents us with the ideal opportunity to indulge our cosiest desires in a staggering array of stylish guises as a whole new season’s worth of coats and jackets make their debuts on MR PORTER. Among them are ankle-grazing overcoats, cashmere peacoats, cocoon-like down jackets… The list goes on. Before they sell out, as they invariably will, we thought we’d take you through a few of our favourites. A new coat is a serious investment, and you’ll doubtless want to be suitably well-informed before you take the plunge.

While it only scratches the surface of what’s available, this new-season primer should point you in the right direction. Read on.

Short in the body and with a sharp shoulder, the peacoat is one of those rare garments that looks good on just about anybody. The specimen we’ve chosen here is from Loro Piana, an Italian company renowned for producing some of the most luxurious textiles in the world. Cut from a fabric blended with cashmere and virgin wool, which lends it an unrivalled warmth and softness, this is a thoroughly grown-up take on an old naval classic and a coat you’re sure to be wearing for years to come.

The most versatile option in terms of formality, a single-breasted topcoat works just as well with a suit as it does with a sweater and jeans. Accordingly, it’s perhaps the primary choice for a smart man to buy. As for which one in particular, there aren’t many that make a more compelling case for inclusion in your wardrobe than this beautiful example by Brioni. Made with a touch of llama hair in the fabric, which lends it a lightweight quality without sacrificing warmth, it’s tailored to perfection, as you’d expect of the vaunted Italian outfit.

Form follows function in this army-green jacket from Jacquemus, part of an outdoorsy collection named Le Meunier and inspired by the traditions of rural France. The robustness of the cotton-canvas fabric is emphasised by white top-stitching, while four pockets add to its rugged utilitarian charm. It’s a real go-places-and-do-stuff kind of coat. Mr Simon Porte Jacquemus is still a relative newcomer to the world of menswear, having introduced his debut collection only last year, but pieces such as this reveal him to be a supremely talented designer with an innate understanding of what men actually want to wear.

While the trench coat’s origins as a military-issue garment are still apparent here – note the epaulettes on the shoulder and the large buttoned pockets, which were originally used to store territorial maps – this take on the old classic has travelled a seriously long way from the battlefield. It’s made from a resilient nylon-gabardine material that’s been a signature of Prada since the 1990s and can be found on everything from its much sought-after backpacks to bucket hats and blouson jackets. Here, it comes in a forest green that has the advantage of going well with most other colours, but darker hues – as seen above – are a particularly dashing foil.

Autumn can be awfully drab, can’t it? As the nights draw in and the colour drains out of the landscape, perhaps it’s sensible to mirror this change in the way we dress. But what if the standard palette of black, navy and grey doesn’t do it for you? Resist the instinct to tone it down by donning this oversized kaleidoscopic coat from Dries Van Noten. Made from a quilted shell fabric that’s been stuffed with a blend of wool and cashmere, it’s as warm as is it is vivacious (which is to say extremely). If you’re bold enough to wear this, you won’t require much further style advice, but might we suggest you keep the rest of your outfit subdued? This doesn’t need a supporting act.

Cut from a curly, cream-coloured wool-and-alpaca-blend fabric and tailored for a slouchy fit, this coat from AMI is a real showpiece. We mean that quite literally – it opened the brand’s AW19 runway show. But how does it stand up when removed from the anything-goes context of a fashion catwalk? Admirably, if you ask us. Sure, it might raise a few eyebrows if worn on the first day at a new job, but throw it on at the weekend – perhaps while strolling along the leaf-strewn boulevards of AMI’s native Paris? – and you’ll receive nothing but approving glances.

Greatcoat by name, great coat by nature. This military trope can trace its heritage back a couple of centuries and remains a popular choice to this day. While a greatcoat traditionally features military epaulettes and extends below the knee, there are plenty of modern versions that play with the form while remaining true to the spirit of the original. This version, Belstaff’s New Mildford model, is a keenly desirable case in point, what with its shorter length, softer shoulder, broad lapels and double-breasted button configuration.

The leather jacket reaches new levels of refinement in the hands of TOM FORD (who else?). In shape, this is a fairly standard trucker jacket – note the identifying features such as the point collar and chest pockets with pointed flaps. In construction, however, it’s something completely different, cut from smooth calf leather that’s been stamped for a croc-effect finish. A typically upmarket take on a staple from the master of elevated menswear, this is one of those so-called investment pieces that truly earns the name.

Along with its trademark sleeve patch, which has become such a cult status symbol that it’s even earned its own parody Instagram account (@stonedislandpatch), Stone Island is perhaps best-known for its innovative approach to garment fabrication. Take this down-filled jacket, made from Crinkle Reps, a nylon fabric that’s been coated on the inside with a weatherproof resin and then garment-dyed for a crinkled finish. A cold-weather standard given a cutting-edge reworking, this is Stone Island at its finest.