Make a statement this winter with your trusted overcoat .

Menswear, on the whole, evolves at a much statelier pace than the breakneck speed of womenswear. It’s this considered progression that makes many men’s staples remain firm fixtures for decades, unchanged by fickle trends, and the trusty overcoat is a prime example.

There was a time when the overcoat was more than just a garment; it stated your intentions. In Gentleman – a book widely considered a style bible by many menswear aficionados – author Mr Bernhard Roetzel writes: “Superficially, the prime function of the overcoat is to protect its wearer from the cold, wind, dust and rain. But it also demonstrates that he is on his way somewhere. By putting on his overcoat, a man indicates his intention to leave. By taking it off, he indicates he has arrived.” Today, this statement still has resonance – the long coat is your protective cloak against the elements as you head from A to B on a blustery, damp winter’s day.

It might have been all about bomber jackets in recent seasons, but as the style capitals’ catwalks proved, the long coat is very much back on the map for AW18. Here’s how to excel at the long game.

Combining two of this season’s key trends, double-breasted tailoring and shearling, Paul Smith’s hefty wool overcoat will be the backbone of your sartorial arsenal in the face of an arctic blast; you’ll definitely want this on your back when the next Beast from the East arrives. Long coats, by their very nature are more formal than their short-hemmed brethren, but if you’re concerned about looking a bit stiff, pairing one with smart casual separates is a good shout. A brightly-hued knit – such as this striped number from Maison Kitsuné – will bring a mood-lifting splash of colour to a muted winter palette. While a pair of grey wool-flannel trousers and sturdy Chelsea boots provide a solid grounding to the look, and the latter, a firm footing on those damp city pavements.

If you’re a keen reader of MR PORTER, you’ll know that oversized shapes are – for want of a better phrase – big news this season. But these capacious designs are essentially a revival of the enveloping, mid-century coverup favoured by your grandad, albeit with a modern twist. Balenciaga’s iteration is made from cloud-soft virgin wool, making it infinitely more comfortable than those scratchy tweed designs of old. Team it with an easy layering zip-up sweater, lean black chinos to balance the volume and of course some design museum-worthy sneakers, and you’ll have hit the sartorial nail on the head this winter.

If you’re the type of man who appreciates the finer things, you’ll know that cashmere is the ultimate cool-weather indulgence. Few brands do luxury like Berluti, and this cashmere-blend overcoat is a classic example of the Parisian label’s mastery over fine fabrics. And what do you pair such a decadent coverup with? More cashmere, of course. This earthy-coloured rollneck sweater from The Row and these navy Loro Piana slacks have the sort of rakish appeal favoured by modern bon viveurs. To round everything off, add a slick folio – such as this Tom Ford number – in order to avoid overstuffed pockets, which is a never a good look. After all, you won’t want to spoil the lines of all that beautiful cashmere.

Shop the long coats trend here

Keep up to date with The Daily by signing up to our weekly email roundup. Click here to update your email preferences.