As winter rolled around, the fashion chat amongst my friends turned to how this winter would be the winter of the “Great Coat.” They were excited to wear all the fabulous coats they had seen and mentally added to their rental or shopping lists. Whereas I was left thinking, WHERE EXACTLY ARE THESE GOOD COATS?! I should probably tell you that I’m the only plus-size person in this friendship group, which explains a lot. All these dream coats are made by brands that don’t make clothes in my size. In fact, most of them stop short at about four sizes smaller than what I wear, so squeezing in, or hoping they were a bit oversized, was out of the question too.
I took my frustration at these brands for not making my size and channeled it into my search for a coat that would fit me. So what makes a “good coat”? For me, it’s a piece of clothing that’s good-quality and something that will last me a few winters. But most importantly, it’s a piece that excites me and makes me feel happy. After all, when you’re wearing a coat, it is practically your whole outfit. It’s an outfit you will repeat over and over, so it must be a joy giver. It’s also important to be able to layer up underneath with a jumper if needed, so this can mean sizing up is necessary, making it harder to find a coat as a plus-size woman, as even plus-size ranges tend to stop at a size 24. You also need to think about the practical requirements: How warm do you need it? Does it need to be waterproof? Do you need a hood? And how much can you fit in those pockets?
If your budget allows, the first place I would tell you to look would be Marina Rinaldi, the plus-size sister brand of Max Mara, where you can find an equally gorgeous classic camel coat that’s most likely made in the same fabric and factory as the Max Mara smaller-sized counterpart. What makes this shopping experience even better is that you can try on the coats in person in the brand’s incredible town house store near Old Bond Street—an experience that’s few and far between if you’re over a size 18. I do think a winter coat is worth investing in, so if you love it, get it. I think I will forever regret not buying the bright-yellow wool-blend coat from the Marina Rinaldi A/W 19 collection. If you’re looking for something a little cheaper, you could set up an eBay saved search alert for Marina Rinaldi coats in your size and find yourself a second-hand one. The quality is always amazing, so you can still find yourself a treat.
For something more interesting, I look to smaller brands like Anna Scholz, Tamara Malas, Wray or Neon Rose. Then, if you’re looking for a high-street option, I would start by browsing through ASOS or Simply Be, but it can be a task to get through the rather endless black and basic options. So this is where I come in to help. I have searched through and found my favourite picks of the best plus-size coats out there this winter. From big budgets to small, for neutral lovers or colour lovers like me, there should hopefully be one for everyone.
