For those with a little more sartorial savvy, it’s good to get in early and have your pick of this season’s outerwear abundance. Which is exactly why we’ve drawn up an edit of the eight must-have styles. Offering a balanced mix of classic and contemporary, these versatile coats on show here will keep you safe from the elements (and the sale rail).

Trench Coat

Most coats owe their life to the sartorial heritage of the military, but none more so than the trench coat. As timeless as they are stylish, the design has hardly changed since its invention during World War I.

Waterproof, full-length and belted, this particular raincoat offers both form and function alongside a healthy dose of old-fashioned masculinity thanks to the upward-pointing lapels, which give the appearance of broader shoulders.

Puffer

Unless you’ve already given into your caveman instincts and are hibernating, you won’t have failed to notice that technical down jackets have well and truly marked their territory in menswear.

One thing that has survived the trip down the cliff face is bright colours, which let you make a bold statement even on the greyest of days. To help a puffer fly in more formal settings, opt for one with a stand-up collar. The hooded variety is more casual and therefore better suited to a streetwear outfit. It goes without saying that you should leave the snood for days when you’re actually going up a mountain.

Winter Bomber

If you think knee-length overcoats belong only in spy movies, there are plenty of cropped styles around that offer a modern edge. Bomber and varsity jackets have become the go-to short styles and there is a huge variety of these across all the menswear collections; from clean, simple and refined to embellished, patterned and bold. When it comes to the colder months, send authentic pilot-style versions on leave and in their place enlist premium fabrics like wool, moleskin or felt to keep the wind out and give your outfit a tactile point of interest.

Peacoat

The double-breasted peacoat is nothing short of a smart-casual beast. Simply put, it’s one of those coats you can throw on and look instantly better, whether you wear it with distressed jeans and Chelsea boots, or tailored trousers and sneakers. It’s wise to avoid second-skin fits when buying a peacoat, not just because going slightly oversized adds a dashing Heathcliff-on-the-moors vibe to your look, but also because it allows room for slotting a chunky roll neck or cable knit jumper underneath.

Check Overcoat

Heritage designs – and more specifically, checks – have been popular for a number of seasons, squaring up on everything from trousers and shoes to tailoring and knits. However, it’s on outerwear that such motifs offer the most bang for their patterned buck. Capable of turning what is a simple, classic piece of outerwear into a hero piece, a check coat is the easiest way to ensure you won’t get bored of your buy.

Whether you opt for Prince of Wales or windowpane, checks are also a great way of subtly incorporating colour into your wardrobe, or you can keep things monochromatic with a black and grey check which will wear well with basically anything.