trench coat edit...

Trench coats: the iconic British classic. A fashion staple that never goes off trend.

This edit stemmed from a friends request when I said I was going to do some ‘research’ on clothes. She is a 'blog binger' so I look forward to her opinion of this; my first fashion edit....

The trench coat is a quintessential part of a classic wardrobe. A coat that easily covers all bases; everyday casual, smart evening chic and classic city looks. It is a definite for Spring. Most often recognized in its original state: classic cream, it has evolved and is now available in a variety of colours and patterns. The cream remains the classic though. I will look at the classic double breasted cream version, where available, with the long belt to cinch in the waist. The belt that it comes with can be swapped for a beautiful scarf, a classic GG Gucci leather belt (I am still dreaming of one of these!) an animal print or coloured belt. Regardless of the belt, the perfect trench, in my opinion, needs to hang neatly undone as well as look good done up so there are high expectations.

I have covered all price ranges in a variety of high street shops. Where I could find a trench coat to try on I did!

I was surprised that some shops didn’t have any available in store, they may have them online but this edit is subject to what was available on my 'research day' so Joules, Topshop and Next you don't feature sorry.

I guess I should be telling you what body shape I am etc etc but that will come. For now I can only say what I know and I know what I like and what suits me. So if you’d like to know more then take a peak. I am between a size 10-12 and sometimes a 14. I have short legs and a long body with a medium bust and small back. Shop sizing has gone quite crazy recently so I will let you know what size I try on and show you how each piece fits.

I have reviewed six options for you to suit most budgets: three under £100, three over.

Click on the descriptions to buy:

Hobbs, Ralph Lauren, Boden, H&M and Primark

Hobbs Beige Saskia Trench Coat £199

This was my favourite trench coat in the over £100 price bracket. It was finished really well and made of a sturdy material that I feel would last and hold its shape. It had lovely details such as branded buttons, a storm shield layer on the back with button, epaulettes on the shoulders and gun flaps on the front. It also has sleeve loops and a wedge back vent. The belt was long without a buckle which I think is an advantage as I would not use a buckle on a trench and subsequently it would be redundant and probably bash into everything! It hung well open and didn't look too large when done up. This was a size 10 and was in a warm beige colour that would suit most complexions. It was also available in red, mustard yellow, dark green, pale pink and black.

Lauren Ralph Lauren Belted Trench Coat £225

This again had good features, it was slightly thinner material than the Hobbs coat and was shorter in length. It had a wide collar opening with a large lapel when open. It did hang well when open and fell close to the body which looked neat. This had a single gun flap on the front right hand side (front left on the beige version) held down with a button. It has a storm shield at the back without a button. It has shoulder epaulettes, sleeve loops and a wedge back vent with buttoned fastening to keep it together. It also has three metal loops coming from the belt that I have no idea what they are for? As you can see they didn't have a beige/cream version so I had to try on the navy. The belt was long and had a buckle; the belt was so long if you used the buckle the end of the belt would hang awkwardly. The buttons were branded and were a light tortoiseshell which was a nice contrast with the blue. The same buttons are on the beige version which also has a camel brown coloured buckle and sleeve loop buckles. I am not keen on the colours used on the beige version, this can be found on the John Lewis web site suing the link above as it wasn't available. This was a Medium and I felt it was too big for me.

Boden Whitstable Trench Coat Soft Stone £160

The one main surprise feature of this was the gorgeous Union Jack lining. This is a lovely touch for such a British piece, made by Boden a British company. Also making it stand out was the dark grey strip down the side that was mirrored in the long belt without a buckle that could be worn either cream/clay side up or dark grey side up. This gave a nice effect as the colours twisted when it was done up. This trench was in a pale cream clay colour; I would definitely need a brightly coloured scarf as it is quite draining against my skin. This is a size 10 and fitted me well, although I didn't like the length of this coat. For my short legs the buttons seemed to end too soon and there was too much skirt at the bottom that made it feel quite bulky and not give the sleek silhouette that I am looking for. I wore it with the sleeves rolled back as it lends itself more to a modern relaxed look. There were buttons on the double gun flaps that is again a bold design feature stepping away from the original trench coat design. All in all a modern twist on the classic but not for me due to the length.

H&M Trench Coat £49.99

This was a pleasant surprise, a lovely classic cream colour and made of a lighter more textured material. It had the epaulettes, wedge back vent and gun flap on the right hand side with button detail. The long belt had a buckle that could be used as the belt wasn't too long. It was a neat fit and looked good open or done up. The only downside was the finish, the seam at the bottom wasn't straight and seemed slightly puckered but this could be just this coat. The buttons complemented the coat and were the same material as the buckle, a dark tortoiseshell. The colour was a warm beige, good for most complexions. At this price this was a high contender for first in the under £100 price bracket. I tried the size 10 which was perfect for me. There are a lot of trench coats on offer at H&M online, check them out!

Primark Trench Coat size 12 £30

only available to buy in store...

This was a brilliant contender for the under £100 bracket; a bargain for someone who doesn't want to make a big investment and I think it would last a while. It had the gun flap but no button which I feel did let it down a bit because the flap just hung open. There was an impression of a storm shield but no actual shield and the back vent didn't have the wedge it was literally a split. The belt had a buckle and was long. I liked the tortoiseshell buttons, matching buckle and sleeve loops. It was a shorted length but balanced with the button placement.

M&S Collection double breasted trench coat £49.50

A lovely bright coloured coat with matching button details that make it a good option for Spring or Summer. This was a lovely warm colour and felt sturdy and good quality. Again a size 10 that fit perfectly. It has one button on the gun flap and a wide collar that sits well against your body. I really liked the way this coat looked, it hung well and didn't have too much material. The lining was a little uninspiring especially after the Boden bold lining, but this coat was more of a conservative and quiet trench coat. It would look equally good over a summer dress as jeans and black boots. If you needed a little brightening up then a bold coloured scarf instead of the plain unbuckled belt would be a good idea. There was no storm shield but I didn't feel this detracted from the design. A modern lighter version of a trench coat at a good price. I would say this was my favourite in the under £100 trench coat.