The 7 Types of Coats Everyone Should Own

A definitive guide.

A collage of five women wearing coat types, a puffer coat, animal print coat, a cape coat, wrap coat, and trench coat
(Image credit: Launchmetrics)

Regardless of where you live and how brutal your winters are, you want several reliable types of coats in your arsenal. From heavy rain and blistering snowstorms to mild but mighty winds, covering all your bases weather-wise takes more than just the one transitional fall jacket or worn-in winter coat you've come to rely on. You want to have an arsenal of all types of jackets and coats for practical purposes—and for variety's sake, too, of course.

The Fall 2024 and Winter 2025 trends offer a starting point for your outerwear hunt. For those with durable weather-proofing in mind (which, with coats, should always be a factor in play), a windbreaking parka or luxe-leaning puffer coat will rise to the occasion. Those who prioritize fashion as much as function will be pleased with how the season's leopard print trend results in spotted and striped faux fur pea coats that spark conversations when worn out and about. Similarly, those with a flair for dramatic theatrics will be enthused by the onslaught of cape coats, with highlights from Bottega Veneta, Christian Dior, and Chloé.

Ahead is a refined and researched guide to coats and jackets, with the specific silhouettes considered essential to have on hand in any situation. Plus, I've edited
a selection of our favorites to shop now, whether you're in immediate need or planning ahead.

Emma Childs
Fashion Features Editor

Emma is the fashion features editor at Marie Claire, where she explores the intersection of style and human interest storytelling. She covers viral styling hacks and zeitgeist-y trends—like TikTok's "Olsen Tuck" and Substack's "Shirt Sandwiches"—and has written hundreds of runway-researched trend reports about the ready-to-wear silhouettes, shoes, bags, colors, and coats to shop for each season. Above all, Emma enjoys connecting with real people to yap about fashion, from picking an indie designer's brain to speaking with athlete stylists, entertainers, artists, politicians, chefs, and C-suite executives about finding a personal style as you age or reconnecting with your clothes postpartum.

Emma previously wrote for The Zoe Report, Editorialist, Elite Daily, Bustle, and Mission Magazine. She studied Fashion Studies and New Media at Fordham University Lincoln Center and launched her own magazine, Childs Play Magazine, in 2015 as a creative pastime. When Emma isn't waxing poetic about niche fashion discourse on the internet, you'll find her stalking eBay for designer vintage, reading literary fiction on her Kindle, doing hot yoga, and "psspsspssp-ing" at bodega cats.

Read more
Kendall Jenner wearing a tan trench coat with a red handbag
Trench Coats are Fashion's Most Invincible Jacket Trend
Getty Images; Launchmetrics Spotlight
It-Girls Braved the New York Fashion Week Cold in These Statement-Making Coat Trends
collage of women wearing puffer jackets and coats
This Winter’s Puffer Jackets Are Getting a Fashion Upgrade
coat - zendaya
Celebrities Whose Statement Coats Speak for Themselves
trench coats - jennifer lawrence
Just 32 Celebrities in Killer Trench Coats
women wearing a trench coat while holding an umbrella
Chic Rain Jackets Will Be Spring 2025's Underdog Fashion Trend
Latest in Winter Fashion
Woman wearing a green sweater vest in Paris.
Sézane’s Newest Knits Are the Secret to Mastering French Girl Style
argyle knit layered cardigan over button-down shirt
30 New-in Sweaters I’m Shopping From Alex Mill, &Daughter, and Sézane for a Mid-Season Refresh
Brown leather moto boots with buckles on black wet pavement
Winter’s Trendiest Boots Are Hiding in the Sale Section—23 Under-$200 Pairs to Prove It
Guest at milan spring 2025 fashion week wearing beige turtleneck sweater and blue handbag
I’m Shopping J.Crew’s Sale to Stock Up on Under-$200 Cashmere Finds
Aritzia Winter Sale
These Aritzia Sale Finds Will Be the Backbone of My 2025 Wardrobe
product collage of J.Crew Wrap Trench Coat in Italian Double-Faced Wool Blend, Madewell Belted Field Jacket in Suede, Banana Republic Italian Melton Trench Coat, ALLSAINTS Orla Relaxed-Fit Cropped Wool and Cashmere-Blend Jacket on white background with grey border
These Are a New Yorker's Favorite On-Sale Winter Jacket Styles
Latest in Buying-guide
Nikki Ogunnaike wearing a black button down shirt
4 Easy Spring Outfits That Always Get Compliments
Product collages
From Cream Blush to Pretty Linen Pieces, Here's What Should Be on Your Spring Wish List
the 2025 sunglasses trends at Chanel, Fendi, Gucci, Prada, Sportmax, Stella McCartney, Saint Laurent Spring 2025 runway shows
2025’s Sunglasses Trends Are Not for the Faint of Heart
spring 2025 shoe color trends on the runways of Chanel, Ferragamo, Rabanne, and Prada
Spring 2025's Candy-Coated Shoe Color Trends Prove Neutrals Are Overrated
women wearing white heels
Black Pumps Are Out—Everyone Is All-In on White Heels
a graphic of the boxing sneakers trend from Getty Images/Stella McCartney
Fashion’s Betting the Boxing Sneaker Will Be the Knockout Shoe Trend of 2025