It’s mad how quickly we’ve shifted from sweltering sunshine to shivering Siberia. Ok, maybe we’re not quite there yet, but in 6 weeks it’ll be Bonfire Night and you know it’ll be hat and glove weather by then. Now is the ideal time to steal a march on your mates by investing in your Autumn/Winter jacket that bit early. While you could choose to layer up with a lightweight jacket and maybe a mid-layer like a sweatshirt, your other option is the lightweight down jacket.
Mainline have got a pretty impressive collection of this utilitarian classic with its admirable ability to keep you warm without making you weigh about 3 stone more. We’ve picked out a nice little array of outerwear you may want to make an investment in, starting with the perfect hybrid above, from C.P. Company. The recent big news with C.P. has been their first ever collaboration, with adidas Originals. They’ve followed that up with a bit of a game changer/talking point in the cape they did with your man Serge from Kasabian. They’re definitely making moves, they’re back in the spotlight and they’re a more understated alternative to their younger brother Stone Island.
Next up is the one you probably expected, the king of the North (face). The Nuptse is an icon in the world of outdoor clothing and it’s appreciated in more sartorially minded circles just as much. Kanye even (almost) named his kid after it.
If you’re after more bang for your buck then Barbour are a very safe pair of hands. This Quilted Derny Jacket from their International range is £159 (and you can get free delivery). A very good staple winter piece, we reckon.
All that stuff I said before about lightweight quilted jackets being ideal… yeah, scratch that. Well, don’t scratch it, just keep an open mind. Sometimes you don’t want to look like Chris Bonington at a christening, you crave a look more akin to Harry Connick Jr in Memphis Belle. That might just be me though, I know that. This Alpha Industries number is well priced at £220 and is pure Range Rover football Dad tackle.
Normal service is resumed here with another very well conceived piece of contemporary outerwear. Lacoste are one of very few brands who made their name in one product (the polo shirt, obvs) but have managed to extend beyond that without looking like they’re just exploiting a commercial opportunity. This Full Zip Quilted jacket comes from their Sport range and has me in mind of ne’erdowells from Merseyside riding a rattler to an away fixtures, with no ticket.
Next up is this stealthy number from Colmar. Sometimes something with very little branding in muted colours is all that’ll do. This looks like a far better version of what an off-duty firefighter would wear. Theirs is a cheap version, yours is this one. It’s for luxury lads and detective Dads.
Back to Barbour International again. Sorry, not sorry. This has very empathetically-located pockets. Whether you’re strolling on your country estate or walking your very hard dog on a council estate, it fits the bill like a muzzle on a duck.
Anticipating some snow but keen to put the bins out without your annoying neighbour snagging you for a chat about how Sheila from number 41 keeps parking her Ford Ka? Or is that just me? Either way there’s a futuristic Heroes of Telemark vibe about this and for that reason you can count me very, very much in. It’s C.P. Company again. Because you’re worth it.
Not into any of these? Well, a) What’s wrong with you? and b) Fear not, there are 795 others to choose from here.
