The trench coat: a British staple, endlessly reinvented, never without a place in our wardrobes. As the weather is yet to reach peak faux fur, the trench has taken its place as the outerwear of the season. While the classic style – think Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca or Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's – is still as relevant now as it was back then, the new trench coat comes in many iterations.
From high-shine finishes in patent and vinyl, through to the colour-pop coats bringing some life to our winter wardrobes, via the deconstructed shapes making the trench off-kilter and the check-trench mashup, there are four key new ways we're wearing ours.
But don't think it's going anywhere next season; the trench is worth an investment. SS18's catwalks were dominated by the lightweight coat, from Maison Margiela's bandeau dress reimagining to Jason Wu's dusky pink number, via Aalto's mango-hued trench and Alexander McQueen's barely-there cutaway version.
Click through to see the sartorial stars styling theirs out, and the pieces we're loving from designers and the high street alike.
Classic
From brooding detectives and leading ladies to John Cusack in Say Anything, the trench coat is a staple of our cultural history. There's no need to update the style or colour of your trench if you prefer the classic, but we'd advise going oversized. Céline's flowing number was layered over black wool jackets, Vanessa Seward presented hers with a matching camel headscarf, and Balenciaga's was loosely belted at the waist.
Stylist Alex Carl wears a Mackintosh trench with jeans, Maison Margiela white boots, finished off with a Mansur Gavriel bag.
Photo: Edward Berthelot/Getty Images
Topshop Staple Editors Trench Coat, £79, available at Topshop
French Connection Lesley Cotton Oversized Trench Coat In Sandstone, £55, available at French Connection
J Crew Cotton-Canvas Trench Coat, £300, available at Net-A-Porter
Check
The check trend influenced most of our wardrobe this season, the trench coat included, which could be seen at Burberry, with a celebratory return of its signature print; at Topshop in dark heritage colours; and via Uniqlo x J.W.Anderson, where the designer introduced a reversible check trench.
During Paris Fashion Week, Erika Boldrin wore the Uniqlo x J.W.Anderson reversible trench coat, paired with a clashing mini Off-White bag, bringing all the colours together with simple jeans and camel roll-neck.
Photo: Vanni Bassetti/Getty Images
Zara Checked Trench Coat, £95.99, available at Zara
Burberry Tartan Cotton-Gabardine Trench Coat, £1,695, available at Net-A-Porter
Stella McCartney Michaela Double-Breasted Coated Trench Coat, £1,525, available at Matches Fashion
Colourful
While the classic style comes in beiges, camels and sands, this season looked significantly more colourful. Trenches were rendered in sunset yellows, courtesy of Lacoste, pea greens at Guy Laroche, and electric blues by way of Calvin Klein.
Net-A-Porter Fashion Director Lisa Aiken brought a flash of colour to her white Yuzefi bag, white top, white Gianvito Rossi shoes, and Re/Done jeans. Her tomato-red Michael Lo Sordo trench coat is a mood-boosting way to introduce colour to your get-up.
Photo: Kirstin Sinclair/Getty Images
Art School Euphoria Corduroy Trench Coat, £975, available at Matches Fashion
Mango Cotton Lapel Trench, £99.99, available at Mango
Michael Lo Sordo Relaxed Trench Coat, £770, available at Selfridges
Deconstructed
Deconstructed pieces have dominated for some time now, whether it's a cut-up-and-renew hoodie or frayed-edge pair of patchwork jeans. Maison Margiela presented trenches with cutaway chests, APC inserted denim panels into their offering, and Anne Sofie Madsen made sleeves extra long and hems super short.
Jan-Michael Quammie wears her deconstructed trench with graphic checked trousers and a black box bag, not forgetting a flash of sporty socks.
Photo: Christian Vierig/Getty Images
River Island Beige Deconstructed Sleeve Long Trench Coat, £45, available at River Island
Palmer//Harding Step-Hem Cotton-Poplin Trench Coat, £530, available at Matches Fashion
Cos Deconstructed Trench Coat, £150, available at Cos
Patent
You'll have noticed that the patent trench has made a name for itself this season, starting with the looks shown on AW17's catwalks, from Roksanda's high-shine oxblood number and Jeremy Scott's space-age silver coat, through to Gareth Pugh's dystopian jet-black piece.
Irina Linovich clashed her much-coveted vinyl check Calvin Klein trench with Kermit-green Balenciaga sock boots at Paris Fashion Week. Take note and modernise your check with pops of colour.
Photo: Claudio Lavenia/Getty Images
ASOS Trench Coat In Vinyl, £56, available at ASOS
Ellery Nine To Five Pod Vinyl Trench Coat, £2,275, available at Net-A-Porter
Miss Selfridge Black Vinyl Mac, £41.30, available at Miss Selfridge
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