Baby, It’s Cold Outside: 3 Essential Winter Coats and How to Style Them

The holidays are here, which means it’s the time of the year to balance refined, seasonal style with actually staying warm. And, if you’re wondering if both are possible, the answer is yes.

It’s a Christmas miracle. ✨

So before any gifts are given, unwrap what you need to know about the leather, the shearling, and the car coat, plus how to style them.

Leather Jackets
How to Wear: Casual to Dressy Casual Occasions

Hardy and reliable, leather jackets were popularized in the 1950s by Hollywood icons like Marlon Brando and James Dean. Later, legends of rock n’ roll solidified the garment’s timeless cool, making it the irrefutable staple we know and love today. Casual, classic and available in light to medium weights, the leather jacket is great for every man and almost every occasion. For the fella who just can’t do the full-on winter coat, lighter weight leathers are great for layering in unpredictable temperatures. And for the gentleman who just can’t with the winter lows and icy gusts, a heftier, thicker leather will help beat back that chill.

Team Onore is a big fan of the waist length leather jacket. The piece won’t pair well with a suit or sport coat, since the jacket will hang out the bottom of the leather, but they’re timeless and adaptable when layered over sweaters, polos and sports shirts. Leather jackets have stood the test of time and are a giant in the world of modern menswear, the perfect balance of edge and elegance.

Shearlings
How to Wear: Dressy Casual to Formal Occasions

Related to leather, but an animal all its own, shearlings became synonymous with luxury in the 1970s and 80s when actors like Robert de Niro and Sylvester Stallone established the garment as a symbol of status and wealth. Understandably so, given that the shearling is known for making use of the entire sheep or lambskin. The shearling boasts a soft, sumptuous interior and a suede, leather, or wool exterior, and demonstrates its heritage through both form and function from one season to the next. For your next cold night out, pair a mid-length shearling with your suit or tuxedo, to leave a refined and polished impression in your wake. The mid-length shearling covers the whole suit or tuxedo jacket, so the hem does not hang out below the shearling, and your look remains pristine. For a more casual option and a touch of rugged opulence, vie for a waist-length or mid-length shearling, no jacket underneath. Keep things simple and let the fur and details do the talking. At Onore, expect 100% lambskin and a lifetime of luxury.

Car Coats
How to Wear: Casual to Formal Occasions

Originating in the 20th century for drivers at the wheel of open-air cars, the car coat speaks true to its namesake. Responsible for offering drivers both warmth and movement, car coats are mid-length, dropping around the thigh or sometimes the knee. Due to their length, they’re perfect for layering over suits and sportcoats, fully covering the garments, and their traditionally stayed nature means they transition seamlessly into casual wear. Unlike leathers and shearlings, car coats come in a variety of fabrics such as wool, cashmere, tweed, and twill to accommodate your every need and occasion. Ultimately an umbrella category, peacoats and trench coats are also types of car coats, each of them offering tailored lines and a clean look. Bottom line–the car coat is your greatest companion for a local night out or seated in the balcony at the ballet.

The Takeaway

Whether it be the leather, the shearling or the car coat, each offers the ultimate trifecta of style, warmth, and practicality. Take on the season with Onore, and you’ll conquer both the cold and the compliments.