There are a million and one coats you could own, but which ones should you own? If you’re trying to whittle your wardrobe down to the bare essentials for whatever reason – be it financial or to live a more minimalist lifestyle – this question needs to be asked. Coats are an integral part of any man’s clothing collection, but some styles are far more versatile than others.

We’ve thought about it long and hard, and we believe there are only four coats you really need to cover all bases. You need something big and warm for the darkest depths of winter, something thin and insulated for layering up, something smart to team up with tailoring, and something waterproof to keep you dry on wet days.

Think of this as your outerwear capsule wardrobe—a do-it-all selection of pieces that will have your back, whatever the weather.

The Winter Parka

A winter parka is the coat you call on to get you through the absolute coldest of days. It’s cut long (usually around mid-thigh length), insulated, hooded and features a range of pockets and pouches for all of your bits and bobs.

Why You Need It

In short, to keep yourself warm. This is your big coat for winter, the one you reach for when temperatures sink below zero.

It’s big enough to layer underneath, so you can tailor it to the temperature level accordingly, from throwing it on over a T-shirt to bolstering its insulating abilities with knitwear and a light jacket.

When To Wear It

You’ll know when it’s needed. If a light jacket and hoodie combo isn’t quite cutting it, it’s probably time to bring this bad boy out of hibernation (or estivation, to be precise).

We’d suggest buying one in black because it goes with everything. That means it’ll be right at home whether you’re throwing it on over a tailored outfit or just pairing it with a hoodie and jeans.

What To Look For

Synthetic insulation is great, but down is better. This stuff offers a fantastic warmth-to-weight ratio, making it possible to have a coat that’s both extremely warm and not too heavy.

Look for something with a water-repellent face fabric, too. You could go fully waterproof, but the risk is that if you start getting too warm, it’s much more difficult for moisture to escape from within, and you can quickly end up hot and sweaty.

The Lightweight Puffer

Finisterre

A lightweight puffer also uses down for insulation but in a much smaller package. These jackets are designed to be lightweight (duh!) and packable. This is great for travel, but it’s even better for layering, which is one of the main reasons this type of outerwear has made the list.

Why You Need It

This is the most versatile jacket in your outerwear arsenal. It can be worn on its own or serve as an extra line of defence alongside any of the other coats mentioned here.

Its low profile means it can slot underneath other coats and jackets without adding too much bulk. Put simply, it’s an absolute Swiss Army knife of a garment and one no man should be without.

When To Wear It

Gant

Pretty much all the time, aside from in the heat of the summer months. This is a true three-season garment, and you’ll almost certainly spend more time in it than in any other coat.

Wear it over a T-shirt in the fall and spring, and layer it up accordingly in winter, depending on the temperature outside.

What To Look For

First and foremost, look for something nice and trim for easy layering, but with a high fill power. This tells you how many cubic inches one ounce of down takes up. Or, to put it in layman’s terms: high number good, low number bad.

Essentially, the higher the fill power, the better quality the down insulation. We’d also advise going hoodless, as this will make it much easier to layer.

The Overcoat

Wax London

Overcoats are kind of… magic. We can’t think of any other piece of outerwear that has the same ability to alter the entire mood of an outfit completely.

For the uninitiated, these knee-length layers are exactly what they sound like, i.e. a coat that goes over whatever you’re wearing. They generally offer more of a tailored look than your average parka, which, in our opinion, actually makes them extremely versatile.

Why You Need It

If you’ve ever worn a suit on a chilly day, you might have found yourself struggling to select an additional layer that didn’t completely murder the sharp, sophisticated vibe you were going for. This is where an overcoat comes in.

These coats are cut deliberately roomy so they can comfortably fit over a suit jacket, but they’re equally at home chilling with jeans and a T-shirt at the weekend.

When To Wear It

Velasca

Anytime you need to be presentable but also warm. Or anytime you want to give a casual outfit a sophisticated edge.

That’s the brilliance of an overcoat – you can throw it on over something as sloppy as sweatpants and a hoodie, and suddenly it looks like an outfit rather than something you crawled out of bed in.

What To Look For

Three key points to consider here: fabric, colour and silhouette. We’d suggest going for wool as it’s warm, durable and adds a nice bit of texture.

In terms of colour, go grey if you want maximum versatility, or a Prince of Wales check for something with some personality.

Silhouette-wise, nothing too structured. You want to be able to wear your overcoat with smart and casual outfits alike, so our advice would be to opt for a raglan sleeve for a nice relaxed drape at the shoulders and forgo any padding entirely.

The Rain Coat

Finisterre

It won’t always be dry out there, and when the rain starts, it’s well worth having a coat capable of doing something about it.

Raincoats come in various guises, but they all share a common goal: to keep you dry. Throw one over your outfit, and you’ll shrug off showers while remaining comfortable.

Why You Need It

To keep you dry. All of the other coats here are great, but none of them are capable of sealing the rain out entirely. That calls for a particular type of outerwear, and this is it.

When To Wear It

Private White V.C.

At risk of stating the obvious, when it rains. But that’s not the only time a raincoat comes in handy.

These coats are waterproof, yes, but they’re windproof too. This means you can throw a raincoat on over a light layer on particularly windy days, and it’ll do a stellar job of keeping you warm.

What to Look for

There are several different types of raincoats, and choosing one is largely a matter of personal preference. If all-out performance is the most important thing, go for a technical shell made out of something like Gore-Tex or Pertex from a trusted outdoor brand.

If you’re more concerned about maintaining a classic look, go for a mac or trench coat from the likes of Burberry, Private White V.C. or Mackintosh.

There is also a happy medium. If you want a bit of both, brands like Nanamica, Norse Projects and Goldwin make incredible coats that blend high-performance waterproof fabrics with classic outerwear silhouettes.