If you find winter dressing particularly tricky, you're not alone. When the weather outside is frightful, our sartorial priorities tend to switch to ensuring optimal comfort and warmth and style often falls by the wayside as a result. But being cosy and looking chic needn't be mutually exclusive – and that's where the genius of a statement coat comes in.
Be it a bright red faux-fur, leopard ponyhair number or fashion-forward designer puffer, nothing has the power to elevate even the simplest of cold-weather outfits quite like bold outerwear. You could very well be wearing jeans and a jumper, a cosy cashmere two-piece or even head-to-toe thermals, but top said ensemble with a fabulous statement coat and your look instantly goes from lazy to luxe.
FIND OUT MORE ON ELLE COLLECTIVE
Read Next
Now, in an ideal world, we'd all have the funds and storage space to have a wardrobe full of such pieces, but if you only splash out on one this season, you'll want it to work for any occasion. Enter, the Penny Lane coat: fashion's answer to the cosy vs chic conundrum, and the outerwear must-have of AW24.
What is a Penny Lane coat?
Also known as an Afghan coat, the design is distinguished by its statement shearling cuffs and collar, and is synonymous with Seventies style. It rose to prominence once again in the Noughties thanks to Kate Hudson's iconic character Penny Lane in cult film Almost Famous – hence the name – and it's been a winter wardrobe staple practically ever since.
The style has had a makeover in recent years, however, and while the 'classic' long brown suede and shearling design is still as chic as it was all those decades ago, Penny Lane coats now come in every colour, print and design imaginable – in fact, the bolder the contrast, the better.
How did Penny Lane coats become popular?
This season, the Penny Lane coat's popularity has reached ever higher heights, and it's all thanks to Charlotte Simone. The London-based designer has made a name for herself over the years as purveyor of the coolest vintage-inspired coats around, and her modern takes on the classic Afghan style tap perfectly into AW24's new wave of boho.
'I've always been drawn to vintage silhouettes,' Simone explains. 'What I love about Penny Lane coats is that they evoke a sense of nostalgia and a connection to the spirit of the Seventies – an era that celebrated women and freedom in fashion with a folksy romanticism that we covet throughout our designs.'
The fact her coats are released in super-limited, week-long drops a few times a year only to adds to their desirability – as does the fact that they're a favourite of some of the most stylish celebrities around. In the past few weeks alone, the likes of Charli XCX, Emily Ratajkowski, Madonna, Suki Waterhouse and Millie Bobby Brown have been spotted in Simone's latest collection of vintage-inspired coats, and as a result, the brand's just-released 'Drop 2' is selling out in record time.
A number of high-street labels have also jumped on the Afghan coat bandwagon to offer more affordable iterations of the cult design, while Danish brand Saks Potts remains an editor go-to for its luxury takes on the trend – even more so now that it has announced its plans to close. Prepare for an all-out frenzy on resale sites in the coming weeks.
As though all this wasn't enough to guarantee the Penny Lane coat's must-have status for AW24, Bella Hadid and Hailey Bieber have just been spotted rocking the style, too. An on-trend winter wardrobe with major main character energy is but a single item – and quick click – away...
The best Afghan coats to shop now:
Saks Potts Foxy Shearling-Trim Long Leather Coat
Onar Studios Selen Coat
Charlotte Simone Harley Coat
Charlotte Simone Cropped Penny
Kitri Simone Burgundy Vinyl Coat
Soho Suede Jacket
ELLE Collective is a new community of fashion, beauty and culture lovers. For access to exclusive content, events, inspiring advice from our Editors and industry experts, as well the opportunity to meet designers, thought-leaders and stylists, become a member today HERE.
Clementina Jackson is Acting Site Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, working across news and features, trends, e-commerce and SEO. She was previously Fashion Editor at Cosmopolitan and Women’s Health, and Acting Digital Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, where she was named as a PPA 30 Under 30 award winner for her work on size inclusivity. An experienced fashion, travel and luxury lifestyle journalist, Clementina has also written for Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Condé Nast Traveller, Tatler, Red and Italy Segreta.
