This winter season, printed coats are bang on-trend, with big and small names queuing up to incorporate a whole slew of patterns into their collections. Many of these make reference to previous seasons, like Spring, while others are more traditionally wintry. Some, on the other hand, are really out-there, with political slogans and wacky patterns coming out for those of us with bolder instincts. You can make your winter coat more practical, whatever the style, by changing what you wear underneath: women’s thermals make a fantastic addition throughout the colder months.
Floral Patterns
No round-up of this year’s printed trends would be worthwhile if it didn’t kick off with the most popular category of print: the floral. These come in a range of styles, from the hyper-realistic to the stylised. If you know what you’re looking for, you can avoid the effect coming off as kitschy; look for stems, leaves and thorns as well as petals and flowers.
Jacquard
Now, here’s where we need to get slightly technical. The much-loved jacquard (along with its close cousin, the brocade) isn’t a printed pattern, but something produced on a loom. Nevertheless, it’s possible to replicate the effect using printing.
Paisley
This distinctive pattern has been with us for more than a thousand years. It first found its way to Europe back in the 17th century, having gradually moved from Persia to India, via a host of disparate destinations in the Middle East. Despite this, the Paisley is named after a small town in Scotland, which became famous for this style of pattern in more recent years.
Tie-Dye
This ultra-trippy effect made a return in spring this year, and its popularity looks set to continue throughout winter. The print matches nicely with coats, sweatshirts and blouses, but it requires a bit of boldness to pull off convincingly. While the DIY approach might work for old t-shirts, it’s probably not something you’ll consider for your expensive new designer coat.
Insects
While you might not associate insects with high fashion, there is one notable exception, and that’s the butterfly. While this particular sort of insect might have retreated for the year, you’ll still find it represented on heavy winter coats, in a range of colours and shapes. If you feel like representing one of the less popular insects, like moths, wasps and ants, then you’ll also find more obscure prints that’ll allow you to do exactly that.
Hearts
The classic red love-heart is making a return. Set it on a white backdrop for a time-honoured, vibrant effect. Set it on top of black if you’d like to go a little bit more macabre. The nostalgic, almost childish effect of a love-heart strikes a great contrast against the cold weather outside, making this a perfect antidote to wintry cynicism.