Which fur piece for which winter

Long coat, short jacket, vest, blouson: four cuts, four uses. The choice rests less on taste than on three concrete things, the actual temperature you go out in, how long you stay outside, and what you wear underneath. Here is how to place each piece.

The long coat

For what cold

This is the piece for genuinely cold winters and for standing still outdoors: waiting for a taxi, a train, the end of a performance. The surface covered does the work. A coat that falls below the knee protects the thighs, an area nothing else usually covers. The difference in felt comfort compared with a three-quarter length is clear as soon as the temperature drops below zero.

Silhouette

The long coat lengthens and disciplines. It imposes its line on the whole outfit: what is underneath no longer shows. Two things to watch. The length must be decisive, at the calf or the ankle: an in-between length, just below the knee, visually shortens the leg. And the shoe has to follow, since it is the only thing visible under the hem.

Limits

It gets in the way in a car, in crowded transport, and as soon as you walk fast. It also needs room to be stored properly. See the long coats.

The short jacket

For what cold

This is the piece for an ordinary urban winter, between zero and ten degrees. It stops at the hip or just below. It protects the torso, the arms and the neck, leaves the legs free, and suits days made up of short trips outside between heated spaces.

Silhouette

It is the easiest cut to wear. It marks the waist, or at least does not hide it, and works as well over trousers as over a long skirt. A long-haired fur jacket visually widens the upper body: that is an effect, not a fault, but it is better to choose it deliberately.

Limits

Not enough for waiting outside for long in hard cold. The lower back stays exposed when you sit down or lean over.

The vest

For what cold

The vest is a mid-season and between-seasons piece, between five and fifteen degrees. Without sleeves, it warms the trunk and leaves the arms free. It is also the most adaptable piece on the list: over a shirt in October, over a thick knit in December, under a waterproof coat when it rains.

Silhouette

It adds volume to the torso without weighing down the outfit. A short vest creates a high-set effect of bulk. A long vest, down to the thigh, lengthens the line and comes close to the effect of a sleeveless coat. The vest is also the cut that shows most of what is worn underneath, which makes it a piece to combine rather than a piece that stands alone.

Limits

It is never enough on its own in deep winter. And it needs a garment underneath whose sleeves stand comparison with the fur. See the vests.

The blouson

For what cold

The blouson stops at the waist, often on a rib or a belt. It closes the silhouette at the bottom, which stops cold air coming up. At equal length it keeps you warmer than an open jacket, but it covers less surface. It is the piece for cold, active days: you walk, you move, you do not stand still outside.

Silhouette

It is the most dynamic and the most contemporary cut. It visually shortens the upper body and lengthens the leg, which makes it effective over high-waisted trousers. It sits badly with a very formal outfit.

Limits

The area under most strain is the lower back, resting against a seat or a chair. On a fur, that is where wear shows first.

Choosing by typical day

• You get around on foot, for a long time, in hard cold: long coat.
• You make short trips between heated places: short jacket.
• You drive, or often take public transport: blouson or short jacket. A long coat creases and gets in the way when seated.
• You go out in the evening and spend little time outside: long coat, where the visual effect is greatest, or a vest over a dressed-up outfit.
• You want to spread the use across autumn and spring: vest.

A note on the material

The cut and the material are chosen together. A long-haired fur amplifies volume: on a long coat the effect is considerable; on a short vest it is spectacular. A flat-pile fur gives a clean line instead, whatever the length. A supple leather allows a long coat that falls straight; a thicker leather suits short, structured cuts better.

Our comparison of the different furs goes through these characteristics material by material. And whatever cut you settle on, the notes on care and passing on determine how long the piece will stay presentable.