Can we talk hemlines? We haven’t talked hemlines for ages. Which is funny, because fashion used to be non-stop hemline chat. Every season had its own pet length. A 1960s-peppy mini length might be de rigueur for a few months, before fashion accelerated into a saucy micro-mini, and then wheeled a radical about-turn to floor length before you could catch your breath. Sticking to the decreed hemline was considered to be entry-level fashion compliance.
Then the needle got stuck on the midi dress for absolutely ages, because it was super easy and also, I think, because the quick change of hemlines was the drumbeat of an era when trends felt disposable and, as a result, clothes began to feel disposable.
All of that feels like madness now. The days when fashion snapped its fingers and expected us to jump into a whole new look – twice a sodding year, imagine! – are well and truly over.
Hemlines don’t make headlines any more, which I think is why it took me a while to notice that something is definitely going on with coats. To be precise: a very long coat is looking excellent all of a sudden. Look around you on the street and you will see people looking chic in near-floor-length coats.
Knee-length had been the default coat length for donkey’s years. A trench might be slightly below the knee, a tailored Crombie might be a few inches above the knee, but there wasn’t much in it. Really long coats made you look, frankly, a bit odd, a bit … intense. The sort of thing you might wear to a gothic poetry reading or a gala night at the opera, but not the sort of thing normal people wore for normal life.
So how did this change, and the long coat get cool? I think it may have something to do with flat shoes. (A knee-length coat works best with a heel.) Or maybe it’s something to do with the demise of office dressing. There’s something quite lunch-hour-sandwich-queue about a knee-length coat, whereas a long coat is more free-spirited? Maybe?
Anyway, what I can tell you for sure is that ankle length turns out to be an absolutely brilliant length for a winter coat. It does what fashion is supposed to do, which is transform a functional piece of clothing into an expression of personality.
Seeing the number of longer-length coats around has reminded me of a fundamental wardrobe truth, which is that proportion and silhouette are what define the spirit of your look. Colour may be the first thing you notice, but is really just a top note. Colour signals your mood that day; proportion and silhouette say more about who you are. To make a statement, think in terms of shape, not shade.
A long coat brings a sense of theatre to keeping warm. Ankle length is the most dramatic but, being practically minded, I prefer a hemline a few inches higher so that it doesn’t dip in puddles, or trip me up on stairs. It works with pretty much everything, because it covers most of the rest of your outfit up, so nothing is really fighting with it visually. A long coat looks elegant over a shirt and trousers, but also works to smarten up a hoodie and joggers.
For even more drama, emphasise the line by wearing a chunky polo neck knit poking out of the top, or matching the hemline with a maxidress, or elongating the silhouette with a pair of high-heeled boots. Wearing the same or similar colours top to toe will also underscore the impact.
Oh, and if you want to really lean into the fashion-forwardness of a super-long coat, consider a double-breasted tailored version with a strong shoulder. Something about this style makes the coat and whatever you are wearing with it look luxurious, which is never a bad thing.
Hemline chat feels retro. But the long coat? Definitely right for now.
Model: Selena at Milk. Hair and makeup: Sophie Higginson using Ouai and Lisa Eldridge. Coat: Arket. Dress: Whistles. Boots: Ivy Lee
