What kind of top coat would you wear?
 

After a few years unworn, I've realised I can't get into my old leather fringe biker jacket.
Time to find a replacement.
Leather in the UK is so expensive. But I could always ebay/internet buy something from either Australia/New Zealand/US.

So which would you reckon?
Black cotton Cowboy Duster?
Waxed cotton/oilskin Aussie/New Zealand duster/stockman with shoulder cape in black.
Leather Aussie/New Zealand duster/stockman with shoulder cape in black.
Leather Matrix/Blade trench coat like everyone else in black.

My own preference is the Leather Aussie stockman if I can find a decentish one below £200GBP. More Hellboy/Van Helsing than Neo/blade/SS officer
Remember, in the UK, even when it is warm we can have rain everyday.
In the winter it can get damned cold.

I will probably get a larger bike jacket and either a black leather blazer or reefer for warmer days, depending on where I'm going.

I like to wear hooded woolen cloaks, myself. Is wool cheap in the UK? Here in the states it's kinda pricey for unblended, blanket wieght wool.

Go for a trench coat. Abbyshot Custom Clothiers makes a very nice trench, probably the best looking, highest quality one on the market, if a bit pricey.

I've heard very good things about their Lobby Trench and I’m currently saving up to purchase one myself. Not leather, but definitely worth your consideration.

(p.s. It comes in a waterproof fabric for rainy weather.)

Very nice but damned pricey.
Was considering
http://leathercatalog.net/images/m2360p_4290.jpg
http://leathercatalog.net/images/m2360p_4298.jpg
this style, but maybe not in the patch leather.
Looks a little more Nephelim than matrix.
Here is an example in Waxed cotton/oilskin
http://www.smallr.com/1jt
I can't help thinking that while quality oilskin isn't much cheaper than cheap leather, it will be easier to get the "lived in" look going.
I like the idea of wool, but I know how damp wool smells from my cycling days, and we do get a lot of rain.

When it's really cold I wear this: http://cdn.llbean.com/products/mens/...33212_Navy.jpg (not in that color though).

Yeah, I don't dress very warmly.

Ah, ok. I was trying to achieve a kind of elegant, but practical dark, rather than a "standard" goth look. Not sure if the LL Bean shirt in any colour for me at least would do that.

Black cotton jackets with hoods, vests with hood..

During the winter I wear a dust-colored carcoat (it only reaches about midway down my thigh, but I can't think of another name for it) as my outermost layer. It's from Banana Republic, back when they sold authentic surplus clothing. According to the tag, if I remember correctly, it's from 'The British Colony of Hong Kong.'

I also own a naval-style floor length topcoat from Argentina-- navy blue with a red interior. It was a gift to my father from a business partner, and is rather valuable. I've yet to wear it, but I intend to this winter.

I am a cheapskate and have a PVC full length coat.
Can you get to Camden at all? There are quite a few shops selling leathers and the price on the ticket is extremely negotiable in some of those shops. Both times I got my husband a leather jacket we got them at almost half the price advertised

I used to Camden market. Used to go a few times when I lived in Luton and worked in London.

Closest for me now would be Afleck's Palace in Manchester, but whenAfleck's got known the prices went up and got fixed(some time in the late 80's).

In the end I bought this leather duster from the states yesterday. Should work out about £118 delivered if I don't get busted by customs.
Smart enough to wear over a suit, but "Dark" enough for goth/rock nights and pubs.

I have a pvc one with an asian style collar. =D it's my baby.

I used to live in Manchester and know Afflecks well. It always was more expensive than the Corn Exchange....but as that wonderful place is no longer with us and the Colliseum closed it seems Afflecks is all that is left. Shame really....
Hope Customs dont sting you. I am waiting for something to come from Japan at present and hope customs arent going to stop it

What does this got to do with winter coats?

I've used a long cotton wool coat over winters and it's turned out to be good. Only bad thing with those cotton coats is that they won't protect you from the wind. This winter I'm going to buy a leather coat and see if it's better.

Well, the seller says it was shipped two days ago, he is just trying to dig out the shipping number for me.

LadySpiderdust : been a few years since I went Afflecks last. Will need to nip in and see how it has changed.

end.of.eternity: Cotton/wool mix for a top coat would be stylish and warm but not water proof. Leather could much easier be treated against water, and would be water resistant anyway as it is.

LittleMissTaxidermy: I did think about PVC, used to have apar of PVC jeans though and weren't keen. Much prefer the feel of real leather. If you are veggie/vegan though and can see why artificial replacement might suit you though. Was goign to buy some boots that were vinyl yesterday. Very "Oiled Leather" look to them, and £15 for the short square toed biker/cowboy boots. They would have done me, but the missus is fussy and some of them were badly glued and she didn't trust them. So I didn't get them.

Good thinga bout this coat is, I ordered large so I can layer it with my suit, and it comes with a button out fleece liner, so it will be very warm in winter, and just warm in summer on an evening out.

winter isn't bad here at all, and it's lined with... i don't know what the material is, but it's warm. the pvc keeps what little rain we do have off of me, and i use it in winter and not summer.

My leather duster arrived. Man it is heavy. Been a little warm but still comfortable to wear into town.

The shoulder cape makes me look very "big". Almost like wings sticking up over the coat, when the wind gets under it.

I'm really impressed with it, the quality and fit is fantastic. And new leather smells so good.

What about that long skiny trench coat that guy had on in the crow: city of angels, that looks nice although wouldnt know where to get that.

I like my trenchcoat, but I've got a light summer coat in black velvet that suits really well too.

You can get leather jackets in allot of stores...although i havnt looked myself yet for a trench coat..i was thinking double breasted trench coat like brandon whered although it doesnt come all the way down to the feet..