The Shearling Coat: A Pilot's Jacket That Went Uptown

The shearling coat is a flight jacket in a fur-lined disguise. Leslie Irvin founded his company in Britain in 1926, and his sheepskin jacket was approved by the Air Ministry in 1932, according to the Imperial War Museum and other sources. After years of down puffers that feel like sleeping bags, a shearling coat is warmth with a sense of occasion. It looks richer with every winter.

The flight jacket is cropped and fitted, and the car coat sits at the hip. A long shearling coat is a statement, and it works over dresses. Polo Ralph Lauren and Vince do dependable shearling jackets, Theory has a trench shape, and Maximilian and Gorski offer luxe versions. Hold your arms up in the fitting room. The coat should not ride up or pull across the shoulders. A reversible coat gives you two looks in one.

Camel, chocolate and cream are the classic shearling colors. Black looks sleek and a little rock and roll. A suede outer with a creamy wool inside is the most traditional. Picture her at a winter market in a long camel shearling, a gray scarf and leather boots, steam rising from a paper cup. The coat has presence, and she does not have to do anything else.

Shearling is surprisingly durable, but it does not like water. Apply a suede and shearling protector before the first wear, brush the outside with a suede brush, and let it dry slowly away from heat if it gets wet. Hang it on a wide hanger and store it in a breathable bag. In our fashion dreams she wears her shearling for fifteen winters, and each year it looks a little better. If you live in a very wet climate, choose a coat with a treated outer.

I would skip faux shearling made of thin polyester, which lacks the weight and warmth of the real thing. I would skip very light colors if you commute on crowded public transport. And I would skip a coat that is too tight in the shoulders, since you need room for a sweater. A shearling coat is an investment, so try it on with your thickest knit.