As a mum to a five-year-old who is deeply in love with the playground, I spend far more time in the park than I ever thought possible - yep, even on those wet, winter days. And since having to retire my beloved Gap quilted puffa, I've been struggling to find a warm winter coat that's not big and bulky, or desperately uncool. And this new-in M&S coat looks like it'll do the trick.
You see, I don't want to spend a fortune on a coat that's essentially going to get covered in mud, rain and whatever my daughter decides to put in my pockets (feathers, conkers, "special" rocks, half-eaten Barney bears...) and Marks & Spencer's coat, coming in at £69, is a great price.
A hood is always, always, needed for my mum playground coat (have you tried holding an umbrella, a kid's hand and whatever else they want you to carry?!) and this has one. Tick. The fleece lining is welcome for keeping me warm on the park bench, and the longer length is another bonus to keep my legging-clad legs cosy.
M&S Thermowarmth™ Diamond Quilted Padded Coat
Not everyone loves a double zipper, but I do. With the longer length, you sometimes want to be able to bend down to help your kid and if it zips to the bottom, there's no give - this way, you can keep your top half snug and unzip from the bottom if needed.
The coat also has M&S' lightweight yet warm Thermowarmth™ wadding and Stormwear™ technology, so it's water-repellent to keep you dry during light showers. It looks like it would wipe clean, but could be machine washable. It doesn't state either way, but usually with these sorts of coats you can pop them in the washing machine on a hand wash (disclaimer: check the label!)
There's a black version, cream and camel (personally neutral colours plus me and the playground are not a winner) and my personal favourite, the navy. Honestly, I'd wear it very much like the model in my slightly elevated Adam Sandler mum on the school run look - leggings, a cap, a sweatshirt and sneakers. With my Uniqlo bag slung over the top and the only jewellery being my hoops, it's about as practical yet cool (I think so anyway) an outfit for the occasion as I could muster.
What makes it super chic is the diamond quilting. It's a cooler version of puffa or padded, in my opinion, and makes it look a little more luxe than its peers.
M&S Thermowarmth™ Diamond Quilted Padded Coat
Available in sizes 6 - 24, shoppers are snapping this jacket up in their droves. "Beautiful coat, lovely material and very warm and comfortable," one M&S customer said in their review. Another called it "stylish, well made and surprisingly flattering" with another declaring it her new dog walking coat.
