Why I Buy My Children’s Winter Coats Before They Need Them

Buying winter coats in the middle of summer probably sounds a little strange, but it’s something I’ve learnt to do after having three children. By the time everyone suddenly realises their children need a coat, I normally already have ours sorted.

I actually find summer can be one of the best times to look for preloved winter coats. People are clearing out wardrobes, finding coats that no longer fit their children and generally want bulky winter things out of the house. There can be some brilliant bargains around if you’re happy to buy several months before you actually need them.

I’ve already bought my children’s winter coats for this year and checked that their raincoats still fit too. It’s one less thing to think about when the weather suddenly changes.

Why I buy two types of coat

I normally like my children to have a raincoat as well as a thicker, warmer winter coat.

Our weather doesn’t always call for a huge padded coat, but you still need something waterproof. A decent raincoat can be worn over a jumper or fleece on milder wet days, while the thicker coat comes out when it gets properly cold.

I also really like coats with removable linings. They give you much more flexibility because the same coat can work across different temperatures rather than only being useful for the coldest few weeks of the year.

The brands I look for preloved

After years of buying clothes for my own children and running Second Snuggle, there are certain brands I naturally look out for.

Boden is a particular favourite of mine for children’s coats. I also really rate Frugi, Next, The North Face, Trespass and TOG24.

I’m much happier spending around £30 on a good-quality second hand coat from a brand I know than automatically buying something new. A well-made coat can still have loads of wear left in it, even after another child has used it.

I usually find ours through Second Snuggle stock, Vinted or eBay. Sometimes that means buying something months before we need it, but I’d rather wait for the right coat at the right price than panic-buy one when the first freezing week arrives.

What I check before buying a second hand coat

Good photographs and an accurate description are really important to me.

I want to know whether there are any marks, signs of wear or other issues before I buy. That doesn’t necessarily stop me buying it. If it’s going to be worn every day, I’m quite happy with a coat that has a small mark if the price reflects the condition.

I just want to know about it beforehand.

I’d also check the zip, poppers, cuffs, lining and hood, particularly on a coat that has already had plenty of use. For waterproof coats, I look at the overall condition of the outer fabric too.

Waterproofs can sometimes be washed and reproofed using a suitable product if they need it, although I find many of the preloved ones I buy don’t actually need doing. I always follow the care instructions for the particular coat rather than assuming every waterproof garment can be treated in exactly the same way.

Buying ahead gets easier as children get older

The hardest part about buying coats months ahead is predicting what size your child will actually be when winter arrives.

When mine were little, this was definitely more difficult. Babies and toddlers can fly through sizes and a sudden growth spurt can completely ruin your carefully planned wardrobe.

As they’ve got older, it has become much easier. They tend to stay in a size for longer, sometimes around a year, so I can make a much better guess about what they’ll need.

I also size up in coats where I can. Obviously I don’t want something ridiculously oversized that gets in their way, but a little extra growing room can mean getting much longer out of it.

Can coats be passed down?

I pass coats down between my children when I can, but I don’t keep absolutely everything.

There are six years between my boys, which is a long time to store a bulky winter coat just because one of them might eventually wear it. Sometimes it makes much more sense for me to move a coat on while it’s still in lovely condition and then buy another preloved one when the younger child reaches that size.

That’s one of the things I like about the second hand clothing cycle. A coat doesn’t necessarily need to sit in my loft for six years to be useful again. Another family can use it now, and I can find another one when we actually need it.

My biggest tip is simply to start looking early

You don’t need to buy your child’s winter wardrobe a year in advance. But if you know roughly what size they’re heading towards, it’s worth keeping an eye out before everyone else starts searching for the same things.

I do this with lots of my children’s clothes, but winter coats are particularly worth planning ahead for because they can be one of the more expensive things in a child’s wardrobe.

For me, buying preloved means I can look for brands I know are good quality without paying the full new price. I’m perfectly happy spending £30 on a really good second hand coat if I think it will keep my child warm, last well and potentially still have enough life left to be passed on afterwards.

And when the first properly cold, wet morning arrives, there’s something very satisfying about knowing the coats are already hanging by the door rather than discovering that last year’s suddenly finishes halfway up their arms.