The Lakeside Village Outlet Shopping guide to buying kids’ outerwear this season
Whether you love it or hate it – Autumn is officially here. And, with the darker nights drawing in, the leaves turning crisp and golden, and a cooler chill in the air, it’s time to get snug and wrapped up warm for the new season.
But with such a wide choice of coats and jackets on offer for Autumn, it can be difficult to choose the right one – especially for kids!
We’ve asked three of our stores, renowned for their outerwear, for their tips and suggestions to help you keep your kiddies warm and dry this Autumn…
Think layers
When you’re choosing a new coat or jacket, layering matters – be it what layers your child will be wearing underneath it, such as their school uniform, or what layers the jacket or coat has within it, too.
Olivia at Mountain Warehouse, says: “When it comes to choosing a kid’s coat, customers should be thinking of what layers will be underneath when it comes to choosing a size, as well as how long the child will be outside and whether they will need a coat to accommodate for all weather.”
Look out for in-built fleeces, detachable hoods and faux-fur linings – all of which can help keep your kid cosy and dry when the infamous British weather does its thing.
Waterproof – or water resistant?
The terminology can also be overwhelming when you’re shopping for a new coat.
At Mountain Warehouse, the team say: “Water resistant means the coat has been treated with spray to stop liquid absorbing through, but this is only for light showers as it can only hold for a short period before it goes through the seams.
“Waterproof is when the coat’s inner seams have been taped up and it has also been treated to stop any liquid getting through, these get tested for how long they withstand liquid.”
Coats are then given a waterproof rating. “Our lower ranges start at 2000mm and we go up to 10,000 mm in store,” added Olivia at Mountain Warehouse.
TOG24’s waterproof jackets also have a waterproof rating, too.
“To put it simply, our waterproof jackets have a waterproof rating, a hydrostatic head (science-stuff waterproofness rating) of 1.5k. This is the minimum requirements for a British standard waterproof,” the team explain.
“However, here at TOG24, us Yorkshire folk don’t mess around with this kind of stuff, and our kid’s jackets start at 5. That will definitely keep your little uns nice and dry in whatever our interesting English weather throws at us!”
And at Trespass, the team works with a TP rating.
“We work with a TP rating, TP stands for technical performance,” explains Jo, store manager at the Lakeside Village Trespass store.
“Our products that are TP50 are waterproof and windproof, and products at TP50 have added breathability. Breathable garments allow moisture vapour to escape but don’t let water in. “
Style and substance
Of course, kids want to look the part, too. So, when it comes to choosing their new jacket or coat for the season ahead, make sure you’re in the know about what’s in style this Autumn.
TOG24 say: “For those frosty days, choose a parka style jacket for your little ones, complete with extra warm insulation, detachable faux fur hood, extra roomy pockets and an ultra-wind and moisture proof outer layer.
“The Duggan jacket , currently only £40 in the Lakeside Village store is ideal – cool retro parka styling, designed in colours inspired by the sunsets over the hills in Yorkshire, this robust jacket should withstand anything your children throw at it.
“Not only is it fully waterproof but we’ve given it an invisible water repellent coating that shrugs off raindrops, and all the seams are taped to make sure no dampness seeps in through the stitching.”
They also suggest combining the parka with the Toffolo Fleece, available in a range of dark and bright colours.
And, at Mountain Warehouse, the team say they expect half zip fleeces paired with padded jackets to be popular this season, along with our lightweight softshell jackets which are water resistant with fleece linings for warmth.
“We recommend the Ranger waterproof parka in kids which can hold 5000mm of rain and is warm enough to withstand all autumn/winter weather,” said the team.
While Trespass’s most popular style this time of year is ‘Dripdrop’ – a full body padded rain suit, with a waterproof rating of 2000mm and a breathability rating of 3000mvp.
“We have a variety of children’s coats and fleeces ready for the colder days, including padded insulated jackets,” said Jo from Trespass.
All team members across TOG24, Trespass and Mountain Warehouse are on hand and happy to help customers choose their ideal autumn outerwear – for kids and adults alike – simply pop in store and speak to a staff member about what you’re looking for.
