Padded jackets are the ones you reach for when the temperature stops being a matter of opinion. Everything in this collection uses a synthetic fill rather than down, which matters in two practical ways: it keeps insulating when it gets damp, and it costs a good deal less than the down equivalent.

Standard padded jackets finish at the hip and are the everyday choice — warm enough for the walk to work, short enough to drive in. Longline padded coats carry the insulation down over the thigh, which is what you want if your cold weather involves standing still: waiting for a bus, watching a match, walking a dog in February. Padded gilets take the sleeves off entirely. They keep your core warm while leaving your arms free, and they layer under a coat or over a jumper without adding much bulk.

Look for the quilting pattern on the product photos. Smaller panels hold the fill more evenly and stop it migrating after a few washes; larger panels look sleeker but shift more over time.

Sizing. Padded jackets are cut with layering in mind. Take your usual size unless the product page says otherwise.

Dispatched with tracking; 30 days to return anything unworn.