Last winter I was warm enough. I just hated how I looked in every coat I owned

Last winter, I had what my husband called a perfectly good coat.

And technically, he was right. It zipped up. It covered me. It did what a winter coat was supposed to do.

The problem was that every time I caught sight of myself wearing it, I felt enormous.

I'd put on a nice jumper, do my hair, add a little lipstick — then throw this great shapeless black thing over everything and wonder why I'd bothered.

So I promised myself I wouldn't wait until the first properly cold week this year. I wanted something warm and practical, but I still wanted to feel like me when I walked out of the door.

Then I found the Mila Coat from Merritt London.

A winter coat was always going to add warmth. This year I wanted one that didn't hide me underneath it.

I knew immediately it wasn't a quiet little coat

And that's precisely what I liked about it.

The Mila has a generous hood, a longer padded shape and a more feminine silhouette than the boxy coats I'd become used to. It has presence.

I'm quite happy to admit I like that.

I like doing my hair before I go out. I like a nice handbag. I like a coat that feels a little glamorous rather than something that looks as though I've borrowed it for walking the dog.

But I was still wary of one thing: would all that padding make me look even bigger?

That was where the shape surprised me. Rather than simply hanging straight down, the Mila is designed with a gently shaped silhouette. It gives me the cosy, wrapped-up feeling I want from a winter coat without feeling like I'm disappearing inside it.

“At 57, I know what I like. I want to be properly wrapped up — I just don't want to look as though my coat has swallowed me.”

And this time, I'm sorted before winter arrives

It's only September, so I'm not pretending I'm wearing a padded coat every day yet.

But I remember what happened last year.

The temperature suddenly dropped, I told myself I'd find a better coat at the weekend, and before I knew it I was back in the same old black one for another winter.

Not this time.

The longer length gives me the coverage I was looking for, there's a generous hood for those colder and breezier mornings, plus ribbed cuffs and pockets for everyday practicality. The full zip also makes it easy to open up when I go indoors.

Merritt recommends going one size up from your usual size, which also leaves a little more room for a jumper underneath once the proper cold arrives.

I'm not wishing winter here early — I'm simply rather pleased I won't be panic-buying another coat when it does arrive.

It's definitely not for someone who wants to disappear into the crowd

I'll say that myself.

If your perfect winter coat is plain, understated and barely noticeable, there are probably quieter options.

I wanted the opposite.

I wanted the practical things — coverage, padding, a hood and room for my winter layers — but I also wanted to put it on over jeans and a jumper and immediately feel properly dressed.

The Mila gives me that.

Jeans, boots, a jumper and one coat that does the rest — exactly how I want to dress once the colder months arrive.

Last winter taught me not to settle for “it keeps me warm”

A winter coat is something I'll end up wearing again and again for months.

So yes, it needs to be comfortable. Yes, it needs to keep me covered when the temperature drops.

But I'm going to spend an awful lot of time in it.

I'd quite like to enjoy wearing it too.