Rah where’s my North Face puffer: What your favourite Bristol student coat says about you

The cold Bristolian weather is more than notable, especially when most of us don’t even have heating. Coat season, inside and outside of the house, is officially in full swing, with many new Christmas coats debuting on campus in 2025. You may think the worst of it is over, but February has a habit of giving us hope with lighter evenings, but then equally freezing us as much as December and January. Even though Bristol is undoubtedly a hub of unique and out there fashion choices, when it comes to bundling up warm, there are some clear staples amongst its student this year, and this is what they tell us about you.

The North Face puffer

This coat is often referred to as the uniform of a Bristol student, and it’s not difficult to see why. Take one step onto Queens Road and you can guarantee between Sainsburys and Wills 50% of the people you pass will be wearing one. If you own one, you’ve definitely crossed paths with enough people wearing the same jacket as you to clock it’s not the most unique look, and no, unfortunately picking one with a pattern will not change this, it’s still the same coat.

There’s also a high likelihood you either lived or currently live in North Village with all the other Londoners who dragged their puffer over there and made it a staple. Of course, I’m not claiming that every person owns one, but I guarantee if you don’t, you live with someone who does.

The Carhartt Jacket

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Wearers of this jacket, you are undoubtedly trendy, it does just look really cool. But it’s not the quite the unique jacket that it was a year or so ago, and as much as I’m sure it hurts the Carhartt warriors to say this, the jacket has made its way into mainstream Bristol student fashion. These jackets have been populating Bristol’s most popular pub gardens since autumn and have only multiplied since the Christmas holidays – they clearly made their way onto several wish lists. But a Carhartt jacket owner will never admit this, their jacket is *of course* an original vintage piece they bought off Vinted 5 years ago for a fiver, don’t worry you won’t have to ask them this, they’ll tell you anyway!

The Fur coat

These coats could simply not be left off the list, a long time indicator of your classic posh Bristol student. If you’re wearing one this winter, there’s no doubt you’re a fashionista, but you’ve definitely been accused of being ‘rah’ more than once. And to be honest, if you’d asked me last year, I probably would’ve been inclined to think that this coat was a sure sign of a Wills or Churchill resident.

But in the last month or so there’s been a massive surge in the fur coats popularity. So much so, I don’t think it can still be restricted to its previous associations. There is potentially something slightly questionable about choosing to wear a coat that could be easily damaged by rain in a city like Bristol, but I feel like the wearer of a fur coat isn’t one to be tied down by practicalities. These coats are popping up everywhere but if you want to see a high concentration of them at one time, definitely head down to the races in March as they’ll have a guaranteed presence.

The Leather jacket

The leather jacket is honestly a great staple, but if you own one, I guarantee that jacket has been everywhere. Lecture hall? Check. Shopping in city centre? Check. Steam? Check. Brass Pig? (Realistically) Check. That jacket has served you well, but it’s likely on its last legs and starting to fall apart at the seams. Of course, the leather jacket wearer, will power on through regardless. You are further unbothered by the fact it’s in no way keeping you warm on a one degree walk to uni, because you understand that the leather jacket has the incredible power to bring any boring outfit to the next level. Just remember, if you’re wearing one this winter you don’t need to tell us it’s thrifted, its ok, we all saw it at Urban.

The trench coat

Are you an English student or LinkedIn warrior? Probably both. This coat is for sure the classiest on this list, if you’re wearer of this jacket you’re undoubtedly that friend whose made it to a morning yoga session, drank a green juice and journaled a significant amount all before your housemates have got out of bed. Most likely spotted grabbing a coffee at a cute artisan café or sitting in the library seat we all wanted, people who wear this jacket are on top of things to a level the rest of us can only dream of.