Children’s parka: the best one to choose

Check out the children in London coming home from school and admire their uniforms. Whether they’re going home through the very Jamaican borough of Hackney, running through the spicy Indian scents of Southall or travelling through the very upper class Hyde Park, they all wear blazers and ties, pleated skirts or shorts and long socks in summer. As the temperature falls, and the wind and rain arrive, both girls and boys wear trousers. When you come across London kids at the weekend it’s like a parallel universe. The highly cosmopolitan British capital has the offspring to match – miniature versions of the crazy rainbow of styles found here.

As the leaves take on their first coppery tints, coats make an appearance and become the daily basic for several months. IKKS has taken inspiration from this multitude of children’s parkas, padded jackets and blazers. Kids are definitely the equals of the adults, as they proudly sport a bomber jacket or blazer. When they become teens, they customise their jackets with badges and buttons of their favourite bands or activist  patches (to a certain extent).

Parkas come in dark, sensible shades or lighter colours, from camel to chic black, via flashy orange, perfect for brightening up the dullest days in November, warming up the coldest days in January or reminding us that spring is on its way in February.

The chilly air blowing through Piccadilly and the light or heavy showers that surprise people all over London every day mean that cautious parents opt for waterproof coats. But this doesn’t stop the kids looking stylish. Metallic parkas, fake fur hoods and quilted fabrics protect young Brits from the vagaries of the climate.

The weather in the UK is known to be very changeable, so zips are the best bet if you don’t want to be buttoning and unbuttoning your jacket all day long. We’re a long way from the times when people sewed children’s gloves into their winter coats – zips are now an accessory. Metallic or XXL, zips, like buttons, are on show and decorative.

Boys and girls, depending on their age and how much they run about, can wear long parkas to look like little gentlemen, after the fashion of Patrick Macnee in The Avengers, or like a younger version of Emma Watson. A colourful sweater or sports jacket, brightly coloured hood interior or patterned lining add a dash of typical British vibrancy to items that at first sight seem very plain. Short parkas, usually worn as sportswear, can form part of a smart casual look – a fur hood, plain, discreet pattern or a quilted finish are the perfect combination of practicality, warmth and elegance for your little ones.