Some jackets come and go with the season. The Active Jacket has been around since 1975, and it is still one of the first things people ask for when the weather turns.

Here is what it is, how it fits and how we would wear it.

What it is

The Active Jacket started life as workwear: a hooded canvas jacket built to be worn outside, in the cold, every day. Carhartt WIP keeps that build and cuts it for wearing off the job.

The outer is hard-wearing cotton canvas. Inside is a diamond-quilted lining for warmth. It has a drawstring hood, a zip front, front pockets and the square logo patch on the chest. Nothing on it is decoration. Every detail is there because it was useful first.

How it fits

The Active Jacket is a regular fit. It is roomy enough to go over a hoodie or a knit without pulling across the shoulders, but it does not swamp you.

• Want room to layer? Take your usual size.
• Only wearing it over a tee? You can size down, but most people do not need to.
• Between sizes? Go up. Canvas has very little stretch.

Not sure? Message us on Instagram @triads with your height and usual size and we will tell you straight.

Breaking it in

Canvas starts stiff. That is normal, and it is part of the appeal. Wear it, and within a few weeks it softens and creases where you move. The more you wear it, the more it looks like yours.

To look after it, wash at 30°C or below and skip the fabric softener. It breaks down the canvas over time.

How to wear it

• Weekend: over a grey hoodie with loose jeans or double knees and a pair of trainers.
• Smarter: over a knit with dark trousers and loafers. Workwear and tailoring work together more than people expect.
• Cold snaps: add a fleece underneath and a beanie. Canvas blocks wind well, and the quilted lining does the rest.

Is it worth it?

If you want one jacket to wear from October to March for years, yes. It is not the lightest coat you will own, and it is not trying to be. It is built to last and to look better with age.

Shop the Carhartt WIP OG Active Jacket. Free UK delivery on orders over £100, next-day dispatch, and DHL worldwide shipping.