Outerwear refers to clothes designed to be worn over your other clothing, especially when you go outside. Coats, jackets, raincoats, and parkas are all types of outerwear. These garments protect you from weather like cold, wind, rain, or snow.

The key thing about outerwear is that it's the outermost layer, the final thing you put on before heading out the door. Your shirt, sweater, and pants stay underneath. On a freezing winter morning, you might wear a t-shirt, a sweatshirt, and then a puffy winter coat as your outerwear. On a rainy spring day, a waterproof raincoat becomes your outerwear.

Different types of outerwear suit different conditions. A light windbreaker works for cool autumn evenings, while a heavy parka with a hood is outerwear for harsh winter storms. Some outerwear, like a denim jacket, is more about style than serious weather protection.

When stores organize their clothing sections, they'll often have an outerwear department separate from shirts, pants, or dresses, because these garments serve a different purpose.