I became rather obsessive in my hunt for the perfect “spring” leather jacket – having a baby bump the size of a whole universe kind of limits the rest of my fashion shopping, and so I tend to fixate on shoes, bags and coats that I can sling on casually, happy in the knowledge that (so long as I don’t want to do them up at the front) they will fit me post-pregnancy as well as during.

I have three black leather jackets in storage; I didn’t bring them with me on my holiday-let-house-renovation “travels” because, stupidly, I thought that they wouldn’t fit me by the time it was warm enough to crack them out. But as fortune would have it, most of my body has stayed about the same size, give or take a new little pocket of fat here and there that I like to think of as a kind of “storage facility” for breastfeeding energy reserves, and so I do regret not having brought at least one of them with me. Because when it’s that mild springtime weather, there’s nothing more brilliant, coat-wise, than a good leather jacket.

But anyway, not having brought one with me has forced my hand and, because I didn’t want to “repeat buy” and get another black one, I started to think about which colour alternative would be most suited to the spring weather. First of all I looked into nude and peachy-toned jackets, of which there seemed to be dozens; I loved the trend, but the shades all seemed to wash me out. And I was slightly concerned that the jackets would start to look grubby after just a few wears. I found a great brown leather jacket, which I loved, until Mr AMR pointed out that it was the same colour as our old sofa, which I used to call the “poo sofa”. (Yes, I am the definition of maturity.)

After much searching I alighted on this little grey number from Next; buttery soft leather, a beautiful shape and the kind of gentle, pale grey that reminds you of cashmere jumpers and expensive hotel rooms. Not an aeroplane-seat grey leather, not a motorcyclist’s trousers kind of grey leather, but a muted, “the sky is threatening a spring shower” grey leather. The length is cut on the waist but at just the right level – not cropped (DEAR HIGH STREET PLEASE STOP CROPPING EVERYTHING), but equally not left that little bit too long, which looks dated and instantly ageing. Sartorially speaking.

I love it and have been flinging it on over all sorts of bizarre maternity outfit concoctions – it looks great with denim, with little (ha! big) dresses and everything in between. Less harsh than black, but still with that edgy, casual appeal, it’s my Spring Wardrobe Staple for those who want a jacket to see them through the last of the chilly weeks.

The Grey Leather Biker Jacket is £160 at next.co.uk