Trifecta: Coats

(This is the third in the series. If you missed them, part 1 is here, Marianne's part 1 is here,  part 2 is here.) 

So, lets talk about coats. Of the three things I picked for this series, coats are the least exciting, but probably the most important, especially if you live somewhere with Serious Weather. Marianne and I both live in places with fairly mild winters but I'm still wearing some kind of coat from October to April. That means that seven months out of the year I'm covering whatever I'm wearing with a coat and that's what most people are going to see. Therefore: important.

Avoid the single winter coat rut.

I used to be that girl. I had one winter coat I wore every. single. day. It was unexciting and probably didn't fit that well, but it did the job. So boring! So sad. Here's the thing, like a business suit, a coat is a bit of an investment and a fun scarf will help to change up the monotony. However, it really helps to have more than one. It will give you variety and will make the awful weather suck a little less, I promise. Aim for one long coat and one short coat (in black, brown, grey) and one in a fun color.

You need me.

You need a trench coat.

There is nothing more classic, more chic, more pulled-together, than a trench coat. I have two and I wear them almost year-round: as a rain coat, as a light jacket, dressed up, dressed down. A trench is totally versatile and will make you look sharp even if you're just wearing jeans and a t-shirt underneath. There are very classic versions, edgy versions, girly versions. I don't care which style you have, just have one.

Buy quality.

Coats are another one of those things worth spending money on. Well-made coats are warmer, will fit better, will last longer. I highly recommend Cole Haan for winter coats, and they're pretty easy to find on sale at places like Marshalls and online at Bluefly. Mackage is also a really great brand for a high-quality, warm coat with cool details.

I'm kind of cute, right?

Buy for the weather.

If you live somewhere ridiculously cold, go ahead and buy that puffy long down-filled coat and don't worry about what it looks like. I don't want you getting frostbite trying to look good. That said, you do have cute options.

You need a cute jacket. Or two.

Come spring and fall, I want a cute jacket that's going to be part of my outfit. This is where you can go a bit cheaper and have more fun with color and pattern. My favorite leather jacket came from Old Navy!

Cut the vent.

This is more of a PSA. That vent in the back of your coat that's sewn shut with a little cross of thread? Cut that, please. It's not decoration, it's to hold the vent shut until the coat is sold. Also, if you have a "100% Cashmere" label on your sleeve, you can go ahead and remove that too. Heh.

Okay, so here's my bare minimum coat wardrobe:

Long wool coat in a neutral color
Short wool coat in a neutral color
Tan trench coat
Casual puffer jacket
Casual field jacket

To expand it I'd add:

Wool coat in a fun color
Another trench coat in black or red
Long puffer coat
Leather jacket
An edgy mixed leather/wool coat

Finally, my two favorites! The first is (obviously) my tan Banana Republic trench coat:

I wear this so often the buttons are starting to pull loose! I also have one in black, but wear the tan version the most. If you're looking for one, I highly recommend Banana Republic for a decent quality, nicely fitting trench. (It's actually marked down right now! And there's a 35% off code!)

My other favorite is my J. Crew Downtown Field Jacket:

I actually paid full price for this because I wanted it so badly and it's been a workhorse for me. It's the perfect spring/fall layer, it's waterproof-ish, and it just looks exactly right every time. I'm so glad I bought it.

Okay, so let's talk coats. What's your stance?