The Coat Post

© Belovodchenko Anton

With the holidays rapidly approaching, we figure that a lot of you are currently in the throes of planning some cross-continental travels to visit friends in far away places. You’ve picked the dates, booked your flight, and have possibly even mentioned it to your boss, but you may still be forgetting something – you're going to need a coat.

An overcoat is not something Miamians think about often, or at all. Everyone has a few jackets for those brisk “winter” mornings and to wear over your nice stuff on your way out at night, but few of us have a real-deal winter coat. And if you do, it may be just lurking there in the back of your closet, quietly going out of style while hopelessly waiting for one of those few-and-far-between January days when the thermometer dips precariously below fifty degrees.

If you're travelling to cooler climates and buying a coat is still topping your to-do list, there are some finer details to consider than just looks alone. A fabulous, well-made coat is a piece that will last for years, so consider buying the highest quality construction that your budget allows. Also, it is crucial to remember that if you’ll only have one coat, it should be in a timeless shape and neutral color that fits absolutely perfectly. When you pull it out from the back of the closet next year, or the year after that, you’ll be just as pleased (and look just as chic) as the day you bought it.

© ModCloth, Selected, Vince Camuto, Dolce & Gabbana, Sonia Rykiel, ACNEOur first pick it the lightest of the bunch, ideal for those sudden, cool Miami mornings and substantial enough to take you to cool (but not frigid) climates. The Downtown Chic Coat from ModCloth is a nubby wrap with pretty fluted sleeves and a waist-cinching bow-tie belt, a cover-up that creates a flawless silhouette over just about anything. Work it over your every-day skinny jeans and ankle boots, or go glamorous by wearing it with a shapely, full-skirted dress, tights, and pumps.

A black coat is a chic, simple answer to everything, but they can also be drab and typical. This Simple Mohair Mix Coat with Leather Belt is hardly boring, thanks to the cool stand-up collar and delicious wooly texture. The sleek, severe cut is sensational with a body-conscious all-black ensemble (a slinky sweater, skinny jeans or a knit tube skirt, and tall leather boots) especially if you throw in an ultra-bright cashmere scarf to break it up.

Military-inspired coats are perennially chic, and we love the luxe look of the navy Military Boiled Wool Coat by Vince Camuto. Complete with gleaming brass buttons, this classic coat will be in style practically forever. Worn open over a white shirt, twill trousers and riding boots is an effortless style that gets a little more special with the addition of a patterned silk scarf and a little red lipstick.

Longer lines are on-trend for coats this season, and this cocoon-shaped Dolce & Gabbana Wool-Crepe Coat is no exception. In elegant winter white, this sleek coat draws its style-inspiration from minimalist-design. This stunning coat is dying to be worn out on a snowy walk, with opaque black tights, leather gloves, and a red felt beret.

Or perhaps you prefer the ladylike austerity of Acne’s Farrah Coat. The tweedy-gray is a pretty, intriguing alternative to solids, and this collar-less (pack a scarf!) coat is free from embellishments like exposed zippers, bulky pockets, or even buttons. Work the stark simplicity by pairing this with a pared-down look; this jacket would be an excellent addition to the wardrobe of someone who sticks to monochromatic palettes and un-complicated silhouettes.

So we’ve talked about five timeless coats that will look as good tomorrow as they do today, as good with jeans as they will with dinner dresses, all in fabulous neutrals that go with everything in your closet. But what about all those loud, eclectic coats in brights and jewel-tones, with intricate closures and toggles and hoods and capes? Those coats are wonderful, and they have their place – alongside the classic, reliable, neutral coat. Make a colored coat an additional choice, not the only one in your closet. For instance, check out this Sonia by Sonia Rykiel Wool and Cashmere Coat, in dreamy, creamy peach. The sorbet-hue, full-skirted shape and bow-belt, makes this jacket a reflection of the designer’s feminine sensibilities. With a flippy skirt, silky blouse, tights, and stack-heeled Mary-jane shoes, this coat is the perfect antidote to dreary winters world-over.

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