As you strut to your holiday parties and scurry to class in this wintry weather, your coat should add more than bulkiness to your look—it should complete it.
While North Face fleeces are perfectly functional and Columbia ski jackets may be comfy, they have the potential to take your outfit from Fifth Avenue chic to elementary school coat closet monotony.
If you were that fifth-grader rocking a faux fur pink coat, keep on doing you—the standouts of winter apparel are what we’re going for.
Here are my picks for top coats of this season—I hope you’re ready for this!
Faux fur. It’s trendy, it’s cozy, it’s animal friendly and just as alluring as your grandmother’s mink coat. Although pink was the “it” color back then, it’s best to stick to neutrals now to amplify the hues and shades of the outfit underneath. Long, short, fitted, hooded-every shape and size is equally fabulous. Some of my faves include Topshop’s Leah Faux Fur Coat, a stripe faux fur coat by Glamorous and the Brocade Trim Faux Fur Jacket by Leith all found at nordstrom.com.
For a more subdued, classy and casual look, the quilted coat is all yours. Paired with your favorite pair of jeans, a high collared sweater, riding boots and a wide-rimmed floppy hat, you’ll be looking city chic in seconds. Again for purposes of versatility and to avoid a clashing catastrophe, earth tones are best. The Burberry Brit “Copford” quilted jacket, the Faux Leather Trim Quilted Jacket by Ralph Lauren and the MICHAEL by Michael Kors packable top zip down bomber jacket are my quilted quick picks.
Perfect for your walk to the gym, the commute to and from the train station and for any outdoorsy occasion, it’s the puffer vest. Functional with a bulky sweatshirt or sweater underneath, the puffer vest will keep the heat in while allowing you to move easily as you venture out. The Victoria’s Secret PINK puffer vest in burgundy, the North Face Oh Snap Puffer Down Vest in black available at Macy’s and the J. Crew Shiny Puffer Down Vest in navy are among the most versatile and chic.
And finally, we’ll talk peacoats, because no winter is complete without one. But we’ll be talking peacoats with a twist, rather than the straight cut and dry colored styles seen just about everywhere. Peacoats with shape, with that special flare, greater length and special adornments are preferred. My style selections: the light pink cocoon coat available at Express, the Guess color block double breasted wool blend coat available at Nordstrom and the Betsey Johnson wool blend faux fur corset flared coat available at Macy’s.
As you write up your Christmas lists keep these hot items in mind. Bask in the joy of your winter wonderland and go walking in it in style.
Michelle Foti can be reached at michelle.foti@student.shu.edu.
