"In the middle of November with warm weather still lingering, it can feel like coat season is never going to get here. But any day now, the temperatures are going to drop to “can’t go outside without being bundled up” level, and when I recently thumbed through my usual rotation of outerwear in preperation, I couldn’t help but feel disappointed. While looking at my sea of black wool coats and puffy black parkas, it’s hard to feel inspired—that is, without the exception of my one saving grace: a leopard-print coat I purchased last winter peeking out from the bunch saying, “more fun coats, please!”
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Thankfully, my desire for more lively outerwear is backed by this season’s burgeoning selection of coats with character. From built-in scarf details and bright colors to faux furs and liquid-like leather, boring outerwear is gearing up to be a thing of the past. While a black wool coat is exceptionally practical, I’d be willing to argue that for many of us, they don’t reflect our personal style. Come cold-weather season, your coat is your outfit, which means that taking an outerwear risk could be well worth the reward.
As if we needed any more reason to detest winter, choosing to spend the next six months in a plain black coat seems like a rather counterproductive decision. Though I’d never give mine up entirely, I’m looking forward to spending the long, dark days ahead in something a bit more mood-boosting. Feeling inspired? These are the fun coats worth adding to your outerwear rotation this season. Be warned: They’re so good, you’ll be wishing for cold weather to come sooner.
Animal Print Coats
Speaking of leopard print coats, I’m pleased to say that last year’s addition to my coat closet is right on trend with this year’s most popular outerwear. As prevalent as the spotted print remains, fall’s trending assortment also includes a few other animal-print alternatives: snake, tiger, and zebra, to name a few. Regardless of your cold-weather spirit animal of choice, each can be styled just like you would a neutral.
Leather Coats
Every year, the trending leather jacket of choice seems to take on a new form, be it a bomber, moto, or trench coat. This year, amongst the endless options available online, there’s one that seems to have garnered the most attention: the leather trench coat. Stemming from a movement toward liquid-like leather, the leather trench is being worn both in neutral and bold colors—with this season’s it-color, burgundy, included.
Faux-Fur Coats
This probably goes without saying, but when I say fur, know that I always mean faux fur. If you’ve spent even an ounce of time shopping online lately, you’ve likely seen a slew of fur-trimmed outerwear across every major retailer. The vintage-inspired look hails from the ’60s and ’70s when faux fur became more affordable, but has since experienced a wave of unpredictable popularity. This year, faux fur is back and better than ever, enhancing the simplest of looks and emulating the feel of your grandmother’s most prized possession.
Built-In Scarf Coats
This is me extending a formal apology to myself for coveting the Toteme scarf coat dupe last year and not jumping on the trend sooner. Alas, here we are, in the midst of another season riddled with outerwear embellished with built-in scarves. In a day and age where I’m storing my lip gloss in my phone case, it only makes sense that my coat would also double as a wrap-around scarf.
Bright Coats
Mark my words: After years of sporting a black wool coat, this will be the season I finally overcome my fear of brightly colored outerwear. Years ago, I succumbed to the idea that a neutral coat would be the most versatile option for my wardrobe, and while I still agree on its practicality, wearing it means that I have to put in a whole lot more effort to the rest of my ensemble. To the contrary, throwing on a colorful coat on top of something as simple as a sweat set means less work with higher styling reward.
Suede Coats
Finding an affordable suede coat—or suede anything, for that matter—comes at a high price: the willingness to do a bit of hunting. Determined to obtain a suede coat of my own this season, I flew all the way to Greece to pick up a half-price suede trench from Massimo Dutti. Kidding, kidding—but I did find an insane deal that resulted in me wearing a heavy suede coat through the Athens airport all the way back to New York City. My hesitancy around finding a budget-friendly option stateside quickly dissipated after landing back on American soil and discovering a plethora of afforadble faux-suede options that rivaled the look of some of the more expensive ones.
Cape Coats
I know, I know, I don’t want my outerwear to make me look like I’m cosplaying as a Hogwarts student, either, but these cape coats are actually totally wearable. If you’re hesitated to jump on the bandwagon out of not knowing how to style one, try starting with a simple base (read: jeans and a tee) and let the statement-making coat do all the work for you.
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Tinsley Crisp, Fashion & Beauty Staff Writer
Tinsley Crisp is a Fashion & Beauty Staff Writer at The Everygirl and specializes in reporting on the season’s latest trends and hottest products. As a New York City-based stylist, she’s committed to injecting joy into the art of getting dressed and delivering attainable yet aspirational content to our readers.