Above images of Celine, Aldo and Chanel.

Your
coat
is the building block of your winter wardrobe—which means you need to both love it and wear it with Blake Lively-worthy confidence. What it
doesn’t mean is that you have to splurge on a new one every year just to meet shifting style standards. Don’t worry, we’ve got your back—literally. Read on for five tips on how to give last year’s topper the ultimate fashion-forward revamp.

Tailor it

An excellent tailor is like a Friday night glass of cabernet: Absolutely essential. A tailor can bring in the waist, take out the sleeves, adjust lapels, or transform a staid three-quarter length coat into a flirty knee-length one. (The fall runways offer competing inspiration: Chic and short at Rag & Bone versus long and voluminous at
Celine.) Pitching for the short side? The trendy capelets and cropped shearling coats at Anthropologie—the sartorial equivalent of a grand slam.

Belt it

The belting craze continues, and with good reason: The emphasis on the waist creates a lovely—and flattering—feminine silhouette. Nipped waists abounded on the runway, most spectacularly at
Burberry Prorsum, where impeccable navy jackets featured gold chains acting as delicate, fashion-forward belts. Embrace that inventive spirit by adding a belt in a contrasting hue (cherry red on navy, soft brown on forest green). Don’t be afraid to play with texture—and expectations. Raffia may seem like a summer-only option, until you see it encircling a snow-white winter coat. Advantage, risk-takers.

Go for gloves

Looking for a ladylike touch or just a hint of rocker glam? Make a subtle statement with a perfect pair of gloves, which pull double duty this winter: They keep you warm while raising your style score to red-hot. Anything goes: Bows add sweetness; tassels, personality. Aldo’s classic elbow-length style recalls the elegance of a young Grace Kelly, while Danier’s ultra-cool leather gloves with chain metal detailing are fit for a modern-day Joan Jett.

Find out how to style your coat with fur and colour on page 2…

Above images of Celine, Aldo and Chanel.

Have fun with faux fur
This winter, faux fur is as omnipresent as Kim Kardashian—and infinitely more appealing. On the high-fashion end, no one was more committed to fur’s reign than Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel, who went so far as to show multi-coloured fur jumpsuits. (Reality index? Zero.) Instead, incorporate fur into your wardrobe with impactful, fashion-forward accents: a fur collar à la Marc Jacobs, Banana Republic’s Russian-inspired hat, or the super-shaggy boots from Aldo.

Play with colours and patterns
A neon orange coat might be tiring to look at—and a serious challenge to pull off—but a juicy pop of red, blue, or purple against a classic neutral will give your look new energy. (Remember: modern neutrals include grey, cream, and camel.) If you’re a colour neophyte, practice restraint: Start with one new hue, like Danier’s teal leather gloves. Once you feel comfortable, switch it up and get creative with your palette. Take a page out of Dries Van Noten’s book and add a sexy-as-hell leopard spotted scarf over a monochrome coat. Fierce? An understatement.

Check out more of our winter coat styling ideas here.

Read more
Fashon trend: The duffle coat
Fall fashion: The cape
Fashion trend: fur
One little black dress, five ways to wear it