How to Be More Fashion Forward by Wearing a Coat

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As soon as autumn enters its chilliest part, we hurry up to find all of our lovely coats to warm up with. We have no choice but to put up with the bad weather and dress warmly. Our wardrobe gets filled with heavy winter clothes and, of course, coats. And, as winter progresses, we learn some fun tips and tricks to style our outfits with our coats. We even learn how our coats can one-up our fashion game.


Even if we have a coat from last year, we all still want keep up with today’s fashion and obtain another fashionable coat to have a variety to choose between during these long months of the cold weather. Once we have several options, we can create different looks by adding some matching scarves (learn how to wear a scarf) that will refresh the everyday coat.

Today’s fashion offers such a great variety of trendy coats of different shapes, styles, and colors to satisfy different tastes, that one cannot simply help wandering in shops to look at them. A perfectly fitting coat that adds style to our personality, highlighting a flattering silhouette that never goes out of fashion. However, it is not always an easy task to pick the perfect coat for your body. Sometimes we get lost in so many different styles and colors and cannot really understand which one to choose. In order to make the right pick, let us offer you several style tips to keep in mind when buying a coat.

How to Choose a Coat

Regardless of the piece of clothing you are going to buy, you should always think first about your shape. Especially when it comes to coats, you should be much more attentive to this detail. Do not simply fall in love with this or that coat and end up buying it on a whim. With different body shapes, the coat will look different on different body types. Take into account that women can have a body shaped as an apple, pear, hourglass and square; whenever it comes to choosing a coat, these shapes should be taken into consideration. A coat should be in such a style to either highlight your best body features or hide some imperfections. If you follow the guidelines for each type of figure, it is possible to avoid serious mistakes. And it will definitely help you pick the right coat for you.

Beautiful girl with hair and make-up, walking around the city /

Coats for Triangle Body Shape

If you have a small waist, narrow shoulders and wide hips, your figure is considered to belong to the triangle type of body shape. Coats must accordingly be chosen in a way to hide excessive fullness of hips and give a little increase in the upper part. A fitting coat with a wide bottom and active top (it can be a ruffled collar or a smooth one) can be an ideal pick for you.

Coats for an Apple Body Shape

Women having apple shaped bodies normally have narrow shoulders and hips, yet a defined full waist, and usually a protruded tummy that does not go harmoniously with the rest of the body. For this type of a body shape, a coat that is of medium length with a long waist, which focuses on the central part of the figure, can be just perfect. Girls with this type of figure should pay attention to single-breasted coats or asymmetric ones.

Coats for a Pear Body Shape

The pear shaped body, which is characterized with a narrower top and a curvy thigh area, is another shape that demands great attention when choosing a coat. Unlike apple shaped body, in this case you should do your best to focus attention on your perfect top, yet refrain from highlighting your hips. That means you should reverse the wide hips with a simple and concise silhouettes. The bottom of the coat should not be overloaded with ruffles, embroidery, pleats, and it should not be too loose to make your hips look wider. The coat should also be diametrically opposed to the emphasis on the top. Choose a coat with a high collar. It will both suit you well, and add an additional emphasis to your style.

Coats for a Square Body Shape

Since this body type itself gives us a hint that girls of this shape are overweight, accordingly the task here is to emphasize the flowing lines of the waist, therefore, choosing a coat by opting for such models with straps. For this type of body shape, a coat with a wide bottom, bright appliqué and patch pockets will look best.

Coats for an Hourglass Body Shape

The most common, classical and feminine body shape is the hourglass. This is the ideal body shape that has nothing to conceal. It is a quite symmetrical silhouette. This body shape is characterized by an identical width of shoulders and hips, accompanied with a slim waist. If you belong to this perfectly lined shape, then you are indeed a very lucky person, not only in the choice of a coat, but for the rest of clothing also. You can easily rush for any type of a coat you like, of different styles, colors and lengths will all look good on you. However, try to define all your natural curves and look feminine. Any coat that is your size can look fantastic on you. Choose the colors that mostly match you and go ahead to surprise everyone with your perfect choice. Feel free to define all your best features with the right cut on the waistline.

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Size Really Matters

Once you get a clear picture of your body shape, it is time to make your coat choice. In addition to the style, color and length of the coat, the size should by all means be number one thing to pay attention to. Always keep in mind that a coat is not simply a piece of clothing worn all alone. It is a second, sometimes even a third layer of clothing worn on a top of a blouse or a warm winter sweater. Do not wear a light top when trying the coat on. Be sure to try the coat on top of warm clothes: jacket, sweater or sweatshirt. An additional layer will let you understand whether the coat will be free and convenient to pull on. Coats should certainly not fit you too tightly.

Put on a coat and now have a look at yourself in the mirror. First pay attention to your sleeves. Coat sleeves should not end above the top of the thumb and down below the middle of the palm. Keep your hands in front of you and check: you should not feel excessive strain on the back. If you get the feeling, it’s likely that this size is a small one. Take a size larger.

Now turn around and look at the back. The coat should look smooth on the back; no wrinkles, waves or folds should appear on its surface, and the shoulders should also be on their proper place. Make several movements: sit down, walk a little bit and see how you feel. Once you feel comfortable, then you have got the right size.

Making sure that the back of the coat is exactly as it should be, turn around and check the waistline. The waistline should be fitted exactly where it is, not high, not below its place, otherwise you are risking to destroy your natural body shape by cutting it at the wrong place. It may sound very scrutinizing, but even a few centimeters above or below the natural waistline can ruin your entire look.

Now that the entire thing seems to fit you perfectly, another crucial particle to keep in mind is the collar. Fasten coat buttoned. The collar should fit snugly to the neck, as you will still be in need of a warm scarf to pair with it. A scarf really compliments a coat and offers much warmth on the neck zone. Since the scarf is an additional layer that can be worn not only on top of a coat collar, but also beneath it, make sure there is some margin left.

If all these steps you undergo and finally see the coat is ideal for you, do not hesitate to buy it.

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How to Wear a Coat

Once you have done the most difficult part and have chosen the right coat for your figure, it’s time to learn how to wear it right. Here are a few tips to be followed, if you want to create a stylish look:

• Match the color of your coat with your outfits. You can certainly act creatively and color block your outerwear and outfit; however, sticking to the principle color blocking rules and working in the same color spectrum is the main trick to success. Otherwise, try to create a harmonious look, by choosing clothes in colors that don’t differ much from the color of your coat.

• Coats are more elegant outerwear than jackets, therefore try to appear super feminine and elegant wearing them. The best option is matching your coat with a dress or a skirt worn with some polished shirt. A pair of elegant trousers worn with heels will also go well with a coat. You will get a typical office-ready look, which is both chic and trendy. Leave the rest of your outfits (jeans, tees, etc.) to be worn with a leather jacket, for instance.

• You can also turn on your style imagination and mix casual outfits with an elegant coat. For instance, a military style coat looks amazing, when worn with a pair of jeans and a sweater. Simply, try on various pieces to see, which option is the best one. Either create a harmonious look or, on the contrary, something outstanding and sometimes even strange, which will pop up in the gray crowd instantly.

• When it comes to the footwear to be worn with a coat, if course, the best option is high heel boots. However, if you aren’t that much into heels, you can try ones with a flat sole. If the weather isn’t that cold, you can also wear your coat with a pair of shoes, only if they really look chic with your coat.

• Make sure to always complement your coat with a matchy scarf. This will boost the femininity and elegance in your look, and create a better impression. Coats worn with bare neck look unflattering, as it reveals all the layers worn under it and creates an impression of an incomplete look.

Last but not least, dear ladies, never refrain from coats, even if you are more into a sporty style and love some biker jackets. There are certain pieces you can never wear with those jackets, but only with classic coats. So make sure to have one in your wardrobe, or more than one style, in case you start loving it a lot. Pair it with a matching warm scarf and you are ready to survive another chill autumn and upcoming cold winter.

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Written by Megan Taylor
Megan is a beauty expert who is passionate about all things makeup and glam! Her love for makeup has brought her to become a beauty pro at Glamour Garden Cosmetics.