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Tina, here.

It's tough to come off like the chic, svelte wonder that you are when you are buried under layers of wool and down. Plus when you add scarves and hats and boots, it all creates a picture of something barely recognizable as a human female form under there. Our friends in the path of the Bomb Cyclone are really suffering from Michelin Man Syndrome. Here are some tips to look chic in your winter coat. (And please, consider donating a coat to One Warm Coat during this crazy winter weather, when so many would love the chance to have our first world problems, such as these.)

How To Look Chic In A Winter Coat

1. Get the right color.

Coats, I find, are strong personal choices, like jewelry. I think that's because they are a signature piece that must encapsulate your entire style philosophy in one piece, since most of us don't have a different coat to match every mood and outfit. So guess where the best place is to start when choosing a coat? The color. Even more so than the style. You want a coat that compliments your wardrobe and won't compete with it. A coat that puts the exclamation point on your style. If you tend to wear a lot of color and pattern, this means you'll want a solid, neutral-toned coat. And likewise, if you wear a lot of solids and neutrals, you can get away with a statement color for your coat. Or, if you're like me and you're addicted to neutrals, not only are your outfits neutral, but all your coats will be, too.

A good cognac coat (similar) is, for me, the Holy Grail of coats. Cognac works on every skin tone and hair color, and with every color in your wardrobe. Much more so than black. Surprised? This thought on color is a big, big point. And one I write a lot about - read more about it here:

Hot Fall Color: Brown Is The New Black

Other great neutral-toned coats for your winter wardrobe are gray, navy, ivory (for the brave), camel and that mushroom color. When choosing your color, you want it to be a bit darker or lighter than your skin tone, not matching it. (But who has navy skin?)

And a cocoon coat is my latest love affair. This one, by Katherine Hooker, is divine because it's gray and ivory - match made in neutral heaven, and it covers my bum. A must with any winter coat. It is custom made, but you can buy ready-made Katherine Hooker coats, too. Be sure to check out your early access edition of a Winter Capsule Wardrobe - In The Pale, which includes some of my favorite cocoon coats right now.

Insiders, don't miss today's early access post: Closet Cleanout Secrets From A Pro

2. Wear your scarves the right way - inside your coat lapel, not outside.

When we start adding on the accoutrements to keep us warm, like scarves, hats, gloves, ear muffs, etc, that's when it can all go south. The best thing you can do to keep the layers somewhat tamed is to wear your scarf on the inside of your coat (sounds illogical, but trust  me, it's better).

You can see here how the scarf worn on the outside of the coat adds width and bulk to my frame (left), whereas worn on the inside (right), it creates length, not to mention it keeps you warmer. You'd be shocked how may people I see wearing scarves on the outside of their coat lapels.

Related: How To Wear A Scarf Like A Parisian

And one of my biggest pet peeves is seeing the back vent of a coat still sewn together when wearing. As soon as you purchase a coat, snip that back vent! It'll help you walk, too. When I worked retail, I would keep scissors in my pocket so I could snip people's coats.

What's your favorite coat style? And please, consider donating a coat to One Warm Coat!

Thank you for visiting! And don't forget to visit our Shop to see more of my Latest Loves.

Best,

Tina

 

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