Covering up is as important as the reveal

Let's be honest down here in the south we've gotten off pretty lightly with the weather so far this year, I suspect and to a certain extent hope it won't last.  As there is something truly delicious about sweeping through the door in a Cashmere concoction or strolling around in a sculpted duvet, not so much fun is melting under these enormous fabric mountains, when the thermometer refuses to drop to the necessary level.  I think there is something deeply unsatisfactory about a Winter in which you can get away with never wearing more than a jacket.

This year particularly as one of the biggest trends was "The Great Coat" and there were and more importantly are some absolute beauties out there.  The total joy now is that you get to buy them in the sale as a bargain just in time to get the maximum amount of wear out of it for this season, ooh you crafty devils.

When it comes to your capsule wardrobe I would say that a coat/your coat, should be an anchor piece.  The fabulous ones are expensive because they have to be functional and attractive but if you buy something you love and that at least nods to the classics then they are almost timeless, especially if you can avoid moths.  My first beautiful coat was a full length Maxmara, and 15 years on I still wear it and adore it.  There are some brands that really are your first and last point of call for a classic and when it comes to anything in a coat, I would always nudge towards Maxmara first.  Partly as you never see a Maxmara coat wearing a woman, like you do with some other brands.

When it comes to specific style and shape, as always there are no definitive rules but there is one when it comes to size:- a coat must fit.  There is no point in wearing a sleeping bag, turning yourself into a shapeless and undefined block, you might be warm but you won't feel like going anywhere.  So many people over the years have stood in front of me and said things like I'm normally a 12 but would you have this coat in a 16. ?????  I didn't understand it either, but with the help of a mirror and some gentle or not so gentle persuading, the right choice was made in the end.  Coats are not just for Christmas so it is worth putting some thought into it particularly if you want to bring the cost per wear price of your item down to the floor.

However if you feel that you can there is something inspiring about a person with the courage to do the unexpected and there are some amazing patterns and colour coats that give you the opportunity to not only stand out from the crowd but lead them like the Pied Piper. This will invariably become a type of signature and you will become "so and so, you know the one with the Bright Pink coat".

So whether you are brave in your choice or decide to go for a classic now is the time to make the choice, as it is the big ticket items like a coat where the Sales are very much your friend!