With the holiday season here, and temperatures dropping lower every day, now’s the time to pull out your winter coat and/or buy new one.  I bought a new one last year, and it took a bit of trial and error to find the right one.  Now if it’s your turn to buy a new one, let my lessons be your guide!

How to find the perfect winter coat:

1)      What is the main purpose of you coat?

Stupid question right? Wrong.  You wouldn’t wear a puffy ski jacket to a cocktail party and you wouldn’t wear a floor length wool dress coat to an outdoor sporting event.  Coats have certain occasions.  One of my wants was a coat I could wear to work and over jeans and heels.  I wanted something a little bit dressier than my hooded bomber jacket.

 2)      Location, Location, Location

Sure that puffy red Land’s End jacket with the faux fur trim is adorable, and it will sure keep you warm in -32degrees.  Do you really need that when you live in Florida?   Where you live and the average winter temperature need to play a big factor in what warmth your new coat provides.  If the temperature fluctuates often during a day, you might want to consider a medium weight coat made of a lighter fabric or even one with a removable lining. 

 3)      Price is always a factor

Know before you shop, whether online or in-store, how much you are going to spend.  It’s pretty easy to find a coat priced between $100 and $200, but if you’ve got a smaller range like $20 to $40, it can still be done.  Web shopping might be your best bet.  Sites like Forever 21,Papaya, and Lulus offer some great options with a smaller price tag.  I found my coat for $20 at Forever 21. 

4)      Length and Color, No, not of your hair.

Floor, Knee, Mid-Thigh, or Waist.  What is the perfect length for you? If you don’t know which you would prefer, go try on a whole bunch of different coats in different lengths. You’re never obligated to buy.  Try on and once you find what you like, look online for a better deal.  Color lights up your life, but maybe not your coat.  Determine if you want a bright color like purple, pink, red or yellow, or if you want a more neutral shade, white, cream, black, brown, grey or navy.  If you like white or cream, think about the upkeep of it. You will have to be more careful where you lay your coat.  Also, think about pattern, hounds-tooth or plaid are always cute options.

5)      The difference is in the details

Think about what details you want on your coat-pockets, a belt, lots of buttons, a zipper, a hood?  The pocket and hood are especially important, as they are sometimes as much necessities as they are accessories.  I once got home with a jacket without pockets, and it bugged me so much I had to get rid it.

 Good luck on your coat buying adventure!