Finding the Perfect Coat for Your Shape

‘Tis the season to layer-up, but that doesn’t mean you have to bury your fashion sense under a frumpy, unflattering coat. We put together an easy guide to help you find the right winter topper to flatter your shape. To make a sweet deal even sweeter, take advantage of our $25 rebate towards the tailor of your choice!

If you’re a Pear-Shape…

Then fit-and-flare shapes are your best bet. Look for styles that slim through the bodice and flare out through the hips, like our Mireille Maxi Coat. These concealing shapes give you the room you need without compromising your smallness up top. Another trick to balance out wider-on-bottom shapes is to add volume up top, with details like wide lapels, big fancy buttons, breast pockets and double-breasted plackets. Don’t forget to look for coats that hit below the hips! Check out our Belgravia Trench and Black Forest Wrap Coat, they add volume up top, cinch the waist and A-line past the hips for a flattering fit.

If you’re an Apple-Shape…

Then A-lined, looser-waisted coats are for you! Think Car Coats and Cocoon Coats. Their boxier shapes help conceal wider middles, giving you the extra space without sacrificing a great fit everywhere else. Silhouettes that A-line from the shoulder really help showcase your smaller frame up-top. Check out some of our best Car Coats: the Excursion Coat and the Hamburg Coat. What’s more, these coats are the most flattering length for your shape—past the hips. To keep attention off the middle, you don’t want a coat that hits right there. And let’s not forget our vintage-looking Cocoon Coat, it tapers in slightly at the bottom, to help keep those hips looking slim.

If you’re an Hourglass-shape…

Then shapely waist-cinched coats are the way to go! Look for something with a waist seam or even a belt to show off your small waist (like our Black Forest Wrap Coat and Belgravia Trench). Long coats shouldn’t be ruled out (as long as you’re not petite!), but for the most part above-the-knee shapes will most greatly flatter curves without hiding them. Styles like our Swallowtail Coat that have a tailored, fitted bodice and an A-lined hem accentuate all the right spots without overemphasizing those curves.

If you’re Straight Up & Down…

Then seek out curve-creating styles. Seamed bodices, double-breasted plackets, peplums, defined waists and pleats are all your friends! You want shapely details, not fill-you-out bulkiness. Fit-and-flare shapes with a nipped-in waist will give you a curvy look without the bulk. Unless you’re petite, longer lengths can also work for you. Check out our ankle-grazing Mireille Maxi Coat and Rivoli Coat. Let’s not forget defined shoulders! We’re not talking jumbo 80’s puff shoulders, but slight padding, epaulets, or even seaming create even more shape up top. Our Swallowtail Coat has everything you need to create flattering shape while maintaining that slim, tailored look.

If you’re a Petite “Short Stack” (5’4” or below)…

Then go no further than your knees! Long coats (past the knee) will only shorten the look of those legs! Worst of all is a voluminous long coat…nothing will dwarf you quicker. The most flattering, elongating style is a knee-length coat with an empire waist, belt or fitted bodice, all of which create a taller illusion (like our Belgravia Trench and Winter Ombré Coat). Another trick of the trade is to draw eyes upward with details at the neckline, such as fur-trim or an extra-wide collar, such as our Anatolian Coat

Carrot artwork courtesy of http://www.artisticrealism.com/paintings/carrot-oil-painting.jpg

Then look for coats that don’t put the focus on your chest—opt for details at the neck or hem and avoid big pockets at the bust. Coats that A-line from the shoulder can help balance things out by bringing more volume to the bottom without putting more on top. Our Excursion Coat does just that, plus it has a zipper so you won’t have to worry about the gaping-button syndrome! Not that buttons are a bad thing. For the most part, a single-breasted placket will be the most flattering, as double-breasted plackets tend to emphasize the bust. Long lengths help draw the eye downwards, so go for coats that are hip-length or longer. We recommend the Cocoon Coat or the Black Forest Wrap Coat!

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