A Winter COat, the Perfect Accessory

Coats and jackets are my favorite piece to add to a look to pull it together. In fact, in my apartment right now I have an entire rolling rack of outerwear that I rotate in and out of my wardrobe depending on my look of the day. One day you may spy me in a trench coat, and the next I may be wearing a full length faux fur coat.

My Fall/Winter wardrobe is full of many neutral pieces, and having the proper outerwear allows me to add a touch of my personality to each look I wear.

This look was quite simple to style. I started with a cream, fringe sweater that I purchased from Shop Hope’s. Next, I added a pair of ripped jeans from Boohoo. Boohoo.com is one of my favorite places to find jeans at an affordable price. I scored this pair of light wash ripped jeans for only $10.00.

Bold colored boots have been a favorite of mine lately, as well. I promise, I have nearly every odd colored boot in my closest, including at least five pairs or white boots. I found this pair of white boots at Nastygal.com for less than $15.00. Nasty Gal is one of my FAVORITE places to find stand-out pieces at surprisingly affordable prices. There is always a great sale on their website, and many pieces marked down to 80 to 90 percent off.

The key piece to pulling this look together is treating your coat like an accessory rather than a piece of outerwear. If you look at your coat as a means to keep warm, then you likely only have one or two coats in a neutral color...likely black. However, if you treat your coat like an accessory you’re able to incorporate your outerwear to better accommodate your look. For example, you’re no longer wearing a bulky ski parka, but now you’re perhaps wearing a teddy bear coat instead.

So what types of coats make great accessories, while also providing you with warmth on the chilly winter days? A neutral teddy coat, or a ankle length pea coat in tan is a great place to start! I found my ankle length pea coat as a part of Wild Fable’s collection at Target for only $15! The traditional plaid pattern allows it to become a classic piece that can be worn for years to come. You can also incorporate this look into a sporty wardrobe by pairing it with a grey jogger, a white turtleneck and a pair of white chunky sneakers.

- Chelsea Nicole, The Mod Little Melanin