What started out as a coat for officers in the First World War has now become a classic staple of the spring wardrobe of both men and women. Some of our favourite iconic characters wear them, like Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca, comic book character Dick Tracey, and Inspector Gadget.
Trench coats are an essential piece of your spring outerwear thanks to their ability to protect your outfits from the mildly unpredictable weather. If you’re not a fan of the classic brown overcoat consider trying out some of these updated trench coat trends to make it your own.
Try A Bold Colour
Trench coats can come in array of other hues besides tan, black and khaki shades. Try a bright colour in a crimson or orange shade to make yourself stand out on a dreary day. For the truly daring look for an animal print one instead. If you don’t feel ready to commit to a coat that colourful, try bright wellies or a patterned umbrella to take it up a notch. If you’re already in love with the simple trench you invested in last year, try a bold print headscarf with cat-eye sunglasses to rock a vintage look.
Style for Less: Try Forever 21’s Inspector Trench Coat in Red, $25.80.
Try A New Silhouette
Trent coats can sometimes seem a bit baggy but there are a lot of coats out there with contemporary cuts that a great feminine fit. Look for coats with short or cropped sleeves as well as cut off at the waist rather than near the thighs or knees. Some also work like a skirt and flare out from the waist rather than hang loosely downwards in a straight line. Many coats this season also have hoods and faux cowl collars for both functional and fashionable reasons. Look for a lapped shoulder and back flap if you want to keep a bit of the classic feeling.
Style for Less: Try Banana Republic’s Ruffle Nylon Jacket in New Stone, $185.00.
Try Different Bells and Whistles
Trench coats are now coming with interesting hardware details like exposed zippers, shiny buttons or chain details on sleeves or the back of the coat. Also, different coloured piping on the coat sleeves or collar adds some nice contrast. A lot of coats do have buttons running the full length of the trench, like a pea coat, but some this season are very minimalist and have few or none. If you can’t find a coat like this you can also replace the fabric sash that comes with your trench coat with a chunky belt or try tying a colourful scarf in a bow at the waist to add visual interest.
Style for Less: Try Anthropologie’s Femme Trench Jacket in Neutral Motif, $188.00.
Try A Different Fabric
Trench coats traditionally come in a cotton twill, poplin, or leather but consider trying out some other fabrics like shiny silk, suede, textured pleather for animal lovers, denim or waterproof nylon/polyester. These fabrics take all the traditional benefits of a trench and update them in a fun and fashion forward way.
Style for Less: Try Zara’s Leopard Trench Raincoat, $139.00.
