Like Breton tops or loafers, gold chains or blue button-downs, trench coats are one of those staple items you automatically reach for this time of year. However, just because these clever items become almost mandatory in your wardrobe doesn't make them exempt from having moments where they seem even more covetable than the month, season or year before. Just because a trench coat isn't new or different or a trend doesn't make it any less important this season. In fact, fashion experts appear to be relishing the effortlessness a plain mac can bring to dressing and are therefore leaning on them once more for easy-but-effective outfit builds.
This year's trench coat wave is one of the best winter coats for layering and it isn't full of gimmicks, restyling or reworked iterations. In the past, we've seen giant blouson sleeves, patchwork detailing, inside-out and upside-down pattern cutting or unusual colours, but in 2021, those who know best are keeping things as classic as can be. We're talking shades of tan in simple waist-cinched silhouettes that hover around the mid-calf and somehow manage to go with literally everything else you own. The only tweak that I can see is that there is a preference for looser fits and a penchant for scrunching sleeves up to the elbow. As proof of this comeback-not-a-comeback, and if you still aren't sure of how to breathe a little new life into your trusty old trench, I dove into the Instagram archives to bring you some perfect outfit ideas that are made all the better by the addition of this one coat. So keep scrolling to see what to wear with a trench coat now.
