When the fall weather begins to roll in a gal needs just the right coat for those days that are a little bit rainy, a little bit cold, and those evenings that need just the right topper. But, when you have that perfect garment in mind, boy is it hard to satisfy your expectations with real life options. One thing most notable are the few coats which are actually made with material treated for rainy weather. I have come to learn the best option is to buy the trench you love and then treat it with a water resistant spray like ReviveX.

The second lesson I learned is customer reviews are highly useful. For some reason outerwear is a popular subject for customers to provide feedback. Definitely take the bounty of customer reviews as a lucky turn in your search. Customers offer great feedback on fit and quality. They can turn you away from a coat that won’t compliment your figure or a coat made of sub-par material.

Trenches come in a number of styles. A classic trench will fall about your knees, be fairly straight shaped from the chest down, and gain its shape from the tie or belt at the waist. This style will compliment those who are curvy or heavier on bottom; you can also look for a coat with broader shoulders to balance your shape in the coat. For a slighter build, or more definition in the waist, there are trenches made with a narrowed waist or a flared skirt to emphasize curves. There are also short jackets made with a trench-style cut for a sporty casual look and long trench coats for a very chic style. Finally, there are deconstructed styles and, specific for this season, styles incorporating a whole lot of metal. Like the latest Jeffrey Campbell creation, these trenches have some edge to them.

Whatever your style, I’d like to present a few options within reach. And, one last piece of advice: don’t move too quickly just to fill that space in your closet, check out the sale sites and even wait out a season to see if you can pick up a cute trench at a hot price.

Your classic style

JCrew (wait for the Factory Store to carry their trench to pick up the piece at a discounted price)

Nipped in at the waist

Zara Two-Layer Trench

A long style

DKNY Hooded Long Trench

Studded to perfection

Sam Edelman Studded Shoulder Trench

And, sometimes you rely on your sister to find you the perfect trench…

Kenneth Cole Double Breasted Skirted Trench