We need not sell you the trench coat, surely. It's only about the most useful coat, ever. Or, at least, right now. Long enough to flap romantically in the wind, 'swathy' enough to cover your important bits from the cold and slim-line enough to add/remove layers at your will, it's the perfect coat for spring when you don't have a sodding clue what the weather's doing.
Which is why we've found some great ladies on Instagram to show you how to wear 'em right:
Offset the preppy with some logoed sportswear
Glamour's Fashion Director Natalie Hartley demonstrates this expertly, by pairing her taupe trench with an emblazoned Nike hoodie. To add a bit of interest, chuck on a big scarf, too.
**Use a trench as an excuse to wear something really short
**
Take a leaf out of Leandra Medine's book (always) and use a trench coat as an excuse to wear that really short and floofy and flirty matching top and skirt, without feeling overexposed. If the sun is shining, whip off the trench; if you walk under an awning and you're plunged into that slightly embarassing sense of shade, pull it back together tightly. No-one's any the wiser.
Use it to do some tonal blocking
Blogger Vanessa Hong has thought carefully about what she wears with her Theysken's Theory bluey/grey trench. A pair of faded boyfriend jeans, pale grey oversized t-shirt and dove grey Proenza Schouler PS11 handbag are garnished with a pair of matching stainless steel wrist cuffs from her shop. Not the most spontaneous outfit for those mornings when you're in a mega rush, granted. But worth it, no?
Over the pink coat? Well what about the pink trench!
If a bulky pink wool coat seems too much, what about a light cotton trench in the palest pink? As monochrome fan Ivania Carpio shows, pale pink really isn't that scary when it's buffeting against the wind like a careless piece of candyfloss.
Use it as a sandal enabler
And when we say sandal enabler, we mean that sandals are possible when you team them with leather skinnies, a woolly jumper and a coat which is long enough to offset the summery foot situation, as shown by blogger Lucy Williams. With the onset of summer dressing - when you feel a bit nervous about fully committing - a longer length of coat can make everything seem a little less exposed.
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.