Anyone residing in a cold climate can tell you that the romanticism surrounding colder weather doesn’t last that long. Sure, we all love spending copious hours researching the best coat brands, shopping for cozy sweaters, and finding new ways to style boots, but once those temperatures drop, the rose-colored glasses come off. Frigid temperatures often require one to choose between looking fashionable or, well, freezing. As much as the cool girls like to look good, those colder temperatures aren’t it. Even the most stylish people can fall into a fashion rut during winter because it’s tempting to throw on the coziest possible outfit—even if you wore it days ago.
There’s no shame in being an outfit repeater, as it’s an essential part of building personal style and mitigating the fashion industry’s impact on the planet in the long-term. It still doesn’t negate the fact that no one wants to feel like their staples are stale. Any item can lose its luster during the long stretch of winter, but none can go from beloved to boring as quickly as the black coat. Although this outerwear is a quintessential part of any wardrobe, it can be easy to succumb to the temptation to ditch it in order to buy a trendier coat. But you don’t have to buy a new coat to break free from the winter style blues.
Black coats can feel bold with a bit of creative styling. In an effort to prove that point, I took the liberty of rounding up 16 outfit ideas from women around the world to show how to wear a black coat. Plus, I identified the styling hacks they used to make this outerwear feel trend-forward and shopped out the key pieces you’ll need to re-create the looks for yourself. Whether you’re on a tight shopping budget or want to find a way to make the black coat in the back of your closet feel brand-new, there are solutions ahead for you.