An outdoor coat is an expensive investment and doing research beforehand could save you money and ensure that you buy what you really need.

Your first task is to sit down and think about your lifestyle. Are you a person that spends a lot of time outdoors walking in all weathers or do you mostly use a car? The answer to this question will help you decide what length and weight the coat should be and also if you are likely to need other features such as waterproof materials.

Another consideration is whether to go for a formal coat or something more casual. If you are likely to be wearing your coat over a suit for formal meetings, then you need to buy a garment that complements the lines of formal clothing. If, on the other hand, you need a coat to walk the dog and pick the kids up from school then a more relaxed fit will go better with casual wear.

When you have decided on the basics such as length and casual or formal it is time to think about your body shape. It is best buy a coat that will complement your shape and make you look sexy, smart, stylish or whatever image you like to show to the world.

A good outdoor coat should feel comfortable with winter clothing underneath. Particularly if you are on the curvy side it\’s important to get a size and shape that allow you to move when you are wearing it. A coat a size larger than your normal size, far from making you look bigger, could actually hang better and slim your shape.

If you are of a slight build then you don\’t want to be overpowered by a bulky coat. Look at styles which are neat and avoid large patterns or checks.

Having decided upon the basics such as length and fit it\’s time to go and look at the huge amount of coats on offer. Ensure that you try several different outlets and get a feel for the types of fabric. You may know that you want a full length trench coat in cream twill fabric but there will still be several out there and some will look much better than others. The only way to know is to invest time in trying them on.

On your shopping trip do your best to wear clothing that is winter weight. This might be difficult if it\’s mid summer but you can always take a sweater with you.

A good winter coat is the one garment in your wardrobe that needs to last for years. Thinking about the colour and fabric patterns is important. What is in fashion this year is not going to be chic in four years time. Although it may sound boring it is probably best to go low key rather than high fashion with an expensive purchase like this. Take a tip from French women when choosing. They are known for spending money on good tailoring and luxurious fabric which they then accessorise to ring the changes.

Trevor Richards writes for Accessoryo (www.accessoryo.com), a UK retailer of outdoor clothing accessories.

Trevor Richards writes for Accessoryo (http://www.accessoryo.com), a UK retailer of outdoor clothing accessories.

Author Bio: Trevor Richards writes for Accessoryo (www.accessoryo.com), a UK retailer of outdoor clothing accessories.

Category: Advice
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