Many styles are available, but red is the preferred color for coats.

Many styles are available, but red is the preferred color for coats.
Knight Ridder Newspapers
As the dark, gray days of winter move in, the challenges of looking good in the cold take on oversized proportions.
Many of us want to pile on everything but the puppy's blanket and toddle around like a '60s astronaut. Goodbye style. Hello, fuzzy knit set Aunt Betty sent for the holidays two years ago.
That doesn't have to be.
Available is a wide range of stylish options for warm cover-ups. "One day a woman will wear a topper, the next a short puffy or fake fur shearling jacket," says Kathy Deane, president of Tobe Report, a New York-based retail consulting service.
Because few people can have it all, industry observers were asked for priorities. They gave a variety of answers including double-breasted military coats, knee-clearing lean toppers, the calf-length fitted coat with a belt, pea coats, bathrobe styles, trench coats, faux shearling and fur- or faux fur-lined storm coats.
First choice
If you can buy only one coat to keep you cozy warm around the clock, the bathrobe style gets the nod for staying in fashion.
"It can be dressed up or dressed down," says Gregg Andrews, regional fashion director for Nordstrom. "And it's very chic"
The trench coat is another constant that will look current next year and beyond.
"Everyone should have at least one classic style in a dark color that works for day or night," says Cindy Weber-Cleary, fashion director for In Style. "A bathrobe coat and menswear styles are good examples," she says. Cashmere is also considered a good investment. And for budgets, cashmere blends are less expensive.
Fashionably speaking, the military-inspired officer's coat or a coat with a belt is a priority. Andrews calls it the biggest trend in coats. Susan Cernek, associate fashion news editor for Elle magazine, says it fits in both the trend to nautical influences and the current fondness for Russian looks.
American designers were especially fond of belted coats in fall runway presentations. Michael Kors piped a great black fitted coat with red and added a red belt. Ralph Lauren anchored a gray bathrobe coat with a hefty brown belt.
A new belt may be your choice to update an old coat, but be sure it's the right belt, Andrews says. Although some designers used self belts, many others chose the chunky looks. It should be a wide leather appropriate for heavy wool and in a color that enhances the overall look.
Fitting with the military theme, the pea jacket is enjoying strong popularity this year. It is a best seller in metropolitan areas, says Gary Fritschi, a merchandise executive with retail consultants Doneger Group. It's flexible enough to be worn as outerwear or sportswear. The length is convenient for getting in and out of cars and running down steps.
It can be short or long to the thighs and frequently comes in surprising colors such as off white. In luxury angora blends, it is doing very well with Kansas City's Jones Store Co., says Tina Hodak, creative merchandising manager with the St. Louis home office. The short, 24-inch style from Calvin Klein in soft colors and Forecaster's traditional 36-inch-long coat in chocolate brown have been winners, she said.
In the same vein, the lean topper cropped at or above the knees is a presence in the same category. It is seen as a continuation of the spring coat often shown over light soft dresses early in the year. The coat may be worn as part of a sportswear outfit, but it isn't necessarily coordinated with what's underneath.
Not so puffy parkas
And the next important question: What do you wear for real warmth?
The news is in the puffy parka, which isn't so puffy anymore. "It's thinner," Andrews said. "It may have more insulation. But it's not as bulky." It can also be as long as the knees; all the better to keep you warm.
The storm coat with fur or faux fur lining is also on the rise, Doneger's Fritschi said. And shearling or faux shearling coats are considered extremely warm and elegant. And fur and faux fur trims are still popular.
In any event, the coat is a significant investment that you want to last for several seasons. How do you make the best decision on quality?
Feel the fabric. If it feels hard or flimsy to the touch, it will not wear well. Elle's Cernek says to look at the lining. If it isn't lined or is lined with insubstantial material, pass.
Check the cut of the armholes. Are they too small or too large? Do they allow freedom of movement? Examine the stitches in the seams or around the lapels. And if it comes with extra buttons, give it points for quality.