Rani Hatta outerwear | Céline bag | Reebok shoes

The first time I got to choose a coat for my fall/winter holiday, I felt overwhelmed. I started my coat search early. Take note that by that time, I had no idea how cold a city could be – so I did some research here and there; but ultimately, the experience gave me ideas on how to choose the perfect coat.

Now, as of my outfit of the day, I dared to have more variety in terms of choosing a coat. I picked a grey coat with orange accent on the sides as of a ribbon. However, if this is your first time choosing a coat – or not the first time but you felt like you haven’t found the right one, I’m sharing several important points before you begin your hunt.

THE QUALITY

Acrylics are cheap and very common – but it is definitely not the quality you are looking for in a winter coat. The best fabrics to withstand winter are wool and cashmere, and cashmere as the more expensive one. Polyester also won’t keep you warm enough in a snowstorm – and it gives your sweat a funky feet smell.

If you are on a budget, I’ve found that H&M and Zara both offer affordable wool options. Just remember to read the label carefully. Some of the coats are advertised as wool while in fact, they only consist of tiny percent wool and 80% nylon and spandex (in which you don’t want).

THE SIZE

Keep in mind that you might want to have multiple layers underneath your coat. So the bottom rule is, go for one size larger than your usual size.

I have come across a lot of coats that might seem to be oversized, but the arms are skinny. Having enough room for layers underneath the coat will also keep you comfortable to move around.

THE DETAILS

First and foremost, I want to emphasize on finding a coat with pockets. I cannot stress this enough, especially if you are heading to a really cold place. No matter how perfect the coat is, without pockets, you’ll be fighting your way through snow and have no place to tuck your hands. Also, pockets are very convenient to put the gloves away when you arrive at places.

THE LENGTH

My ideal length for a coat is around knee-height or mid thigh so it suites a dressy or casual style depending on the day. I personally don’t really fancy a short coat because it makes me look unproportionally bulky – but I might make tiny exceptions for the really cute ones.