The Coat Is the Occasion

Outfit Details: Valentino Coat, Zimmermann Dress, Celine Flats (old, similar here), Chanel Bag

I’d had this purple Valentino coat saved for months but could never track it down. Then I walked into the store in Paris, and there it was, waiting for me in my size. It felt a little like fate, and it set the tone for how I’m thinking about outerwear this season.

Outfit Details: Valentino Coat, Zimmermann Dress, Celine Flats (old, similar here), Chanel Bag | Valentino Coat, Sweater & Pants, Chanel Flats (similar here) & Bag, Sauer Necklace

This fall, it’s the details that have my attention. Fur cuffs and collars bring old-world polish to tailored shapes, and velvet adds a richness of color that feels right for the colder months, especially in emerald, plum, and burgundy. There’s a hint of vintage eveningwear in the proportions, but the cuts look completely current. Long, sculpted coats and shorter, sharply tailored jackets both work here, and the trick is letting one statement detail, like an oversized cuff or a sweeping collar, carry the whole look.