Big seems to be better when it comes to winter coats this year.
Oversized coats are the stars this season - the kind you can wrap around yourself on cold mornings or curl up in while drinking your first coffee of the day. Some styles are so wide in theshoulder and loose fitting that they look almost androgynous - as if the wearer may have pinched her coat from her partner's wardrobe.
It's easy to get lost in really oversized coats so, if you're not convinced, there is also a good selection of more traditional long-line coats. These fitted coats channel old-fashioned glamour and look super-chic teamed with a pair of knee-length boots and a chunky scarf.
Fortunately, this winter's coats are available in all sorts of colours, from powdery baby blue to rusts, pinks and even a shade of orange that designers are referring to, unflatteringly, I think, as pumpkin.
For a true classic, you can't go past a trench coat. These are perfect for warmer parts of the country, where it's rain protection rather than insulation that is needed.
A classic beige or camel trench is always fashionable and is an understated way to make a statement. You don't have to drop thousands of dollars on one from Burberry - I've seen them in shops for less than $100 lately.
Belts add definition in a way few coats can manage alone and a trench coat looks awesome with just about any footwear.
Military-style jackets and coats are also back this winter - I like these with skinny jeans and boots.
Fur is something that some people are never going to countenance wearing and others may hope to have left in the Spice Girls-era 90s.
But it is back again, although in a more understated way in New Zealand than it is overseas. International runways have shown full-length fur coats but New Zealand designers are more likely to embellish their garments with the odd cuff or trim.
If you're going to try the fur trend, keep the rest of your outfit extremely plain to keep the look on the right side of tacky.
