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Winter Coats For Women: Best Fashion Ideas To Carry You Through The Cold (PHOTOS)

Best Winter Coats For Women
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It’s officially crunch time: if you haven’t picked up a winter coat yet, you’re running out of days before you’re left with the bottom of the barrel. But don’t panic! (Are you panicking? We hope this isn’t something you would panic about – you don’t need to.) We have solutions (and amazing fashion ideas for you stylish women).

We took a look at the season’s biggest coat trends, then another look at the celebrities we’ve seen in them. The good news? You’ve got ten coats to choose from. The bad? You will probably want to buy them all. (But they are not Pokemon. So only buy nine.)

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Oversized

Best Winter Coats For 2013/2014

1. Oversized

In the spirit of Catherine O’Hara in "Home Alone" (honestly, it’s the only comparison that matters), designers like Stella McCartney debuted oversize, generous overcoats this winter that – finally – serve as both fashion and function. Fortunately, unlike the early ‘90s, you won’t get lost in the fabric: like Ivana Millicevic at the "Last Vegas" premiere, as long as your coat fits in the shoulders, you’re good to go.

2. Edwardian

Also known as “the classic,” designers like Ralph Lauren went back to the Edwardian era for fitted, preppy-looking styles adorned with wider collars and roomier waists. Like peacoats, they also walk the line between dressy and casual. Proven by Estelle’s look at the recent Disaroono bottle launch, you can pair a collarless version with anything from jeans to a collared style with a dress and Doc Marten’s.

3. Pink

Just because it gets dark at 2 p.m. doesn’t mean you can’t inject colour into your winter wardrobe, and coats by Celine and Valentino attest to such. You also don’t necessarily need to stick to the powder pink spectrum, either. Like Natalie Portman at "Good Morning America," you can don a pop of colour to contrast the drab winter landscape, and brighten your whole look up as a result.

4. Toggle

Toggle coats are perfect for everyday wear – even if they’re more upscale like Givenchy’s designs. Jennifer Lopez also helped attest to the style’s diversity at LAX earlier this month, helping cement the toggle (which gets confused with the peacoat) as a great – and bright -- winter wardrobe staple.

5. Trench

No closet is complete without a trench coat – especially since you can pick one up second-hand at a thrift store if the likes of Belstaff’s bomber look is a little too much. 2013’s styles also have a heavier feeling, and can protect against the elements better than its spring counterparts. Case in point: Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton, whose warm trench helped her brave royal duties a few days ago.

6. Parka

You’re not Canadian without a parka, and designers picked up on that this winter. However, while Prabal Gurung offered a flared (ruffled) alternative to the bulkier stereotype, Padma Lakshmi recently proved that if you want to run with the big, bulky parka legacy, you can absolutely work it.

7. Biker/Bomber

Is it a jacket? Is it a coat? (We asked screaming.) Well, it’s a “biker” coat, and while you can pass it off as an fall number (and we will), by layering, you can make it a winter go-to. In terms of design, you can go for the classic black exterior, or channel Phillip Lim who opted for leopard print with his embellished piece. And remember, when in doubt, think like "90210" actress Shanae Grimes, whose jacket is loose enough that she can pull it over a sweater (or two) if need be.

8. Fur

No, you do not have go to buy a fur, we promise you (unless you buy vintage, and in that case, may your conscience be clear). However, Dorothy Perkins’ faux fur coat is a animal-friendly alternative to a tried-and-true winter style, and while Heather Matarazzo’s dramatic vibe at "The Motel Life" premiere is the antithesis to winter white, it still works with anything.

9. Car Coat

A car coat is one of the most understated pieces of outerwear, but stars like Christina Hendricks (in Tacori) are a perfect reminder of how wearable a car coat is. Arguably, it’s the greatest in-between choice for those warmer winter days.

10. Cape

If we ever don’t mention capes (regardless of season), there’s no point in writing anything ever again as far as we're concerned. So if Queen Latifahs’ cape at the recent BET Black Girls Rock event isn’t a testament to the cape’s power, then perhaps Dolce & Gabbana’s design is. Either way, when in doubt, just ask yourself this: What would Stevie Nicks wear in the wintertime? (Then wear that.)

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