How to wear a trench coat: outfits and styling tips

A trench coat is easy to wear with high-waisted pants, calm colors such as cream, white or sand and a loosely tied belt. A light trench coat is mainly worn in the transitional season, open from around 15 degrees Celsius and closed down to about 10 degrees.

There are weeks in late summer when the morning is cool and the afternoon is warm. A jacket is too much, a top on its own too little. This is exactly the gap the trench coat fills: light, easy to wear open, and smarter once you tie the belt. The article shows how to wear a trench coat, which color suits which outfit, what to wear underneath and when the coat pays off.

What makes a trench coat: long or short

The classic trench coat reaches the knee. The short version ends at the hip and looks considerably lighter for it. To go with this: trench coats.

The wide lapel, the tie belt at the waist and the tabs on the sleeves are typical. You get the shape of a coat without overheating. You will find a selection in the coats for women.

How to wear a trench coat: the belt decides

One and the same coat looks three different ways with three belt variations.

• Tied at the front. Gathers the coat at the waist and looks smart. Good when the rest of the outfit is wide.
• Tied at the back. The coat falls open at the front and the silhouette stays straight. A relaxed version.
• Left off completely. Turns the trench coat into a light jacket. With short styles this is a casual option.

Because the short version ends at the hip anyway, a loosely tied belt is usually the nicer choice over a tightly pulled one. The picture below shows this: a short trench coat in khaki with the belt loosely knotted at the waist.

Trench coat outfit: combining pink and khaki

Pink is the more striking tone and carries the whole outfit. Calm colors work well with it: cream, white, sand. Tone on tone with a pink top works too. To go with this: pink coats.

Khaki is the easy going all rounder. It goes with white, cream, black, denim blue and every warm shade of brown, and it takes the summery edge off an outfit.

If you are unsure which tone suits you better: khaki can be combined more often, pink does more for a plain basic outfit. Matching tops are in the tops.

Which pants go with a trench coat? Short on top, high at the waist

This is the rule that works with every hip length style. The coat ends at the hip, so the pants should start there and not below.

High-waisted wide pants in cream are an obvious combination, and that is exactly how the picture above is put together. The light fabric carries the line downwards instead of interrupting it. You will find styles in the wide-leg pants and in the fabric pants.

It works the same way with a skirt, as long as the waistband sits high. With a long trench coat the rule is more relaxed, because the coat reaches past the hip. There is more on the interplay of wide and narrow in the article how to wear oversize. How to combine jackets with dresses is explained in the guide “Jacket with a dress”.

Which shoes go with a trench coat

Because the coat is short, the shoe decides whether the look turns sporty or smart.

• White sneakers. A straightforward choice, makes the whole thing everyday friendly.
• Loafers or flat slip-ons. Calmer than sneakers, without looking like an occasion.
• Ankle boots. As soon as it gets cooler, a coherent addition to a trench coat. You will find styles in the boots, and outfit ideas in the article how to wear boots.
• Sandals with a slim heel. For mild evenings, they look light and elegant.

When do you wear a trench coat?

A light trench coat is a coat for the transitional season, meaning spring and fall, not for winter. As a rule of thumb: worn open from around 15 degrees Celsius, closed and belted down to around 10 degrees.

A shirt is enough underneath on mild days, on cooler ones add a fine knit. You will find something suitable in the sweaters. Which other jackets work for these months is covered in our guide to the transitional jacket for women. Outfit ideas for spring and the transitional season are in the guide “Spring outfits for women”.

Trench coat for the office, the weekend and the evening

A trench coat suits many occasions because it changes with the outfit underneath. Three versions to recreate:

• Office: tailored pants, a simple blouse and loafers, with the belt knotted at the front. This keeps the look neat.
• Weekend: jeans, a striped top and white sneakers, with the coat open and no belt.
• Evening: a midi skirt or dark pants with slim strappy sandals. Here the trench coat takes on the role of a blazer.

Matching pieces in the shop: transitional jackets for women and jackets and coats for women.

Frequently asked questions

How do I style a trench coat?

With high-waisted pants or a skirt, calm colors such as cream, white or sand and sneakers, loafers or ankle boots. The belt decides whether the look is smart or casual.

When do you wear a trench coat?

In the transitional season in spring and fall. Worn open it feels right from around 15 degrees Celsius, with the belt closed and a sweater underneath down to about 10 degrees; it is not made for frost.

How do you wear a trench coat properly?

Tie the belt loosely at the front for a look gathered at the waist, at the back for a straight line, or leave it off for a casual look. With short styles the pants should sit high.

Which shoes go with a trench coat?

White sneakers for every day, loafers for a calmer look, ankle boots for cooler days and a slim sandal for the evening. The shorter the coat, the more the shoe matters.

Which pants go with a short trench coat?

High-waisted pants, for example wide fabric pants in cream. That way the pants start where the coat ends and the line is not interrupted.

Can I leave the belt off?

Yes. Without the belt the short trench coat looks like a light jacket and hangs straight. That is a relaxed way to wear it and goes particularly well with wide pants.