The Overlooked Essential

If you polled people on the street about what they thought every woman should have in her closet, you would probably get pretty much the same answer over and over again. Despite the occasional Perfect Jeans and Classic White Shirts, most people would say, without hesitation, The Little Black Dress.

Now, while I adore The Little Black Dress— I have about five!— I would have to say that there’s a wardrobe essential that I find even more essential: the trench coat.

I have to admit, I was a bit late to the party on this one, because I bought my first ever trench coat only this year. So if I got along for so long without a trench coat, how could it be so essential? Because the minute I got one, I started wearing it constantly.

The trench coat is not just for rain and investigations anymore. In fact, it goes as well over that Little Black Dress as it does over The Perfect Jeans. Buttoned up or belt trailing, it looks sophisticated and classic. And of course, it keeps you warm and dry— just like its ancestors, who were designed for soldiers fighting in the trenches of WWI.

My trench coat is by Gryphon New York. It's comfortable, chic, and functional— everything an essential piece of clothing should be. 

(Trench coat photos © Littlehouse of Style)