It’s been a while since I’ve talked about wardrobe essentials. I think the last time was back a year ago, so it’s definitely time for a new installment, plus how I’d style it. This time, I’m talking trench coats, an absolute transitional weather staple. Here in Korea, they’re already popular in menswear, but on the womenswear side of things, outerwear has favoured blazer style, oversized silhouettes. This year though, women’s trench coats are starting to make an appearance now all the transitional items are starting to line the rails, and I think there are going to be quite a few at Seoul Fashion Week come October. 

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always had some sort of trench style coat in my wardrobe. The way I’ve worn them has definitely morphed from when my mum used to pick my clothes to now, and considering I managed to bring both of mine to Korea, I thought I’d show you how to style a trench coat. Of course, this isn’t the only way to style these types, but I thought that it’d be fun to show you two ways that I’d wear mine. 

The Blair Effect:

If I’m going to take the Western big hitter, aka the Trench coat, then it’s only fair that I pair it with one of Korea’s fashion favourites from the last few seasons: the tennis skirt. Trench coats are a really versatile item that can fit with a multitude of styles, but I think watching Gossip Girl one too many times has always made me lean more towards the preppy aesthetic when I wear them. Blame Blair and her enviable wardrobe. I’ve taken this navy New Look Trench Coat (shop similar here), with its buckles and buttons, and thrown it over a pink check tennis skirt and baseball style, cropped top for something a little bit casual, but with a nod to my Gossip Girl inspiration. On my feet, I have a pair of white platform boots with a black sole, which are my go-to if I want some height but none of the pain, and being monochrome they go with everything.

This is a pretty easy outfit to chop and change too; if you’re not feeling a tighter cropped tee, throw on a loose white v- or round-neck top; if tennis skirts aren’t your cup of tea, then an a-line or a skater style will look really cute too. Trench coats have that little bit of British magic in them, in that they’ll  work with a lot of different styles. So if you want to go super cute and casual, or dress it up with some ruffles, the Trench will still work with that. 

To accessorise, I’d probably add a neutral toned shoulder bag, and if I wanted to go true Blair, a cute Alice band. 

trench coat: new look (shop similar: Jack Wills Ambrose Trench Coat) // crop baseball style tee: Uni Shop (Edae street store | alternative) // tennis skirt: star101 (shop similar: chuu -5 youth skirt vol. 12 // boots: Edae street store (alternative) 

Ruff(le) me up

Frills and ruffles have been a part of almost every ‘statement’ item to hit the streetstyle catalogues in both SK and the UK, so I feel that not trying to work them into at least one outfit would be something close to style blasphemy. I was also not entirely sure that this outfit ‘worked’, until I remembered that most of what I love about style and putting outfits together in Korea is that outfits that ‘work’ are outfits that you wear with confidence. This is also true 99% of the time everywhere else, but in Korea, unless your outfit is seriously in ‘fashion terrorist’ (yes that is an actual phrase here) zones, you’re pretty safe. 

So I decided to style my flared Trench coat (shop similar here or here) with this button-up (or is it button-down?) check midi skirt with ruffle hem detailing. These style skirts have been insanely popular over here in the last few months, and they’re a really easy way to wear the ruffle trend without having something that is too OTT. It’s also a fab piece to pair with more fitted or tailored items, as the interest is really in the skirt, considering it’s asymmetric hemline. I really like to wear this with lighter neutrals as I think they work best with the lighter gingham pattern, so it was a natural choice to go with the beige trench and a white, more fitted top. I also decided to keep it a little more #streetstyle casual with a pair of white trainers (yes these are Gucci dupes, I cannot afford the real thing on a teacher salary just yet… *epic sad face*), as they’re a fashion staple. Also, incredibly comfortable. To finish it all off, I added a pair of cute heart motif socks, as cute socks save lives. 

beige flared trench coat: primark (shop alternative: Jack Wills Dollyhill Swing Trench Coat) // white structured crop: star101 (similar) // skirt: Edae street store (alternative: chuu determined to love you skirt | asos midi skirt in gingham with asymmetric hem and tie waist) // shoes: edae street store (alternative: adidas white and mint superstars)

I feel like this outfit would also go really well with a more boxy or oversized silhouette of trench too (shop here), considering the ruffles kick out a little in a mock fishtail style. It would look wonderful if you decided to go full on fishtail or pencil-style skirt to offset a less fitted top half as a balance. If you wanted to make it a little dressier, then you could also swap the trainers for a ‘barely there’ strap heel. 

Thankfully it was only spitting when I was getting these shots, trying to shoot outdoors at the moment is like trying to guess when the monsoons will disappear (aka, a futile game where you undoubtedly get drenched anyway). Thanks to the lovely Hannah for getting these for me in between downpours, and thanks to Jack Wills for sponsoring this post~. 

Let me know what you think of these outfits! And let me know in the comments how you would style a Trench for transitional weather~. 

♥

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