Seasonal Needs & Wants: Trench Coat

The trench ranks up there with the most iconic looks of all time, and one of the least susceptible to changing times and fashions:

Personally, I prefer the trench's more utilitarian cousin - the anorak. With its hood and full-on water resistance, I feel it serves my needs better. But I am fully on board with the desire for the classic trench. It is the ultimate uptown look and it beckons.

I've organized  my finds in three categories by price, in a descending order: Dream, Want, Have. Ladies, we are all on some kind of a budget. That does not mean you can't dress well. I firmly believe that craftiness and solid research will make even the tightest budget work. 

Classic Tan Trench:

1) Dream, by Barneys:

Or Burberry, the classic­est trench there is:

2) Want,(still up there), from APC:

3) Have, from Bluefly (an online store that is great for discounted coats, if they got your size!), by Cole Haan:

Classic Black Trench:

An otion I would strongly suggest for those who travel. Black is a much more forgiving color.

1) Dream, by Burberry:

2) Want, by Mackage:

3) Have, by DKNY (again from Bluefly):

Not-so-Classic Trench:

Sometimes, even a classic can be punched up.

Rick Owens, the master of edgy anddark:

Leather sleeves, by Mackage:

Adorably prim: