Winter Brights

As the leaves begin to fall, so begins the search for the perfect cold weather coat. And in Chicago, where the winter is eternal, a coat is mandatory. Hell, for Chicago winter a fully insulated, thermal body suit is mandatory, but I'll settle for a coat. Gray, black, and navy usually dominate this time of year. But with electric blues, lime greens, and bright oranges, this winter is all about color. It's as if the CFDA took a bribe from the Crayola corporation. Many designers took the Brighter is Better approach. At Burberry, a veritable rainbow of coats were sent down the runway, but Raf Simons designed the best of them all - a classic knee-length purple coat - for his own label.

 I never imagined I would want a purple coat, especially one that could potentially get me mistaken for Barney the Friendly Dinosaur, but the heart wants what the heart wants. The cut is so regal, so debonair; the definition of class. And the saturated, unconventional color choice makes it a refreshing take on a winter classic.