COS Oversized Wool Coat

COS makes an oversized wool coat that hits below the knee and has no visible buttons because the closure is a hidden snap system inside the front panel. The result is a silhouette that looks like a single unbroken piece of fabric when it's buttoned up. Wide through the shoulders and tapering slightly at the hem, the proportions work on a range of body types because the oversized shape doesn't depend on a precise fit. The wool is heavy enough that it holds its shape in wind and the color, a deep navy that reads almost black in low light, goes with everything without being boring. I like that COS borrows from minimalist fashion houses like Jil Sander and Lemaire but prices the coat at $250 instead of $1,200. The trade-off is in fabric quality and lining rather than in the design itself. It doesn't try to be interesting and that restraint is what makes it work on the street where most outerwear is either too technical or too decorative.