Sorry to My Black Coats, But Chic Women in NYC Convinced Me to Prioritize This Color Instead
To call a camel coat classic is the understatement of the season. Honestly, I would go as far as to say that the soft, chestnut-like shade—when speaking of outerwear—is even more timeless and lauded than black. And no, I'm not taking counterarguments at this time. Because of that, it's not exactly shocking that the chicest women in New York City tend to lean on their camel coats whenever the weather begins transitioning from what locals call "faux fall" to genuine fall and eventually winter, which just so happens to be taking place right now.
On Friday, supermodel Elle Macpherson was seen in Midtown near Rockefeller Center wearing just the coat in question: a double-breasted, hyper-tailored camel coat. She paired it with a white Dorothee Schumacher suit, a champagne-colored L'Agence satin blouse, and open-toe camel Black Suede Studio pumps. She finished the look with a taupe clasp bag, gold jewelry, and oversize black tortoiseshell sunglasses. Clean, sophisticated, and stylish—her look acted as further proof of the elite nature of camel coats.
On Elle Macpherson: L'Agence Tyler Long Sleeve Blouse ($340); Black Suede Studio shoes; Dorothee Schumacher Refreshing Ambition Single-Breasted Blazer ($900) and Refreshing Ambition Pleated Wide-Leg Pants ($650)
But Macpherson's not the one woman in New York who relies heavily on camel outerwear this time of year. But she's not the only supermodel wearing it. Earlier this year, Gisele Bündchen was spotted in the city wearing a Frame camel coat that she sported all last winter, styling it with a charcoal turtleneck sweater, a Victoria Beckham denim skirt, and knee-high Celine boots.
On Gisele Bundchen: Frame coat; Victoria Beckham skirt; The Frankie Shop Ines Merino Wool Turtleneck Sweater ($133); Saint Laurent Puffer Toy Bag ($2190); Celine Verneuil Calfskin High Boots ($850)
Katie Holmes also swore by her camel-colored, double-breasted Gaia coat from The Frankie Shop last winter and will almost certainly bring it back out soon with the temperatures dropping in NYC.
On Katie Holmes: The Frankie Shop Gaia Double-Breasted Wool-Blend Coat ($495); Adidas Samba OG Shoes ($100)
If you're as convinced as I am to invest in a camel coat for the remainder of fall and winter, today's your lucky day. Scroll down to shop the best options on the market right now.
Shop camel coats:
Eliza Huber is an NYC-based senior fashion editor who specializes in trend reporting, brand discovery, and the intersection of sports and fashion. She joined Who What Wear in 2021 from Refinery29, the job she took after graduating with a business degree from the University of Iowa. She's launched two columns, Let's Get a Room and Ways to Wear; profiled Dakota Fanning, Diane Kruger, Katie Holmes, Gracie Abrams, and Sabrina Carpenter; and reported on everything from the relationship between Formula One and fashion to the top runway trends each season. Eliza lives on the Upper West Side and spends her free time researching F1 fashion imagery for her side Instagram accounts @thepinnacleoffashion and @f1paddockfits, watching WNBA games, and scouring The RealReal for discounted Prada.
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