Angelina Jolie is gifted in so many ways, but the talent we don't talk about nearly enough is her knack for spotting great coats. She almost seems to have a sixth sense for jacket buying, much the way Katie Holmes does with denim, and she's committed to the look no matter the season. Remember the short-sleeved Dior trench she debuted at Venice Film Festival in August? Of course you do.
Now, it seems Jolie has retired her summer trench for the season. At a Nov. 11 screening of her new film, Maria—a biopic about opera singer Maria Callas—the star stepped out in New York City wearing a traditional beige double-breasted trench coat, complete with strapped cuffs and a waist-cinching belt.
Like a true '90s It Girl, the 49-year-old layered the classic fall jacket atop a black velvet slip dress that fell to her ankles. Apart from a single gold ring and a set of diamond stud earrings, her only other accessory was a simple pair of black leather pumps. Her glam was kept similarly minimal with a feline flick of black eyeliner, a glossy translucent pink lip, and barely-there beige-pink blush. Her honey blonde highlights, meanwhile, were given a sleek blowout with a middle part.
It's worth noting that not all trench coats are alike. Some come in heavyweight materials like leather and wool, while others favor breezier textiles like cotton gabardine, silk, and denim. Some are hooded and capable of repelling water on rainy fall days. Others are embellished with ruffles and embroidery. Although trench coats are traditionally beige, designers have begun to offer the style in alternative neutrals like navy blue, olive green, and stone gray. Simply put, there's a whole world of trench coats out to meet a range of preferences and price points.
What unites all the best trench coats, though, is a billowing cape-like shape that other types of coats simply can't compete with. Few things in life look more chic and mysterious than a trench coat blowing in the wind. Of this, I'm quite convinced. And I have a feeling Angelina Jolie would agree. For her, wearing a trench coat is a way of going incognito even when she's in the spotlight.
“My daughter jokes that I wear too many trench coats," Jolie toldWSJ. Magazine last year. "It’s just like a hiding thing.”
With a luxe designer trench like hers, though, don't be surprised if you accidentally turn heads.
