Light Coats for Women: What to Wear from 50 to 70 Degrees, by Occasion

Beige cotton short tailored coat, Iris, by Luna Fashion House, a light coat for 50 to 70 degree weather

Between 50 and 70 degrees, wear a light coat in a cloth that breathes and holds its shape, open over a dress above 60 degrees and closed over a knit below it. The Beige Jacquard Trench Coat, Rea at $770 is a knee-length cream trench with a belt and snap front, the Beige Short Tailored Coat, Iris at $770 is a knee-length cream zip coat with a wide collar and a flared hem, and the Mocha Long Textured Coat, Isidora at $680 is a long double-breasted coat in a wave-textured taupe cloth.

All three are in the light coats collection. Shipping within the United States is free and takes 2 to 5 days, and returns are open for 30 days with no questions asked.

A light coat is the coat for days between 50 and 70 degrees, worn open over a dress above 60 and closed over a knit or a blazer below it. This guide picks one for the office, for arriving at a wedding as a guest or mother of the bride, and for the weekend, all from the light coats collection.

Shop the pieces in this story: Light Coats. Complete size runs are listed first.

Reading the temperature, not the calendar

A light coat works in a band of roughly 20 degrees. From 60 to 70 degrees it is worn open over a dress or a shirt. From 50 to 60 it is closed over a knit or a blazer. Below 50 it needs help, and below about 40 it should give way to a wool winter coat. What decides comfort inside that band is the cloth. A cotton blend with elastane breathes and recovers from travel. A polyester jacquard at 340 grams per square meter holds a trench silhouette. A polyester engineered for drape, with a Bemberg lining, gives the smoothest layer over silk and crepe. Luna publishes the fiber content of every coat on its product page, and that is the line to read first.

The office and business travel: the Iris short tailored coat and the Kim long coat

The Black Cotton Short Tailored Coat, Iris is the light coat our clients pack most. It is 81 percent cotton, 14 percent polyamide and 5 percent elastane, which gives it structure at the shoulder and recovery from a suitcase, and it is cut short enough to sit at a desk in without removing it. It layers over a blazer without bulk. It is $770 and in stock in sizes 2, 4, 6, 8, 10. The Beige Cotton Short Tailored Coat, Iris is the same coat in beige with a subtle satin finish, in sizes 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 at $770, and the Brown Short Tailored Coat, Iris is the saturated brown version in sizes 4, 8, 10 at $770. Black is the daily choice for a city wardrobe, beige for a warm-neutral capsule, and brown for the woman who already owns both.

Iris Short Tailored Coat in Deep Black. Short tailored coat. Soft Cotton-Blend Tiered-Hem.
Black Cotton Short Tailored Coat, Iris$770See all light coats

The Beige Classic Long Coat, Kim is the choice when you want coverage over a dress and a coat that reads as formal the moment you arrive. It is a soft-touch premium polyester engineered for a cashmere-like hand and fluid drape, with a full Bemberg lining, a self-fabric belt and hand-finished interior seams. It is the coat for a board day that ends at dinner. It is $680 and in stock in sizes 6, 8, 10, one piece per size.

Iris Short Tailored Coat in Beige. Short tailored coat. Soft Cotton-Blend Tiered-Hem.
Beige Cotton Short Tailored Coat, Iris$770See all light coats

Wedding guest and mother of the bride: the Emma jacquard coats and the Rea trench

A ceremony in October or April is exactly the weather a light coat exists for, and the coat is in every arrival photograph. The Silver Floral Jacquard Light Coat, Emma is a refined jacquard with metallic threads, 90 percent polyester and 10 percent metalized fiber, woven into silver florals. It is made to be worn over a midi dress at a daytime or early evening wedding and it reads as part of the outfit rather than a layer over it. It is $880 and in stock in sizes 2, 6, 8, 10. The Teal Floral Jacquard Light Coat, Emma is the same coat on a black base with teal florals, for evening ceremonies and for women who want color without print on the dress itself, in sizes 4, 6, 8, 10 at $880. Both belong with the wedding guest dresses and jumpsuits and the mother of the bride outfits.

Iris Short Tailored Coat in Brown. Jacquard coat. Soft Cotton-Blend Tiered-Hem.
Brown Short Tailored Coat, Iris$770See all light coats

The Beige Jacquard Trench Coat, Rea is the neutral option for mother of the bride and mother of the groom. It is a polyester woven jacquard at 340 grams per square meter, cut as a true trench with storm flap, gun flap, raglan sleeves and a D-ring belt, light enough for a 55 degree afternoon. Beige jacquard photographs well against every dress color in the Luna range. It is $770 and in stock in sizes 2, 4, 6, 8, 10.

Kim Classic Long Coat in Beige. Trench coat. Soft-Touch Premium Long Belted.
Beige Classic Long Coat, Kim$680See all light coats

The weekend and travel days: the Isidora long textured coat

The Brown Long Textured Coat, Isidora is the relaxed piece in the collection. It is a European cotton blend with stretch, 55 percent polyester, 35 percent cotton and 10 percent elastane, with a woven jacquard texture, cut long. The stretch makes it the easiest coat to wear in a car or on a plane, and the mocha tone works over denim as well as over a knit dress. It is $680 and in stock in sizes 4, 6, 8, one piece per size.

Emma Light Coat with Silver Floral Jacquard. Light coat. Metallic-Thread Jacquard Light.
Silver Floral Jacquard Light Coat, Emma$880See all light coats

Compare every Luna light coat

Coat Cloth Length Best for Sizes in stock Price
Iris, black 81 percent cotton, 14 percent polyamide, 5 percent elastane Short Office, travel, over a blazer 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 $770
Iris, beige 81 percent cotton, 14 percent polyamide, 5 percent elastane, satin finish Short Office, warm-neutral capsule 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 $770
Iris, brown 81 percent cotton, 14 percent polyamide, 5 percent elastane Short Fall daytime, over knits 4, 8, 10 $770
Kim, beige Premium polyester, Bemberg lining, belted Long Formal daytime, over dresses 6, 8, 10 $680
Emma, silver floral Jacquard, 90 percent polyester, 10 percent metalized fiber Light coat Wedding guest, daytime events 2, 6, 8, 10 $880
Emma, teal floral Jacquard on black, 90 percent polyester, 10 percent metalized fiber Light coat Evening weddings, holiday events 4, 6, 8, 10 $880
Rea trench, beige Polyester jacquard, 340 gsm Trench Mother of the bride, cooler ceremonies 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 $770
Isidora, mocha 55 percent polyester, 35 percent cotton, 10 percent elastane Long Weekend, travel, over denim 4, 6, 8 $680
Emma Light Coat with Teal Floral Jacquard. Light coat. Metallic-Thread Jacquard Light.
Teal Floral Jacquard Light Coat, Emma$880See all light coats

Sizes listed are those in stock on the day this guide was published. Light coats are made in the smallest runs in the collection, and several sizes above have one piece left.

Rea Jacquard Trench Coat in Beige. Trench coat. Polyester Woven Jacquard.
Beige Jacquard Trench Coat, Rea$770See all light coats

Fit over a blazer and over a dress

Luna light coats are cut true to size. The shoulder seam should sit at the edge of your natural shoulder, and the coat should close without strain over a jacket. If you will wear the coat mostly over dresses and knits, take your usual size. If you will wear it over suiting every day and you are between sizes, take the larger size. The Luna sizing guide gives the measurement method, and returns are accepted within 30 days. Women under five feet four should read the most flattering coats for petite women before choosing between the short Iris and the long Kim.

Isidora Long Textured Coat in Mocha. Coat. Cotton-Blend Jacquard Long.
Brown Long Textured Coat, Isidora$680See all light coats

Care

All of these coats are dry clean only. Cotton blend coats can be steamed lightly between cleanings and hung on a shaped hanger. Jacquard with metallic threads should go to a cleaner who handles eveningwear and be stored on a padded hanger so the weave does not crease. Never press an iron directly onto a jacquard face.

Frequently asked questions

What temperature is a light coat for?

A light coat is built for days between roughly 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit, which in most of the United States means September through November and March through May. Below 50 degrees a light coat needs a knit underneath, and below about 40 degrees a wool winter coat at 460 grams per square meter or more is the better choice.

What is the difference between a light coat and a trench coat?

A trench coat is a specific construction with a storm flap, raglan sleeves and a belt, originally made to shed rain. A light coat is any unlined or lightly lined coat in a mid-weight cloth. Luna's Rea is a jacquard trench in a polyester weave at 340 grams per square meter, so it is both. The Iris and Kim are light coats without trench details.

Can I wear a light coat as a wedding guest or mother of the bride?

Yes, and for daytime and early fall ceremonies it is the correct weight. The Emma jacquard light coats in silver or teal florals are made for wedding arrivals over a midi dress. The Kim in beige and the Rea jacquard trench are the neutral options for mother of the bride and mother of the groom when the ceremony is outdoors or the church is cold.

Which light coat is best for business travel?

The Iris short tailored coat, in black or beige, is the one clients pack most. It is a cotton blend with elastane, so it recovers from a suitcase, it is short enough to sit at a desk in, and it layers over a blazer without bulk. The Kim long coat in beige is the choice when you want full coverage over a dress and a coat that reads as formal on arrival.

How should a light coat fit over a blazer?

The shoulder seam should sit at the edge of your natural shoulder and the coat should close without strain over a jacket. Luna light coats are cut true to size. If you will wear the coat mostly over dresses and knits, take your usual size. If you will wear it over suiting daily, and you are between sizes, take the larger one. Returns are accepted within 30 days.

How do I care for a jacquard or cotton blend coat?

All Luna coats are dry clean only. Jacquard with metallic threads should be cleaned by a cleaner who handles eveningwear, and it should be stored on a padded hanger so the weave does not crease. Cotton blend coats can be steamed lightly between cleanings. Never iron directly on a jacquard face.

Continue reading

Shop the edit

See every coat in the light coats collection, the transitional edit and the full outerwear collection.

More light coat questions

Which light coat suits a full skirt or a flared dress?

The Iris in beige has a flared hem and a belted waist, so it sits over a full skirt without crushing it. For a straight column dress, the long Isidora in mocha keeps one clean line from collar to hem.

Can I order a light coat in time for the first cool week of fall?

Yes. Shipping within the United States is free and takes 2 to 5 days. Returns are open for 30 days with no questions asked, and the transitional edit shows the pieces that work across both seasons.

What coat is best for a rehearsal dinner in fall or winter?

For a fall rehearsal dinner we would choose the Emma light coat in teal floral jacquard, $880, a jacquard woven with metallic threads in 90% polyester and 10% metalized fibers. It ends at the knee at 42 inches and ties at the waist with a belt in the same cloth.

Pick the coat by the hem of the dress under it. The Linea, $770 covers a midi dress, while the Emma and the Rea end at the knee and sit best over a knee length dress or pants. We measure every length from the back of the neck on a size 2, and our model is 5 foot 9 and wears that size. If the dinner turns cold in December, move to a wool coat from the winter coats.

Keep reading with what to wear to an engagement party or rehearsal dinner, the light coat for a November wedding, a gala and the theater and the 8 checks to make before you buy a coat online. Every coat here is in Light Coats, and the dinner itself is in Rehearsal Dinner and Bridal Shower Outfits.

Coats Fall Light Coats Outerwear Style Guide

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