The Elegant Winter Coat for Women Over 50 and Over 60
After 50 and after 60, the most elegant winter coat is belted, 100% wool and mid calf. That means about 45 inches from the back of the neck. At Luna that coat is the Nicole wrap coat in black, $825, and its twin in herringbone gray, also $825.
Both Nicoles are long fiber wool at 480 grams per square meter. They have a 100% Bemberg cupro lining and hand finished horsehair canvas in the lapel. The sections below cover shape, length, cloth, color and what to wear underneath. We measure every length from the back of the neck on a size 2, and our model is 5 foot 9.
At a glance
- For every day, choose a belted wrap at mid calf, like the black Nicole at $825, which measures 45 inches.
- For galas and winter weddings, the Lucy in black, $910, has a faux fur collar that comes off with concealed snaps.
- Over a floor length gown, wear the Selina wool cape, $770, open, so the skirt keeps its full shape.
- Our 100% wool coats are the 2 Nicoles, the 2 Lucys and the Selina cape, and each page lists the fiber percentage.
- Every coat ships free in the US in 2 to 5 days, with 30-day returns and no questions asked.
What shape of winter coat looks most elegant after 50?
We would choose the belted coat with a skirt that flares from the waist. The belt divides a long coat into a shorter top and a longer skirt. From across a room, the coat looks tailored. Both Nicoles are cut this way, double breasted with a wide collar. The gray one ties, so the belt can sit an inch higher or lower from one outfit to the next.
Our second choice is the fitted double breasted coat with princess seams and a full skirt to the knee. Both the black Lucy, $910, and the red Lucy, $910, are 40 inches long, in 460 gram wool. The full skirt goes over a dress of the same length or shorter.
A straight column with no belt is the third shape. The Isidora in mocha, $680, is double breasted with peak lapels and reaches mid calf at 51 inches. We put it over sheaths and pencil skirts, where a column looks its best.
The cape is the fourth shape, and we treat it as an evening coat. It is covered in the section on putting a coat on and taking it off. To see every shape side by side, open the winter coats collection. Our guide to tying a wrap coat walks through the belt.
What length should a winter coat be for a woman over 50 or 60?
Mid calf is the most useful length. It covers knee length dresses and midi skirts. Our mid calf coats run from 45 to 51 inches. The black Nicole is 45 inches, the gray Nicole is 46, and the Linea in ivory, $770, is 48. At 50 inches, the Clara wool trench in navy, $910, reaches the lower mid calf.
Knee length is easier if you drive a lot in winter. Both Lucy coats are 40 inches. At 43 inches, the Selina coat with the red faux fur collar, $825, falls to the knee or a little below. The Paula in black, $770, is 42.
A short coat has a place too. The Iris short coat in black, $770, is 36 inches and ends 3 to 4 inches above the knee. We wear it with short dresses and with jumpsuits whose legs reach the floor, and never over a midi skirt.
You can choose a length at home with a tape measure. Stand straight and ask someone to hold a tape at the bony point at the back of your neck. Let the tape fall to where you want the hem and read the number. Compare it with the inches on the coat page. Our sizing guide has the body measurements, and our article on coat length by height goes further.
Which fabric keeps you warm without bulk?
A dense wool and a full lining keep you warm without bulk. Look for the fiber percentage and the cloth weight in grams per square meter on the page. If a page says only "wool blend" with no percentages, ask before you buy.
Five of our coats are 100% long fiber wool with a 100% Bemberg cupro lining. Those are the 2 Nicoles and the Selina cape at 480 grams, and the 2 Lucys at 460 grams. Our Clara is 87% long fiber wool and 13% nylon at 420 grams. It has a full Bemberg lining and hand finished interior seams. The Selina with the red collar is 70% wool and 30% polyester.
Bemberg is smooth. It lets a coat fall over a knit or a blazer underneath. In the Nicole, the lapel is reinforced with horsehair canvas and finished by hand.
Some of our coats are built for other jobs, and we label them that way. We chose a textured technical polyester for the Linea so it does not crush. With its full Bemberg lining, it is our travel coat. The Paula is a textured botanical viscose with faux fur at the collar and cuffs and a full Bemberg lining. In cream, the Rea jacquard trench, $770, is a 340 gram jacquard with the pattern woven at the loom. It ends at the knee at 40 inches.
For milder weeks, we make 2 light coats. The Emma in silver floral jacquard, $880, and the Emma in teal floral jacquard, $880, are 90% polyester and 10% metalized fibers. Both end at the knee at 42 inches. You will find the rest in the light coats collection. For the long answer on cloth, read our piece on whether a 100% wool coat pays off.
Which coat is easiest to put on and take off?
A coat should come off at the door in one move. The Clara gets close, since it can be worn open with the belt tied at the back. It slides from the shoulders and goes straight to the coat check.
The Selina cape is easier still. It is worn open with a self tie belt. The arm openings sit at the shoulder line, with room for the sleeve of a blazer or a long sleeve dress. There are no coat sleeves to fit over the sleeves of a dress. Our story on the cape and the woman who wears it shows it over gowns.
A detachable collar lets one coat do 2 jobs. On the Lucy, the collar fastens with concealed snaps and pompom ties. Without it, the Lucy is a plain double breasted wool coat for the working day. The Selina with the red collar has a removable collar as well. The Paula closes with one ornamental button over a hidden placket. The Iris has a full front zip and a clasp belt. For more on collars, see the coat with the faux fur collar.
What do I wear under an elegant winter coat?
Choose the dress by the inches between the hems. We measure our dresses the same way as our coats, so each page tells you how much coat shows past the dress.
- Over the Black Cyclamen Floral Maxi Dress, Rina, $770, the black Nicole ends at mid calf and the embroidered skirt continues to the ankle.
- With the Navy Wrap Dress, Olga, $695, the Clara shows 11 inches of coat below the dress, navy on navy.
- Put the red Lucy over the Navy Off-Shoulder Maxi Gown, Iris, $770, or the softer Beige Maxi Lace Gown, Bruna, $595.
- Over the Gray Off-Shoulder Maxi Gown, Iris, $770, or the Burgundy Off-Shoulder Metallic Gown, Alis, $770, the black Lucy leaves each skirt in view to the ankle.
- Our Linea runs 2 inches past the Black Elegant Midi Dress, Rina, $595. Over the Ivory Maxi Dress, Rebeka, $670, the last 7 inches of chiffon show.
Over a suit, choose the Clara, the Linea or a Lucy. Their shoulders are cut to sit cleanly over a tailored blazer, and the sleeves clear a blazer cuff by 1/2 inch. For black tie and galas, open the gala outerwear collection. Our guide to what to wear over an evening gown covers the dress side.
Which color should I choose for a winter coat after 50?
Black is the safest first coat. It goes everywhere. The black Nicole goes over more of our dresses than any other coat we make. Gray herringbone is the softer daily neutral, and its pattern gives a plain dress some texture. Navy, in the Clara, works with navy and pink dresses. Ivory, in the Linea, is our travel coat, and its cloth does not crush.
People remember a red coat. We make it twice, in the Lucy and in the Selina with the red collar. If red feels like a lot, start with our article on how to wear a red coat without feeling loud. For the color next to your face, see our guide to colors for women over 50 with gray or silver hair.
Which coat should I buy in my 50s?
In your 50s, we would ask one coat to work all week, from the office to the client dinner. Buy one belted wool coat at mid calf first, in black or gray herringbone. Both Nicoles are $825 and go over a suit, a knee length dress or a full midi.
If your calendar has a gala or 2 a year, the black Lucy at $910 is the second coat. Take the collar off and it goes to the office. For what goes under it, read our charity gala guide for women over 50. The black tie guide for women over 50 covers the formal nights.
Which coat should I buy in my 60s?
In your 60s, we would plan the coat around the occasion calendar. A wedding or a milestone birthday usually ends at a coat check, and that is where a coat is seen. Buy the coat for those evenings first, and keep the daily coat you already trust.
The Selina cape at $770 goes over any gown length. A Lucy at $910 covers a cocktail dress and shows a gown below the knee. If you prefer a longer line, choose the Clara at 50 inches, in navy with a black faux fur collar. For a winter wedding, read our mother of the bride winter wedding guide. Guests can read what coat to wear to a winter wedding as a guest. Our edit of elegant dresses for women over 60 shows the dresses.
How do I know the coat is made the way the page says?
Before you order, look for 5 things on the page. They are the fiber percentage, the cloth weight in grams, the lining, the lapel construction and a measured length. The Nicole pages give all 5, and every coat page gives a measured length. We make every piece in our own atelier, and the house has made occasion wear since 1990.
Our return policy is 30 days with no questions asked, and US shipping is free in 2 to 5 days. You can also email connect@lunafashionhouse.com or call +1 949-601-2846 with a question before you buy. Our guide on how to buy a coat online, with 8 checks before you order, lists every check.
Every coat here is dry clean only. Our article on caring for a wool coat so it lasts 10 winters covers brushing and storage. You can see every coat together in the outerwear collection. If you measure only one thing before ordering, measure from the back of your neck to the hem you want. Compare it with the 45 inches of the black Nicole.
More by age: the winter coat for women in their 30s and the winter coat for women in their 40s.
