Elegant Dressers Always Choose This Impractical Yet Chic Coat Color

As a fashion editor who wants to help you make your wardrobe the best it can be, I don't love promoting things that aren't practical. That said, something that I often remind myself is that not everything we own must be practical. That's the beauty of fashion—saving space in your closet for some less-than-practical pieces that are special and make you feel good is perfectly fine.

In this instance, the celebrity-approved impractical item I'm referring to is a long white coat, and Jennifer Lopez and Rosie Huntington-Whitely just wore the style in recent days. Snowy-white wool coats are also a common sighting on my fashion influencer-filled Instagram feed. Sure, they may not be easy to keep clean and the dry-cleaning bills might eventually add up to more than the coat cost, but there's no substitute for the eye-catching elegance of a white coat. Not only that, they look expensive because they're impractical. Speaking of Lopez, she added elegance to a sheer silver maxi dress, while Huntington-Whitely made her trousers and satin pumps look especially chic on a chilly December day in London.

If you've decided you're ready to take your chances on a white coat, keep scrolling for styling inspiration from a few very elegant dressers, and to shop a few of my favorites for yourself.

On Celebs

Jennifer Lopez wearing a white dress and sparkly coat

(Image credit: Backgrid)

On Jennifer Lopez: Kurt Geiger Fabric Kensington Clutch Bag ($185); Dolce & Gabbana shoes

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley wearing a white dress and sparkly coat

(Image credit: The Image Direct)

On Rosie Huntington-Whitely: The Row Catena Coat ($5250) and bag; Phoebe Philo pants; Saint Laurent shoes

On Influencers

Influencer Sylvie Mus wearing a white coat

(Image credit: @sylviemus_)

Influencer Christie Tyler wearing a white coat

(Image credit: @christietyler)

Shop White Coats

Allyson Payer
Senior Editor

Allyson is a senior editor for Who What Wear. She joined the company in 2014 as co-founder Katherine Power's executive assistant and over the years has written hundreds of stories for Who What Wear. Prior to her career in fashion, Allyson worked in the entertainment industry at companies such as Sony Pictures Television. Allyson is now based in Raleigh, North Carolina, and is originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She holds a BFA in theater. Her path to fashion may not have been linear, but based on the number of fashion magazines she collected as a child and young adult, it was meant to be.