The Cutest Coats . . . For Any Occasion

So often, the coat is an afterthought: You'll spend hours putting together the perfect look and then toss on any old topper as you dash out the door. But a cute coat can be key to creating a chic ensemble. Click through the gallery to discover the best ways to wear our favorite fall styles.

The Toggle Coat
It girl Alexa Chung knows that an old-fashioned toggle coat is the perfect piece to layer over artfully mismatched separates-paired black tights, and animal-print bag, and a colorful scarf, this quirky cute coat pulls the entire look together.

A bright white blazer seems like it might be a tough piece to pull off, but Selena Gomez handles it beautifully, using it to dress up an equally pale top and light gray jeans.

Julianne Moore

's rose-colored sheath is sweet; a little leather jacket adds just the right amount of edge.

Jennifer Lopez

's attention-getting feather-trimmed swing coat adds to, rather than covers, the underlying outfit—skinny leggings and sky-high platforms prevent the ensemble from looking too voluminous.

There's something almost militaristic about this traditional coat, but the a-line cut keeps it from feeling too regimental. It provides an artful counterpoint to Claire Danes's pale, ultra-modern sheath.

We love Kate Hudson's kicky pairing of a Louis Vuitton poncho with a little black dress. Yes, the coat's impeccable pedigree helps, but this would work with any similarly-cut style, as long as it mirrored this one's super-simple color palette.

Yes, this blazer would look amazing with a pair of skinny jeans. But Rachel Bilson's decision to mix it with a short, bright cocktail dress takes both pieces to the next level. We love the contrast between (slightly) masculine and (super) feminine.

Taylor Swift's bandleader-style trench is almost embellished enough to stand on its own. It would work, buttoned-up, over virtually any dress, but the singer is smart to let a couple of inches peek out below the coat's hem; it saves those around her form wondering if she's wearing anything underneath.

Black leather would have been too obvious. Instead, Sienna Miller topped her red-hot minidress with an equally abbreviated boucle jacket, which lends the look a ladylike polish.