If there's a time of year I can get away with low-key dressing, it's right now -- when I can just throw any one of my three coats over an ensemble and call it a day.  Jeans, t-shirt, and heels kind of day?  Throw on the statement coat.  Dressing up for a date night with over-the-knee boots and a short, ethereal dress?  The boxy boyfriend will balance it out. Going all out in masculine look?  Slip into the oversized long coat.

The point is, investing in the right piece, a coat in this case, season after season  has proven to simplify dressing altogether.

Anyway, I've taken to the streets of both London and Paris fashion weeks to take a look at the shapes, shades, and styling of coats for the season.  I know throwing on a coat may seem like pretty standard procedure, but there's actually much more effort that goes into that so-called effortless look than we think.

The buckled up trench coat look was never really appealing to me, so it's refreshing to see that this classic coat in a more relaxed approach.  I only have one of these, but it's lasted me about five years since I purchased it during my move to New York, and without fail, it's proven to be my most versatile coat.

This coat is everything to me, especially since I'm all about combining haphazard ensembles with something chic.  It really doesn't matter what you wear underneath this long coat, seriously, Miranda Kerr did it naked.  I'm all about take this oversized version and pairing it with a mix of casual and dressed up looks, but to each her own!

Who wore it best?  Mira?  Christina?  I really have a weakness for coats of the printed variety, despite knowing that unless they're classic prints, they won't last me until the next season.  Love the balance between a printed statement jacket and basics.  Actually, there's nothing basic about the three looks, and the combination of textures and balance of colors is perfection so it's hard for me to choose.

Here are a few coats I'm eyeing now...

SEE BY CHLOE tweed coat, $272 NEW LOOK light pink boyfriend coat, $105 ZARA long coat, $189 CARVEN contrast wool coat, $1305 STEVEN ALAN edouard trench coat, $495

Images via Vogue and Style.com