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The ever-fashionable fashion editors and the endlessly stylish style-makers want you to know that the trench coat is experiencing a revival. But the truth is, it's always been a must-have. Just ask the good folks at Burberry, who over more than 150 years have helped millions elude drenchings by wearing their trenches. A classic Burberry trench is a coat you can wear 10, 20 or even 50 years from now. But because the Burberry trench coat is an investment piece, make sure that investment pays wearable dividends and is a perfect fit in all the right places.
It's All About the Fit
If burning money, throwing it down the drain or leaving it to grow wild on the tree is your favorite clichéd pastime, then don't give your Burberry's fit a second thought. But if you schlep for every penny in your pocketbook, then the shape and fit of your coat is key. According to New York City style expert Bridgette Raes, women make a universal error when it comes to buying a trench: "Buying too big is one of the biggest mistakes. It is important that you try on a trench in a realistic manner and over what you expect to wear it with." Try the trench on the way you would a coat dress; the shoulder seams should line up with the outside of your shoulders, and sleeves should skim the wrist.
Lose the Length
In your exquisite Burberry trench, the knees have it. Ideally, the trench should fall just above your knee, or as "Project Runway" style guru Tim Gunn would say, you can "make it work" at just below the knee. Any longer than that, though, and you'll look like you've been playing in your boyfriend's closet.
Define That Waist
Whether you are a girl with curves to die for or have a slim tennis body that's the envy of your friends and foes, according to Bridgette Raes, author of "Style Rx: Dressing the Body You Have to Create the Body You Want," the trench should "emphasize the waist and create curves in the chest and hip areas, so make sure the waist area is defined." Your waist should be graced with the cinched belt, not folds of fabric above or below the belt.
Tailor Me
Don't be afraid of the alterations lady. You've just spent the gross domestic product of an emerging nation on your Burberry, which is precisely why you should pay a little extra to have it altered to fit you in all the right places. Do your homework and find a reputable tailor who can adjust hems, waists, sleeves and shoulders to make your Burberry trench fall like it was cut especially for you.
