Spring and summer are a time when sudden rain showers can just pop up and you need to be prepared. While you can carry an umbrella around with you, you do carry the risk of forgetting it somewhere and not having it when needed. The perfect solution, especially when it is not too hot out, is a trench coat. By wearing this type of coat you will stay dry and warm. Many women shy away from a trench coat normally though because they tend to be shapeless and masculine in looks but the truth is there are plenty of great trench coats that are stylish and trendy.

The Tibi Bow Trench Coat is a great coat if you are looking to stand apart from the crowd. This Terra Cotta (also available in Khaki ) coat is a mid thigh length trench coat that has a feminine cut due to pintucking at both the front and the back so it flatters your shape. In terms of detailing, the Tibi Bow Trench Coat has tie and ruffle trim at the collar and neck adding a unique style to this coat. 3/4 Length sleeves also add a great detail. I love that while this is not a traditional trench coat color, it is bright enough to draw attention but at the same time is a color that will compliment so many others, allowing it to match so much of your closet. Since this is a short trench coat, keep in mind the hem length of any skirt or dress you wear with this coat. You will want to make sure that the base hem is longer than the coat to avoid the appearance that you are not wearing anything underneath. In terms of tops to wear with the coat, you will want to stay away from bulky, sleeves because they will not feel comfortable under the Raglan sleeves nor will they look good puffing out from the bottom of the sleeves.

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Trench coats by definition are a heavy duty waterproof coat that are usually knee length.  Most trench coats are designed for function rather than fashion. This spring / summer 2011 season though has a lot of twists to these traditional style coats. You are seeing more interesting cuts and colors to these coats, as well as bows and ruffled pleats on trench coats making them more feminine. One of the most unique twists these jackets is that there are many cropped trench coats available today. A cropped trench is going to allow you to show off your outfit as opposed to keeping it covered up. Since these coats are waist or hip length it is important to pair them correctly with your clothing. You can wear these shorter coats with a skirt or dress, sleek and slim or full. Unlike a longer trench the hem length of your bottoms is not too important because these coats are not going to look like you are bottomless unlike some traditional trenches.

One of my favorite cropped trench coats is the Mason by Michelle Mason Crop Trench Coat. This coat has 3/4 length sleeves and a double breasted closure. Four buttons at the front close the coat and there are decorative buttons and a pleated flap at the back. This really is not a very functional trench coat for rainy days but it is a great cot to wear when it is cool outside and you do not want to wear a sweater or long sleeves.

Mason by Michelle Mason Crop Trench Coat

ASOS Drapey Cropped Trench is another favorite of mine. This camel colored coat has an asymmetrical bottom hem as well as asymmetrical buttons throughout. The sleeves are full length and there is a rain shield in the back so this is a very functional coat for wet or cool weather.

ASOS Drapey Cropped Trench

Though it is a bit longer than the previous two trench coats, the Burberry Brit Belted Trench Jacket is a great short trench coat. This coat is very detailed and has a bit of a vintage military look to it. There is a leather belted collar, waist, and sleeves and the gold tone hardware makes this look like a very put together and polished coat. The button down epaulets give this coat a military look to it. This  is a great coat to wear year round, with the exception of perhaps really cold winter days.

Burberry Brit Belted Trench Jacket

Whether it is for function on a rainy day or for fashion on a cool one, a cropped trench coat is the perfect answer for time when you are looking for a practical yet highly in fashion coat.

Spring and summer are a time when pop up rain showers are quite common. It can be a bright and sunny day and then all of a sudden the skies turn grey and buckets of rain come crashing down. It is best to be prepared for this type of weather with a coat of some sort. As practical as they may be a beige trench coat is not always the most attractive and fashionable choice.  The good news is that there are so many other colors of trench coats that you can wear. These brightly  colored coats will may a dreary day bright and enhance your outfit.

The ASOS Pleated Swing Trench Coat is available in a bright blue color that will be sure to brighten up the dreariness outside. Most trench coats are shapeless and a belt is needed to create any sort of shape but this trench  is pleated at the skirt and  has a defined waist so it will enhance your figure. The gun flaps at the shoulders and belted cuffs add to the style of this coat.

ASOS Pleated Swing Trench

Though it is available in camel as well as black, the green ASOS Classic Trench Coat is the perfect choice for a coat that is traditional in style but not in color. This coat is a belted double breasted cotton trench coat with a pleated vent at the back to allow movement. The gunflaps at the shoulder are button down adding to the style of the trench. The sleeves have a belted buckle detail that matches the belt at the waist.

ASOS Classic Trench

Orange is one of the “IT” colors for spring and summer 2011 so it is great to find a trench coat in this vivid color. The ASOS ’60s Trench With Contrast Trim is the perfect shade of orange and has a modern 1960s feel to it. This A line coat with a large vent in the back is very figure flattering. The contrasting black piping on the rounded collar, shoulders, and neck area give this coat a very mod vibe to it. If you like the style and shape of the coat but are a bit hesitant about the color, this is available in a great shade of blue as well. This trench coat is a bit shorter than others so keep that in mid if wearing a mini skirt, you want to make sure the hem of the skirt is longer than the coat, otherwise it may appear that you are not wearing anything on the bottom.

ASOS ’60s Trench With Contrast Trim

Though it is not bright and colorful, the ASOS Striped Collarless Trench is vivid in pattern. With all over horizontal stripes all the way around this coat, cropped length sleeves, and no collar, this coat is far from your basic everyday trench. This coat is tapered at the waist so it will help define your shape. The collarless trench is a great coat to wear not only in bad weather but over a dress or skirt on a cool day when you need an extra layer. Like the previous coat mentioned, this is short in length so keep this in mind when getting dressed.

ASOS Stripe Collarless Trench

While a dreary day is full of grey and the sun is nowhere to be seen, a small glimmer of the bright yellow sun can be seen in the ASOS Collarless Belted Trench in Yellow. An adjustable belt with gold tone eyelets and full length sleeves make this a practical and fashionable trench coat. This is the perfect color, shape, and length coat to wear with jeans a T-shirt.

ASOS Collarless Belted Trench

The best thing about all of these coats is that since they do not look like a traditional trench coat, you can wear these coats when it is not raining and look like you are wearing a normal spring coat. These coats will carry you over to the fall and future years so you will get your money’s worth out of any of them. If you like any of the shapes of the coat but are unsure about the color, many are available in traditional beige colors as well as other bright and fun colors.