Bobbie Thomas TODAY Style Editor

During the cold winter months, you depend on your clothing — especially your coat — to keep warm. As a constant part of your ensemble, it is essential that your jacket reflects your style and adds a level of interest to your appearance. From bold colors to sculpted shapes, Bobbie Thomas, TODAY Style editor and author of the Buzz column for In Touch weekly, offers the inside scoop on the winter's hottest outerwear.

Bold color
A winter wonderland can quickly turn cloudy with an onset of black and gray outfits. Be sure to add some some sunshine to the mix with a colorful coat. Victoria’s Secret has a rainbow of options to consider, from an empire-waist wool coat in Cobalt to a double-breasted coat in Raspberry Dazzler to a belted wool trench coat in Gold ($109-$149; victoriassecret.com).

Tulle’s Fuchsia Vintage coat ($120; tulle4us.com), French Connection’s Yellow Kinickie coat ($328; frenchconnection.com) and Old Navy’s Pique Wool Blend coat in Green Envy, Beet Sugar or Siberian Blue can all add a pretty punch of color to a cold winter night. Remember, the accessory that goes best with a bright coat is a bold attitude, so when the weather is bleary, it’s an even better time for you to shine!

Sculpted styles
This season’s standout coats are taking on a whole new shape. For a fashion-forward edge, it's easy to carve out a fresh silhouette with a coat. Contemporary designer Mackage constructs modern outerwear options in wool, leather, and even "packable" nylon rain jackets ($220-$781, Mackage.com).

Banana Republic’s cocoon coats offer a soft take on the trend ($250; bananarepublic.com), while Soia & Kyo, Laundry and Tahari present sharp shoulders and bold necklines ($139-$380; LordandTaylor.com). Even the simple structure of a stand-up collar, such as Worthington's Wool Blend coat ($140; JCPenney.com), will give your look a crisp, clean update.

Traditional tweeds
From classic checks to punchy plaids, this British-influenced coat option may very well be the biggest trend in outwear right now. Black-and-white styles such as New York & Company’s City Style Plaid peacoat ($90.96; nyandcompany.com), The Limited’s Deep V Sexy Belted coat ($158; thelimited.com), and McGinn’s Check coat ($369; revolveclothing.com) are a popular way to wear the look.

Other excellent options include the red-and-black belted coat from Gap ($96.50; gap.com), the subtly striped Cambridge coat from Kimchi Blue ($158; urbanoutfitters.com) and the Twilight Blue-hued Domino Plaid jacket from Marc by Marc Jacobs ($398; shopbop.com).

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