Trench coats. They’re the one thing that can protect you from wind chill and rain while somehow making your sultry cocktail dress even sexier.

But therein is my dilemma: I’m not really a less-is-more gal. Yes, I am a proponent of easy style and a defender of simple chic; I believe that over-exaggerations in fashion are triumphant on the runway and tragic on the street; and I am wary of the fleeting allure of trends.