Must have a mac.

Here is your monthly fix of fashion sanity. Full length coats with hood you wanted last month - this month it's 'Mac Fashion', see my fab five top buys. And win your very own stylish coat by signing up for our newsletter.

Ok Lets talk versatile. If you only buy one clothing item this month,
Traditionally the rainy, windy, albeit spring like April then make it a mac. Or mac style covering. Not a pac a mac or a plastic rain coat, but a colourful, clever coating that will give you all the stylish coverage you need against the elements.

Caryn creates your own mac look-book.

Second season for the most practical garment around; let’s hear it for the mac. It’s an instant fix of fashion and here we give you the links to go straight through to order yours now.

If you leave it just a tad longer however (indecision never hurt anyone), you’ll soon be hitting traditional sales time for spring garments, as shops make way for high summer fare. Yup I know it’s mad - all that sales stuff so soon – I always buy my high summer clothes in the sales anyway. Hey I’m only just feeling warm enough to consider a barely there dress in July – traditionally the time when retailers have to clear their stock to make way for the tailoring and woollies. They all complain about it in Drapers Record and it’s got everything to do with European delivery dates. So when you next find yourself thinking what did the Flemish ever do for me - apart that is from Dries van Noten (Liberties) you’ll know.

But that said there are good reasons to get your look now. And even better reasons to add a splash of colour to your wardrobe now. I’m actually enjoying my Gap: black/white/beige (funky print) trench coat mac I bought last June (yes in the sales) so bear in mind that your choice of mac this season will see you through the coming Autumn and also next spring. So at a starting price of around £70.00 – more if you like a designer name – less if you get it in the sales, it will pay for itself several times over.

Wear it with your jeans for starters, and this season’s cropped trouser styles. If it is more fitted it will also look great over a summer dress if you are attempting a bit of Riviera chic. My only caution on a stylistic note is make sure that the colourful mac is not the only item with a visual zing about your person. Don’t for instance add it to black workwear unless the base colour of your mac is black or you’ll end up looking like a mad professor in a marvellously designed lab coat.

Here then are my mac finds

The red mac

My favourite is this flag red sunray mac. In sizes 8-20 at a cost of £99 from tel: 0845 677 500 for your small and oh so stylishly put together catalogue. I’m already thumbing through it myself and thinking I might have to splash out on a bit of flag red sunray of my own.

The thing about the single-breasted mac is that it moves effortlessly from being a colourful throw-on, to a classic light coat. Check that the mac you are buying is coated if rain protection is what you are after – not all of them are suited to a spring shower (this one has 100% polyurethane).

Brown cord mac

So here’s a completely different look as popularised by top popsicle Ms. Kylie Minogue. She might favour John Galliano and Swaroski crystals for her ‘Showgirl tour,’ but it’s a brown chunky cord mac and jeans for our down to earth style-icon when she’s off duty. The ‘As seen on screen’ team have sourced this look-a-like for £55.00 sizes 8-32 from www.asos.com

This style will work perfectly for you if you have already invested in your prarie style tiered skirt or favour the boho look. With a long scarf and boots you’ll ride effortlessly through spring and on into autumn too. Great for petites, which is why, Kylie favours it (see how the high belt gives the appearance of longer legs).

Planet Rasberry coat.

So you fancy a bit of colour to give your evening look a more jaunty flavour. Choose this single breasted raspberry jacquard coat from Planet £199.00. Available in sizes 8-16. As Planet do not have a website Tel: 0191 521 388 for your nearest stockist.

Wear this style to give your good jeans an evening out, making sure you have raspberry pink boots or shoes to give it a knowing edge. I spend more on coats than I do on anything else actually. A sophisticated layer like this does all the work as you enter a room and outer layers tend to be cut in a more classic style so they don’t become dated in the same way daywear does. Once you start collecting, you’ll notice you have more options when putting together a look.

Floral Mac.

Our passion for nostalgia and nostalgic prints continues and trend reports for the coming autumn, show that there will still be plenty floral on the rails. A mac like this one from fashionworld.com £60.00 sizes 12-32 will be the best fashion accessory you can add to skirts, cut offs, jeans etc. It’s a great holiday coat, making you feel instantly co-ordinated. When the mac is mostly light colours keep the clothes underneath light too for an overall harmonious finish. That goes for shoes and bag also.

Green boden mac

Well I just couldn’t resist this apple green trench coat style that comes in lobster and raspberry too. Sizes 8-20 £120.00 from tel. 0845 677 500

A trench gives great value because it is always a classic a chic Audrey Hepburn gloss with no effort at all. Double breasted trench coat styles do create an illusion of width at the top of the body and so are great for pearshapes looking to balance out body symmetry but best avoided by all you top heavy lovelies.