How to get the look: Ladylike coats

Sportmax Osimo coat, £335, my-wardrobe.com

Brr! Not sure I care about being ladylike when it's cold.

All right, get thyself some microfibre and be gone. But it doesn't have to be that way; some of this season's most feminine overcoats are pleasingly cosy, too.

What's contemporary coat-shaped femininity, then?

Think structure and volume, giving everything a bit of a couture feel. Oversized opera coats, capes and cocoon shapes (could anything be cosier than a cocoon?) are the drapier end of the scale. And at the other you've got stricter nipped waists such as this Sportmax Osimo coat (above, £335, my-wardrobe.com), which comes with a detachable knitted snood – joy!

It's not exactly sugar and spice and all things nice.

Oh OK, apologies – if you want something that plays into classic gender binary conventions, you can go for one of the numerous pink options around now. In fact, the pink coat is a mini-trend all of its own.

Pink for winter?

Yes, that's part of the appeal. Topshop has a range of slouchy, textured coats in pastel pink (from £79, topshop.com). It's like sticking two fingers up at the drizzly grey skies. In the most ladylike way possible, of course.