With the winter season upon us, it becomes very difficult not to simply bundle up in a pile of blankets and sit fireside watching cheesy romantic comedies.

Although the digital age has enabled us to make this vision a reality by offering everything under the sun to be delivered right to your doorstep, we can’t live off of take-out meals forever.

Besides, a lot of us need to leave the house to head to work, and some of us even like to add a social element to our lives (crazy, right?).

Venturing out into the cold is a necessary evil for the majority of us, and so is the investment in a solid winter coat.

But shopping for the perfect coat can quickly become exhausting. With every store showcasing racks upon racks of wearable options, it’s easier to give up before you even begin.

But worry not—I’m here to help. Dredging through the endless winter coat selections, I realized that there are four major tips to keep in mind when shopping for your body type.

Certain coats are much more flattering on full-figured women, and I want you to be able to B-line for the style best suited for you, making your coat shopping experience quick and painful.

1. Decide on a Color

First and foremost, think about the color you’re OK with wearing a lot. Your outerwear will outshine the rest of your outfit. So, are you looking for a sassy, bold red? Or are you more of a classic black kind of girl? Knowing the color will be a great way to visually eliminate choices at first sight, and you can then begin to narrow down your prospects.

2. Pick a Length

Do you love calf-grazing styles or is a shorter option more your rhythm? When choosing which length is best for you, consider browsing sites with plenty of images as a good rule of thumb. In addition to hosting images to help you visualize the lengths of each piece, Woman Within also provides various style guides to further display how you’d actually look with a given outfit. The best part? You don’t even have to leave the comfort of your home.

3. Find Your Shape

Perhaps the most difficult step of all, finding a shape that flatters your figure in all the right places can be daunting. But Glamour advises we look for A-line silhouettes in a non-bulky material, and I agree. These shapes cinch us in the waist and provide a pretty silhouette that looks great atop just about any outfit.
If you still need inspiration, take a look at some trench coat and swing styles, as seen on Heavy.

4. Do What Feels Right

If you can’t imagine yourself wearing a coat with at least three outfits, consider looking at other options. Buying a winter coat is an investment, and if its trendiness outweighs its practicality, you might not be happy with it in a month. At the end of the day, you’re the one who will be wearing it. If you don’t feel your best in a coat, wait until you find The One!