Seven Beige Trench Coats, Part 1: Three Very Different Ones from ENFÖLD

 As the mornings and evenings got cooler, I started thinking about trench coats. So I opened my closet for the first time in a while… and seven beige trench coats came out. Seven. 😂

I have a confession: I've barely worn a trench in years. The reason is simple. They're such a hassle when I drive. Every time I get in or out of the car, I'm fussing with the hem, the belt, something. So today I took those sleeping beauties out of the closet one by one and tried them on again.

(The photos are quick mirror selfies with the coats thrown over my pajama shorts… please be kind. 🤭)

Seven is too many for one post, so today I'm starting with the three from the same brand: Enfold. I think Enfold really understands women. The designs are elegant without being sweet, never predictable, a little witty, with a spoonful of their own style. When I first discovered Enfold, I could only buy it by ordering from Japan. And these three trenches, even though they're from the same brand, feel like they belong to three completely different women. That's what made comparing them so fun.

What is Enfold?

Enfold (ENFÖLD) is a Japanese womenswear brand launched in 2012. The designer is Mizuki Ueda, and the name comes from the English word "enfold," meaning to wrap or embrace.

True to the name, the clothes don't squeeze the body. They wrap it softly, with sculptural silhouettes designed to make a grown woman's figure look more refined. In 2016, the brand opened its first overseas store in New York. In Korea, it still feels like an insider brand to me.

1. Ivory collarless trench: the orange-lining surprise

Enfold ivory collarless trench coat with orange lining

The first is an ivory collarless trench. An asymmetric storm flap drops down on one side of the front, and the cuffs have white panels.

But the real point of this coat is on the inside. Open the front a little and you'll see a mustard-orange lining, and it doesn't stop at the front panels. The whole back is lined in the same color too.

Ivory outside, orange inside, white cuffs. To me, this color combination feels very Japanese. Clean, but somehow warm and friendly. When I looked in the mirror, I pictured a Japanese lady in a bucket hat and flat shoes, walking her bicycle down the street. 😂 I mean that in the best way: that effortless, not-trying-too-hard charm.

The fabric makes me a little nervous, though. It's such a light color that I feel like one tiny stain would haunt me forever. 😂

Still, between the colors and the overall feel, it has something that never looks cheap. If you want a design that's just a little different, Enfold really is the answer.

2. Beige trench with a magnetic closure: clean, falling minimalism

Enfold beige collarless trench coat with magnetic closure

The second is a beige collarless trench. A big storm flap covers the front, and it closes with magnets instead of buttons. Bring the sides close and they snap together.

This coat has no waist belt, so the silhouette falls straight down from the shoulders. A trench usually means cinching the waist to create a line. This one does none of that, so it looks much more minimal and chic.

I felt that Japanese mood in this one too. If No. 1 is the warm, friendly side, No. 2 is the urban, understated side.

It's a simple silhouette, but it has a feeling of its own. I think this is one you have to see in person to really get. :)

3. High-waisted flared trench: beautiful, but hard in the car

Enfold high-waisted flared trench coat

The third is the most feminine of the three. The shoulders are shaped in a soft, feminine line, and the waistline sits very high. That makes the waist look tiny, and below it, the coat flares out like a skirt. The front edge flows along the line almost like a ruffle. It's so stylish and feminine.

The coat itself is gorgeous… but… it's also the hardest one to wear when getting in and out of the car. 😂 The flared hem gets caught and crushed every time I sit down. If one coat explains why I stopped wearing trenches for years, it's this one.

Because it flares like a dress, it goes much better with skirts than trousers. On a day when you're walking, styled with a skirt, this is the prettiest of them all.

At a glance

	No. 1 Ivory	No. 2 Beige	No. 3 High-waisted
Collar	Collarless	Collarless	Feminine shoulder line
Highlight	Orange lining (back too), white cuffs	Magnetic closure, big storm flap	High waist, skirt-like flared hem
Silhouette	Falls naturally	No belt, falls straight	Defined waist, flares out
Mood	Warm Japanese charm	Minimal, chic	Feminine
Note	Bucket hat and flats vibe	Chic without cinching the waist	Great with skirts, hard in the car

What I felt trying them on again

I couldn't believe three coats from the same brand could feel so different. If they have one thing in common, it's that none of them squeeze the body. They wrap it. After wearing them, I finally understood why the brand is called "enfold."

Realistically, though, if you drive a lot, think twice about a design like No. 3 that flares at the bottom. No. 2, with no belt, at least means no tying and untying.

Taking them out after so long made me want to wear them again. This fall, I'm going to pick the days I don't drive and wear them one by one. 🍂

In Part 2, I'll be back with the other four: Burberry, YCH, Erika Cavallini and Johnny Hates Jazz. Some of them were once the talk of airport fashion and Korean dramas, so stay tuned!

Questions? Leave them in the comments. 😊