Mastering the art of coatee styling

Coatee is unisex outerwear, which can be viewed as the subcontinent's answer to coats and other fashionable outerwear commonly seen in the West. Interestingly, coatees do have their roots in the military outfits of the British and Americans. To this day, the coatee remains part of the highland dress, paired with tartan kilts, which is the traditional dress of the Highlands and Isles of Scotland.

In Bangladesh, coatee is synonymous with traditional outerwear. They are short outerwear jackets, bearing resemblance to vests and cropped blazers. They can also be long, similar to shrugs but have more structure. Coatees come in all sleeve lengths. These pieces are adorned with different kinds of embellishments such as dense embroidery, appliques, mirrorwork, patchwork, zardozi, and many more. They can be buttoned up, tied, or left as is. It is a piece of garment that can be fused into both Western wear and deshi outfits.

Photo: Adnan Rahman

Depending on the coatee, the outfits can be styled in a multitude of ways. For men, wearing coatees as waistcoats over panjabis can lend an air of elegance to their ensembles. These coatees can have artistic prints or single-coloured ones, but ensure that it pairs really well with the panjabi. This can be an excellent look for the dawats during Eid ul Azha.

For looking effortlessly casual, wear a long coatee with long sleeves over the classic combo of T-shirts and pants and/or jeans. Cropped tops or co-ord sets with coatees are also wonderful choices. Accessorise the look with statement earrings and hoops along with funky tote bags, geometric-shaped bags, or bamboo to showcase the fact that you are a true fashionista. This look is a wonderful way to have layers even in the scorching heat of the summer.

Coatees can also serve as elegant outerwear for weddings and parties of similar gravity. Short coatees with full sleeves look beautiful and elegant combined with saris and lehengas. Doing a sleek bun with the look will make you look more sophisticated. Choose classic colour combinations like black and gold when styling this way.

Heavily embellished and embroidered coatees go well with kameezes and kurtis. They can be without sleeves and donned with long sleeve kameez and kurti. Other alternatives could be full-sleeve or half-sleeve coatees. This combination will give you the traditional desi look of your dreams.

Photo: Adnan Rahman

However you choose to wear coatees, large statement earrings and traditional hoops look the best. High buns, high ponytails, and braided buns work well with almost all styles of coatee. For necklaces, chokers, or simplistic dainty statement necklaces ensure that the neck area does not seem too cluttered, throwing off the whole look.

Footwear of all kinds and designs works well with coatees. But avoid wearing boots as they can make the look stuffy. For deshi embroidered kameez and kurti fits, juttis will work as an excellent complement.

Models: Isha, Jessia, Efa

MUA: Sumon

Styling: Mahmudul Hasan Mukul

Wardrobe: Izhaar by Isha (Signature Collection)