cloaked in mystery; The season's most obscure object of desire.

Byline: Florence Kane

Ask a handful of designers just how many coats a woman should own and you get the following:

"That's such a funny question, because I own a lot of coats," says Tory Burch. "A woman can own many, although I know some women who have two."

Jean Touitou of A.P.C. weighs in: "I think it's really depressing to have just one coat. It's really depressing to have 25 coats. I would say three coats."

"I made a list, and I couldn't believe it!" says Jenna Lyons, senior vice president of women's design at J.Crew. "I got to nine with no problem whatsoever, and that was bare bones!"

The numbers are all different, though the consensus seems to be that a woman should have a variety. But when a coat is one of the most expensive things we buy each fall (a camel cashmere fur-skirted fall 2006 Burberry Prorsum coat will cost you $7,675), is this an impracticable directive? Not if you take into account the Anonymous Coat.

The Anonymous Coat doesn't shout its provenance on first sight like its high-label counterpart that is so recognizable you've seen it on six different starlets by the start of September (or, worse, on the backs of people you see every day). The Anonymous Coat doesn't make its owner fearful of meeting her twin in the coat-check line at a holiday soiree-and that's a big relief in the cold months, when a coat is worn as a constant uniform. Yes, it's possible to own a whole closetful of coats that aren't automatically identifiable. And the prices? Some of the best are under $1,000.