As the temperature dips, red is hotter than ever.

The fall collections of such designers as Versace, Stella McCartney and Giorgio Armani all have coats cut from seemingly the same crimson cloth. The shade has always been a favorite of Valentino, who used it in several double-breasted versions this season.

More affordable options include:

• A topcoat by the three-year-old Canadian label Soia & Kyo, made from a diagonal twill wool in cherry red and featuring an asymmetrical industrial zipper, fold-over collar and contrast piping.

• A Kristen Blake wool melton coat tailored with inverted pleats for a feminine, nipped waist

• Marc by Marc Jacobs' military-inspired, double-breasted coat in a vermilion felt with bracelet sleeves (that's fashion talk for just above the wrist).

"Maybe it's bad to say, but I like the fact that everyone notices [my red coat]," said Janet Norbeck, a 33-year-old interior designer who was shopping recently in Reston, Va. "Plus, it's a classic color and I can easily dress it up or down."

And unlike the cocooning bubble shapes of seasons past, these curve-caressing coats are the sartorial equivalent of a tiny red sports car: sleek, sexy and sure to get the owner noticed.

CORY OHLENDORF, WASHINGTON POST