This one's for all my fellow Pretty Little Liars followers. If you're a true Pretty Little Liars fan, then you know how pertinent a red coat is to the ABC Family series. Think about it: The drama wouldn't be the same without the piece of fall apparel. Thanks to the mysterious Red Coat, who always seems to be around when trouble is ahead and always wears — you guessed it — a red trench coat, simply changing up one's go-to trench from tan to a fiery shade of red can strike fear in the hearts of PLL fans. (Any other color coat? May as well say "Hello, friend!")
For the uninitiated, the Pretty Little Liars character in a red coat, again Red Coat, is still at large. Red Coat was believed to have taken over the A game from Mona back when she wound up in Radley for systematically tormenting the titular liars. For a time, there were two Red Coats, but one turned out to be Ali (and sometimes CeCe), and original Red Coat is still at large. The plot is even murkier now that we know Charles is A and a man, meaning Red Coat could be another evil figure entirely. So yeah, die-hard PLL watchers rightfully lose it when they see someone hanging out in a red trench coat. It means bad things are about to happen.
With all this attention paid to ruby-hued outerwear, real life can be tough for a PLL fan. If my friend just casually wears her brand-new trench that just happens to carry a scarlet hue, I have to fight the momentary instinct that she's joined an evil league and might be trying to kill me.
Basically, here are the thoughts most PLL fans have when they see this jacket in real life (or why this show has ruined a perfectly awesome clothing item forever).
"Run."
You think it so much, that you probably tell your legs to start doing it too, which you means you run awkwardly away from perfectly normal strangers...a lot.
"A Is After Me!"
Let the tears flow and the fear overtake your body.
"I don't trust you."
If you own a red coat, I will never trust you. Just try, like, purple or white or blue or black. Literally any other color. Otherwise, I just don't know if we can't be friends. Thanks, A.
"That's not how Red Coat wears it."
If you're going to wear the coat, wear it right: Like there are thousands of evil deeds that need doing and only you can complete the job.
"I wonder if that person is a PLL fan."
Then again, who isn't?
"Are you on the A team?"
Red Coat probably = A team. Even in real life. (Seriously, guys. Blue looks good on everyone. Why not try a coat in a different color. Please?)
"Charles, stop ruining my life."
Charles, you're everywhere, and I'm not convinced that Red Coat isn't either you or your special BFF in crime. You're even ruining clothes that I probably used to enjoy before PLL. It needs to stop.
"Oooh, maybe I should marathon some PLL later."
Who am I kidding? When am I not thinking that?
"PLL has taken over my life."
But I kind of love it. Especially when it's all about Caleb.
"The A Game is real."
*mind blown*
Images: ABC Family (screengrab); Giphy (11)
