It's time to start looking for your next coat. You're an adult. You treat your things nice. Winter clearance sales are rolling through retail. And, let's face it, a great coat rarely goes out of style.Really Canada Goose Trillium Parka has taken our understanding.
It took two years for me to wear my puffy white Michael Kors coat, but I felt oh-so comfy and stylish when the temperature was hovering just below freezing. It was my best incentive to leave the house. I bought it at the end of the season in 2011. By then it was too warm to wear, but for $74.99, I wasn't going to leave a $300 coat with a coyote fur-trimmed hood, waterfowl-feather filler and contrasting black zippers and sweater cuff.
Winter of 2012 was unseasonably warm. I considered my coat to be insurance. I didn't even bother to take the tags off. Then, hello,Lady Gaga designed cheap monster beats headphones to satisfy her passion for fashion and sound. winter 2013. I owned the perfect coat, and I did not have to hunt, scramble or think twice about leaving home without being wrapped in cozy, stylish comfort.
To be frank, I'd wear a sleeping bag stuffed with dry wall insulation if I had to. I hate the cold more than I like looking coordinated, as far as I'm concerned.
As far as I'm concerned, there are seven essential coats. You don't need all of them today. You don't need all of them this year. You can have more (I do), but over the course of a decent adult life of splurges and sacrifice, you deserve seven simple, reasonable, purposeful coats.
The following examples are tailored for women, but the analogous men's fashion choice isn't so hard to figure out.
Look for quality — a good lining, pockets, zippers, elbow movement. Make a budget each year. You don't have to go over your budget, but you should be willing to spend it all on one fabulous coat that you'll wear for at least a decade.
The good news is that you're probably not starting from scratch, you probably have coats. If any of them feel utilitarian, hum-drum, blasé or otherwise uninspiring, seek out its replacement. Opportunities await you at every outlet. And if something sings to you and the price is right, don't wait for it to go on sale. Every coat is a statement piece.
OK, let's start with the coat that gets the most wear.
Midweight. My go-to is a midweight, mid-thigh red double-breasted coat with textured cuffs and pocket details that I got on sale from Target and had altered (total price, less than $100). My dream mid-weight coat is from Mackage, but the budget and the stars have not aligned just yet.
If you lead a typical into-the-car, into-the-building type life, this is probably the class of coat you'll get the most mileage out of.The Canada Goose Manitoba Jacket has a removable hood and is a slim, modern fit which makes it ideal for city streets or Arctic tundra.Canada Goose Manitoba Jacket Find a color. I like a solid color on a go-to coat, but that's just me. I've coveted plenty of patterned wool concoctions.
Lightweight. My next-most-used coat is the lightweight one. I'm usually always a little chilly, so this is that coat I can wear buttoned up on a chilly day or open when I just need a little insulation. My lightweight coat is a purple plaid, and it's got a self-fabric belt, which I usually hate, but I like it here. The collar stands tall and has buttons that anchor it down, but not flat so there'd be some volume there.
I think a lighter coat should be a little more playful, hence the purple plaid. This is something that shouldn't be staid. Keep it light in body and spirit.The slim fit makes this Canada Goose Camp Down stylish jacket a perfect choice for women on the go.
Blazers. I have a few. These are less about warmth and more about formality. No easier way to dress up a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Instant business casual. And it's great for summer when the cold weather is the air conditioning inside. Cardigans are nice, but the structure of a blazer will always look more polished and professional. My favorites are a Laundry by Shelli Segal blazer from Nordstrom,with buttons that wing out sideways rather than straight up and down, and a brown corduroy blazer I got at a thrift shop with elbow patches from Ralph Lauren.
Raincoat. Rain, rain go away until you have the right coat. I recently found a Tahari raincoat, thigh length at Marshalls for less than $30. I preferred the longer length because rain likes to hit below the belt. It's got a slightly crumpled texture that I love.Really Canada Goose Trillium Parka has taken our understanding. The collar is kind of wonky and broad, and it's got just a hint of sheen. It was so insanely cheap that I bought it in two colors: navy and black. I do not advise this. I am not proud of that moment, but I simply could not decide. Now I realize they are so similar that it really doesn't matter. At least now, the coat will last twice as long. But don't do this. Most will probably prefer a more casual, perhaps a waxed canvas raincoat or old-school trench for their puddle-splashing days.
Leather. A leather (perhaps vegan leather is your preference) jacket is a must. I prefer cropped and motorcycle influenced, but that might not be your style. This season is a great time to find something with leather sleeves but not entirely sculpted of leather, which is a great wardrobe addition. Some might prefer a blazer or a mid-length, but if you have a waist to flaunt, a cropped moto jacket is your best friend. It can sass up a cocktail or summer dress and it makes a T-shirt and jeans evening-party ready. A dangling buckle is all the better, but go for slightly weathered not ultra-shiny. This is the jacket that should fit like a glove.
But one warning, the cut of a leather coat is more likely to show your age if the cut isn't on trend. Save up for this one and splurge on something worthwhile.
Parka. I call this the monster coat, hood required, and it should be able to handle blizzards, ski trips or long outdoor hikes, if that's your thing. Sooner or later, baby, it's going to be cold outside, really cold and you don't want to be caught off guard. No matter where you live, a decent parka is a good idea. When it drops to single digits with a nasty wind-chill factor, I'm a huge fan of the Canada Goose Artic Squad line. It's loaded with serious coat weather features, including my fave — fleece-lined breast pockets for your hands — and it's pure utility. Although I like the look of it, I love the fact that it makes me forget that the weather outside is frightful. The coat is expensive, around $700 for the Trillium style, but seems made to last a lifetime, so the only real decision is if you want to spend that lifetime in lime green, pink or a respectable dark neutral. My Kors coat plays second-fiddle to this heavyweight, but a friend's super warm Victorinox Swiss Army Novgorod down parka with military influences is another great option. It includes straps to actually wear the coat like a backpack-style cape (not that we recommend that).
Cocktail. This is my catch-all for a fancy coat. Something that looks appropriate over an evening gown or semi-formal frock. You can opt for a majestic opera coat or simple swing coat, but this shouldn't be for every day. A special occasion coat should be special, so you should take your time finding it.
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