The Perfect Winter Coat Rotation
This weeks Top #3 Finds that have left a permanent imprint on my mind
I believe that the perfect winter coat rotation includes a puffer, a formal wool coat, and a statement coat. I also believe that a thief may live in my apartment building because my week started with the discovery that I no longer have coats to contribute to this rotation - all of mine have gone missing. The timing of this discovery couldn’t be more perfect, as the temperature keeps going down, and so does my bank account balance. And even though I am 99% sure that these coats were last seen in the shared basement of my apartment and I have already yapped to my neighbors about the situation, planting the seed in their heads that a thief lies among us, I believe that there is a 1% chance…okay maybe more than that, that I am an accidental liar. A detail I so conveniently forgot was that last winter, I had done a two-month stint at my parent’s place and brought these missing coats with me and more than likely forgot to bring them back to New York. However, until I make my way back to my parent’s house to confirm whether or not this is the case, let’s run down the list of coats I would replace my "allegedly” missing ones with.
The Puffer → Free People’s Printed Cotton Candy Puffer
There is something wildly diabolical and masochistic about the fact that I gravitate towards cities where six months out of the year, the temperature is well below my ideal 75 degrees. And until the day that Florida decides to invest in public transit, California becomes more affordable, and its people learn how to drive, double unlikely, or I finally manifest my dream of living in a remote beach town in the Caribbean, I will continue to tolerate freezing rain, unsightly brown slow slush, and wind chills that bring tears to my eyes, literally.
A staple that helps to make these winters more tolerable, for me, is a simple puffer. Now, it is not always the most flattering, but it does keep you warm. And usually, that I all I care about. But it is also fun to explore options that will allow you to stand in the swarm of black puffers that plague New York from December through March. Without doing too much, that is. This is my main gripe with colorful puffers - they always seem to be doing the most and their brightness can be a wee bit obnoxious, teetering a bit towards balloon animal and/or toddler.
This Cotton Candy Puffer provides a rebuttal to said gripe. It is colorful, but it doesn’t demand to be seen. I love the olive as a neutral base, and the white (or is it pale pink??) stripes break up what would otherwise be a very bland surface and contrast well with the coat’s amorphous shape. My favorite detail of the coat lies in the sleeves. The tie detailing on the cuffs adds a slightly dainty and playful touch that rounds out the jacket as a whole.
Playful, cute, and warm - the perfect winter puffer.
The Formal Wool Coat → NVLT Retro Maxi Peacoat
My mother loves a peacoat. So much so that she has nearly two storage closets filled with the ones she has brought over the year. She tried to force this love of peacoats on me when I was younger, buying me brightly colored, well-structured ones whose cut imposed good posture. But, like anything forced onto anyone, a natural rebellion grew.
“Too formal, stuffy, and they simply aren’t warm enough”, is what I told myself.
However, time, age, the investment in some fun scarves and hats, as well as the humbling realization that a puffer cannot, and honestly should not, be worn to every occasion, caused me to turn a new leaf. I have grown an appreciation for an object of clothing I used to liken to that of a straight jacket.
I have come to understand that a peacoat has an inherent chicness to it that can mask what would otherwise be a very lackluster outfit. Throw one over some sweats and trainers with a chunky scarf and a beanie, and you will see exactly what I mean. It really is the perfect blank canvas, allowing plenty of room for play and experimentation. Ignoring the abysmal product reviews (which seem to be a result of a production error that has been fixed), this NVLT Retro Maxi Peacoat is perfect for me. Its form is loose and oversized but not sloppy or haphazard. It is as if the designer knew how to break all the right rules to make the coat equally formal and casual. It doesn’t swallow the wearer, and there seems to be enough room to layer a hoodie or chunky sweater comfortably. Its color is simple, but the variation adds texture. Like a sweatshirt worn-in to ideal softness or trainers that are *just* the right amount of dirty, there is a certain preloved element to this jacket’s design that is simply *chef kiss*
The Statement Jacket → Hosbjerg Pompay Jacket
Leather jackets are one of those items that I admire from afar. I love how they look on other people, but on me, it’s simply nawt it. My frame is weird. I fill out women’s leather coats in a way that makes me feel and look like a starting linebacker. However, with men’s leather coats, it’s as if I am a toddler playing dress-up with their parent’s clothes, but not nearly as cute. So I have humbly accepted the fact that a leather jacket is something that I will probably never own, and I am content with this.
However, this coat makes me re-evaluate my stance and try again. It just looks *cool*. There is something in the colorway that reminds me a bit of Shego, Kim Possible archnemesis. And maybe it is that association with one of my favorite animated villains that allows me to embrace the rather bold color choice and find it more badass than tacky. It would be one thing if the entire coat was a solid vibranium green, but the black outlines help to break up the color and tone down what would otherwise be a very gaudy statement jacket.
What I enjoy most about the jacket is the way that it is structured. It sits comfortably at the hip, not falling into the binary “cute by cropped” or “luxe by long ” nonsense that I find many women’s leather coats to be beholden to. It also has some room on it, allowing it to hang off the body in a way that seems natural. This is a coat that will do a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to adding oomph to an outfit. But there is also room to add something like this fisherman’s black cap, a chunky black scarf, and some fingerless gloves, for extra tszuj. As tempted as I am, EYE will not be buying this coat for myself, but someone, please do and send pics.
That’s all for this week! Any winter coat ya’ll are eyeing this season? Lemme know in the comments