(Almost) Coat Season
Wardrobe Log: Coats
This is not a newsletter about layering. If you’re new here or need a refresher on how to dress functionally and stylishly for the cold, read this newsletter.
When I began writing this newsletter in 2021, my wardrobe was scarce. I lived by the catchphrase, “less is enough; variety can cause confusion.” And while I stand by these sentiments, I have become less rigid with this philosophy because it hindered me from having what I needed and therefore dressing how I wanted. It is perfectly okay to have the same style of coat in different fabric weights to cover all the seasons. In fact, it’s the wisest thing to do because my wardrobe remains congruent regardless of the season.
It never occurred to me to buy a colorful coat. I didn’t notice I’d collected only neutral colored coats until I was reading a chapter from “Women in Clothes” on color. The only non-neutral coat I have is a long men’s style Donna Karan in a beautiful aubergine color and I consciously chose it instead of another brown coat because though it isn’t neutral, the color felt understated enough. I like to wear this coat with brown, blue, and red clothes and shoes — but I’d never consider a red coat. I prefer to be elaborate in the silhouette, fabric, and finishings than color with my coats because primary colors feel limiting for my wardrobe. I still love a splash of color. This is my preference, not a rule.
In the last two years, I have read many guides on how to buy a coat and most of them emphasize the concept of “the coat is the outfit when it is cold,” and while I agree with them, I worry that most people who hear that will end up buying flashy coats instead of coats that fit their lifestyles and wardrobes. For me, a red coat wouldn’t fit my lifestyle or my wardrobe. In contrast, while I’d consider my 80s cream colored Gucci swing coat and my recently acquired long fur coat flashy (mostly because other people notice them more than others), they fit right in with my clothes and I never feel too fancy or out of place regardless of how and where I wear them.
When clients ask me how many coats one should have, I rarely have an answer. Over the last decade, I have collected 72 pairs of shoes but I would never say 72 pairs of shoes is what we all need to be well dressed because (once again) it depends on your lifestyle, what you want, and how you want to look. For a long time, the Gucci coat was the only coat I owned and sometimes it worked and other times, I avoided looking at myself because the dissonance caused an internal crisis.
When I began building my outerwear wardrobe two years ago, I considered what I wanted my coats to do:
Be appropriate for various functions e.g. fancy evening outings, day errands and everything in-between
Complement the various silhouettes I wear
Protect me from the cold
Add a bit of excitement to my most casual cold weather ensemble
And have movement — I always love a coat that doesn't cling to the clothes or feel too snug because you can tell! Think of Kim Basinger’s incredible coat in 9 ½ weeks.
Instead of collecting a specified amount of coats or trying to find one perfect coat that will somehow work in all situations, here’s what I want you to consider:
Your lifestyle which might include: function and where you live. Ask yourself: what do you need this coat for and why?
Fit
Fabric
Finishings
(Before continuing reading this newsletter, let’s go back to this newsletter I wrote earlier this year that breaks down how these four components affect what you buy and how you dress. It is required reading for what I am about to share here. Instead of rewriting these concepts, I will use my coats to illustrate my thought process for acquiring each one. You might want to read Part 1 of the outerwear series here before continuing.)