Brrrrr!

Well, my landlord turned the heat on, finally!  Thank goodness... it was a cool 40 degrees outside this morning... which brings me to the point of today's post:  Winter Outerwear.  I think a lot of people don't give a lot of thought to their winter coats/hats/gloves, but a winter coat is one mighty important piece of the wardrobe for two reasons: a) you wear it every single day for at least 3 months (4-5 for those of you in the northern part of the country!) b) if you buy a well-constructed coat, you will have it for at least 2 years (and this can save you money, rather than purchasing a new coat each year because your old one was crap). 

I'll take you through a few coats that I love and why:

Scroll Coat from J.Crew ($275).

Do I need to even explain why I love this coat?  Ahhh, the drama.  This coat is a beautiful color - great for the drab months of winter - like I said in my previous post, nothing like a bright color to pick you up and wisk you away from the drab feelings that come from a cold winter and pale face.  The scroll detail is really nice, too.  This coat is really beautiful, if you can get over the $275 investment, I think you'd be able to enjoy this coat for at least a few years.

Belted Wool Coat from Old Navy in Chinchilla, $69.50

For those of you in a warmer climate, I like this shorter, belted jacket with 3/4 length sleeves.  I think this coat is so chic and definitely looks more expensive than $69.50 from Old Navy.  It's also versatile in that it would look just as sharp with some skinnies and a pair of flats as it would with trousers and a pointed-toe shoe for work.

Betsey Johnson Quilted Pillow Collar, in brown, $126.65, Bluefly.com

Okay, okay.  I know some of you live in places that get really cold in the Winter.  I can understand the necessity of a down jacket for those negative wind chill days - BUT, don't let your body look like a lumpy mess if you're going to do the fluffy jacket.  This choice is great because it comes with a belt to give you a waist while still doing the intended duties of keeping you warm - and it has a really cute collar to boot!

Laundry by Shelli Segal 'Dahlia" Coat, $191.25 (Bluefly.com)

This is a more classic belted, wool trench but it has fabulous details.  The layered collar is really pretty and different, and the "float away from the body" bottom of the coat is perfect for a woman with a pear shape.  The tie-waist accentuates the skinniest part of you and then the bottom of the coat floats away from the body rather than hugging and bringing attention to the larger parts that we aren't as comfortable with.  I also really like this dark red color.. a good contrast to a lot of the bright red coats we see in the winter.

Wool Blend Funnel Neck in Blink Pink,  $89.50, Oldnavy.com

Saw this in-person at Old Navy the other day - can't believe how cute it is!  This coat felt well-made and warm.  I also really like this color - I know it's a tad overwhelming, but pair this with a silver/grey pashmina to tone it down a bit and I think it is really sharp.  The coat also comes in a heather gray (which I thought was a bit of a snooze).  I love the look of the internal belt that peeks out the front to tie, but when I tried this on, it did cinch the waist a little bit less than I would have liked, because the belt is on the inside.  However, for $90, the style and color of this coat really can't be beat.

 I think a belted coat is usually the way to go.  It helps give you a shape through layers of long johns, sweaters, and big thick coats.  Gap and Bluefly are having sales on their outerwear for the rest of the day, so go see what great deals you can find!