I hear you, Krishnidoux. I have begun to feel that this is largely a problem of not having the right combination of layers and outerwear. I have a similar problem. It is not quite as cold where I live as where you are, so my true struggles have not yet begun, and yet, for example—yesterday I thought about wearing my new dress. And then I realized that I would need to put my winter coat over it, because nothing else would keep me warm enough. And I wasn't quite ready to go there, not least because I have not yet acquired the gloves and hat to go with it.
I have recently come to the conclusion that MORE COATS is the way to go. I think I was brought up with this idea that one winter coat should be enough, or possibly one very casual jacket and one longer, dressier coat. Perhaps for those whose winters are not as cold and long as ours, that makes sense. But I am beginning to believe that a coat collection is not an extravagance or indulgence for people who live in our climate.
Layers are wonderful, of course. And we should definitely layer for warmth as well as fashion. But we still need outerwear that COMPLETES rather than COMPETES with the outfit itself. And sometimes that may mean coats/jackets in several different styles. Or several different colours. Even if it is a puffer coat that makes one look like the Michelin mascot, if the colours are toned to the outfit, perhaps this makes it feel more fashionable?
Speaking of puffers, I saw an interesting coat at the Bay the other day. They are featuring it as one of their 10 top coats. It is a reversible coat. Looks like a thin puffer on one side and is plain on the other side. They had it in black, khaki, navy, and perhaps dark brown. I could not tell what I thought of it. One part of me wondered if it actually had any warmth. Another part of me thought it was a very dull, conservative cut. And still another part of me thought that it would be nicely unobtrusive; the kind of coat you could put a scarf onto and no one would really see the coat at all, and slim cut enough that it would not scream I AM A BIG WINTER COAT! This coat is not dressy but it is also not sloppy casual. This coat would probably not be warm enough for true winter where we live. But it would certainly work for November, some of December, and March.
http://www.thebay.com/eng/wome.....bay/219282
I have not yet acquired a wonderful coat wardrobe. At the moment I have my new coat and an old and very ugly puffer from LLBean. Plus a MEC jacket bought in the children's section of the store many years ago! But I am seriously considering putting some money aside for the winter sales and trying to find a coat at that time. I know it may be difficult given my size (and small sizes may be gone) but I still think it's worth a try; I may find something a bit unusual and feel better about buying it at a lower price.
I loved your use of a belted down vest as a jacket in one of your WIW photos. That was clever. But of course at a certain point, it is not warm enough, even with layered sweaters on top.
A long-winded non-solution to the problem. sigh.
