How would you style this coat? - YouLookFab Forum

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Dressing

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Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

How would you style this coat?

shiny

Veteran

This pic is old -- pre YLF. The coat is old too, and I never wear it. I have held on to it because once when I was doing a closet clean out I posted it on YLF and I got thumb's up from Angie.

However I struggle so much with this coat, and have no idea how to style it. I have brought it back out again this Fall since gold seems to be so "in"... this coat should be on trend right now, right?

How would YOU style it? Every time I put it on, it just seems so dark....

Please note that it is quite light weight. I either have to layer substantially under it (like here, with the Jcrew cable knit turtleneck) or wear it on mild days (around 60 degrees).

Suggestions? Or should I just let it go....

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Dressing

22 replies

Latest reply was from Atlantia

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

How is this coat any darker than your black toppers? Help me out a little more, Jennifer. I'm not understanding the challenge - but I want to.

Also, you might not be feeling brown. This coat is very BROWN.

bj1111

Veteran

i'm terrible at coats...so take my "advice" loosely. i like it here with the wide-ish leg pants. i would also go with wider leg pants super swishy a la kate hepburn. super with knee length dresses and boots. wear over your white pleather jacket for a touch of mixed textures. do you have a chunky or fur-ish cowl to pop on top? how about a velvet scarf for on-trend accessorizing? i see it with burgundies, blacks, charcoals, ivories (less stark whites), warm toned neutrals, red (!)

is this the advice you wanted. cuz it's a fab coat, but you have to wear it.

ElleH

Veteran

Maybe Angie is onto something about brown. You seem to prefer blue & cool colors. Perhaps a scarf in a color you like will help. Could you play with some scarves?

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

Combine it with with skinnies, booties, layer a thick sweater under, add a woolen cowl in cobalt blue, and/or a blue bag, maybe a slouchy hat? Yes?

rachylou

Veteran

It's hard for me to see what the cloth is. I don't think I'd do the pea green with it. I like pea green with camel and khaki, and the coat is more brown. I'd think Amelia Earhart (sp?), jodhpurs and long scarves. I wouldn't mind a sour bright with it.

However, if the coat is not warm...

shiny

Veteran

It's possible that is the problem with it, Angie. Not just brown (I can do chocolate brown just fine) but GOLD and brown. A lot of gold! I prefer silver and cool tones. I am wearing gold hardware lately but in small doses.

Then again, with my new low-lights you'd *think* I could pull this off now? Not sure why I am just not feeling it....

K. Period.

Veteran

I can't see it very well, but it looks like a gold and brown pattern. You said you love chocolate brown, but somehow this gold and brown isn't doing it for you. Do you love the jacket? Just because we do (even including Angie!) does't mean that you need to keep something or make it work for you. If you really really love it and want to make it work, then you should put the effort into it. Buying a scarf that makes you happy and goes with it will give it a big boost. However, if your heart tells you it has to go, then let it go!

I know it sounds odd, but I think my perspective on it is because I feel like I know what you are saying. I think you and I are both similar blondes with similar color leanings. I love chocolate brown. I love silvery browns. I don't wear golden browns other than as leopard print flats. They don't feel me. If I owned this jacket, I would have the same problem as you. I would get rid of it. One very valuable lesson that I've learned since joining YLF is that I can adore something but still know that it is for someone else, not me. That's helped me pass along a lot of perfectly lovely orphans to people who gave them much better homes!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

That's what I thought, Jennifer. You are a cool toned gal who loves silver. This is a Greenglove warm brown.

Can you pass it on to one of your DD's?

krishnidoux

Veteran

I like Ingunn's suggestion a lot, however if it's not your colour, and not warm enough, you could try to sell it second hand. I bet you would get good money for it.

I think that if it was in your closet for so long without any wear, chances are slim that you start wearing it more.

shiny

Veteran

Unfortunately, it won't fit either daughter since both are now 3-4 inches taller than me. This is a petite. It's rather form fitting in the sleeves in particular.

Okay I'm giving it ONE last chance. We have an event tonight (not too dressy, but good occasion to wear something other than jeans) so I'm wearing it over an LBD. I will post pics later. I guess it's okay -- over an LBD it looks kind of like a dress with coordinating long jacket, aka, a suit.

Playing around with it, I realized it just doesn't want to work with a scarf: something about how the collar is laying. When I add a scarf it looks all goofy. So I'm just rolling with it being the statement piece and the rest of the outfit is backdrop. It's raining and gross here so today is a good day to opt for a dark outfit!

shiny

Veteran

Here you go...

I do like it better over a dress -- way better than over pants. Not sure why? I went with nude microfishnets to break up the dark -- I think this would've worked even better with booties or pumps, but it was wet and all my booties are suede and I wanted to wear these boots tonight.

This may work nicely in a holiday/formal capsule, for times when I want a jacket and arm coverage over an LBD?

Unfortunately, it would not work as an outdoor coat for holiday parties -- just not warm enough for December. Tonight was around 48-50 degrees and we were in and out of the car -- I would have been too cold if we'd been walking a lot.Then again, who knows, maybe I will someday move to warmer climes and this will be the perfect coat for holiday events?

It's not like it takes up that much room, and even folded away in a storage cube, the coat doesn't wrinkle at all. So maybe I will keep it and be content with wearing it very rarely?

What do you all think?

To add to the question: I haven't tried this on, but have been tempted:
http://www.anntaylor.com/ann/p.....Color=3033

I wonder if the black/cobalt is more "me" than this gold/brown coat? I guess my debate here is if it's the material/length/statement etc that isn't working vs the color itself? The reason I never even tried the AT version on is because of the experience I've had with this gold/brown one... it seems like it'd be a great piece to have, but I just haven't worn this one. Is it simply the color, or what?

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Caro in Oz

Veteran

I think it looks really good - maybe you like it more because it is open & there is another colour showing? I'd also like to see it with mid-blue. Do you wear cream it would look stunning with cream imo.

Diana

Veteran

Hmm, I wonder whether you could think of it as sort of leopard print. Not because of the print, obviously, but with respect to the colors. They seem like leopard-y browns and golds to me. My personal favorite pairing with leopard is emerald green, but lots of other jewel tones work well too.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

My first thought, because of the brocade-y print, was to wear it over an LBD for evening. But if as you say it's not warm enough for that during the time of the year you have most of your events, let's mix it up and try it with casual wear? I wonder if it had more of a shape at the waist you'd like it with more casual outfits.

I agree I can see how the color would be challenging - it's warm and you seem to like cool colors more. I like Diana's idea about treating it like leopard print as far as mixing it with other colors and prints.

shiny

Veteran

Caro-- I do like it better open, that's true! But I also don't mind it closed, provided I'm not wearing a scarf with it. This coat fits really well on me, which is probably the reason I bought it in the first place. Ha! I bought this during a time when I paid most attention to fit, regardless of whether an item was the right color or style or otherwise right for me. When I wear it with a scarf, it begs to have the scarf tied tight up around the neck, not loose, and not tucked into the coat. And if I had a longer neck, that would totally work -- but I have a rather short neck.

Yes, I tried it with cream scarf and with cream purse -- both didn't quite seem "right" to me, for some reason. I even tried pearls and that was just too fussy. That said, I keep thinking a cream or winter white dress underneath it would be fab.

Diana, I tried it with a deep blue red and I really liked that pairing a lot, so I agree on the jewel tones. Ultimately however I went with black instead and kept everything very neutral and subdued, because I just felt like the coat was already enough bling/going on. I was thinking maybe another option is black top, black skinnies, black booties, black boots... in other words...keep everything else ultra simple, and just let the coat stand out and do all the work?

Your suggestion to think of it as a leopard print makes a lot of sense, and may explain my reservations about this: I can do leopard and I do like it -- just not in big doses! Only in shoes or a handbag or a belt. I have same reservations about a leopard print cardigan I own -- I never quite feel right in it, either.

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

The coat looks great with your LBD. Given your reservations about it, however, especially after hanging onto it and giving it a chance to win you over, my vote would be to pass it on to someone else. The Ann Taylor coat is a pretty fabric, but it looks a bit shapeless from the back, so I'm not sure it's THE replacement for your gold coat. It seems to be giving you an idea of what's possible, though, so I'd keep an eye out for a brocade topper that has both a color and shape that will wow you.

Ariadne

Veteran

Wow, in that first pic I thought it was tweed!

It's a gorgeous coat but it really doesn't sound like it's you. The AT one you linked to, on the other hand, just screams "SHINY! "

Suz

(website)

Veteran

My gracious, I ADORE it with the dress!! It looks spectacular!

But if you are not feeling it, and it doesn't play well with scarves, then let it go. Someone else will adore it. Heck, I would adore it myself!

I never wear golds like that, either, but I would love to try to work something like that into my wardrobe as an occasional piece, as you have done here with the dress. I think it would be lovely with blues. I have a copper coloured skirt which is a big departure from my usual palette but which is lovely to have and wear from time to time as a change.

The Ann Taylor one looks great, too; the print is really similar to the print on my AT print pants. http://www.anntaylor.com/ann/p.....Color=6434

I would check to ensure the collars are not too similar. If that is part of the problem then you don't want to find yourself buying only to reject that coat as well. I also wonder about the fabrication/ weight. It doesn't look very warm.

shiny

Veteran

Suz, if I let it go, I'm giving it to the friend I was out with last night, as she said she would take it off my hands.

Here's a close up of the coat. (I have not yet worn this outfit combo as I'm not sure what shoes/hose would go with it, haven't really had a good occasion for this, *and* I've been on the fence about the coat).

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Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

A good decision. The colour is not right up your style alley, as lovely as the coat is.

moira

Veteran

I would love to see this with winter white pants and sweater and leopard booties. I know you like silver, but gold hoops.

Atlantia

Veteran

I think its a lovely coat, but give it to your friend and let her give it a good home. Get yourself a coat that you really love. I admit that I'm a bit new to posting on the forum, and I don't know everyone and their styles....yet! But you don't seem to love this coat. And you deserve to have a coat that you love, so let this one go.