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Ask Angie & all: Thrifted grey coat/jacket K/R

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

Dear Angie,
Yesterday I found this grey coat/jacket at Goodwill. I paid next to nothing for it, and it is in mint condition. It fits me very well around my hips, but I'm a bit unsure about the shoulders. The brand is Benetton, and it is 100% wool. I'm thinking it could be useful with pencil skirts and narrow pants/jeans.

I'm thinking that a jacket this length could camouflage my rear. Am I right, or does this cut only make me look wider across my hips? I'm wearing it buttoned and unbuttoned, and with a belt. I've tried with skinnies and a sheath.
I'm also wondering: Does it really fit me properly? And - is it dated? I need a VERY honest answer. Thank you in advance.

Feel free to chime in, anyone:)

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21 replies

Latest reply was from missvee

hedgiehog

Veteran

Oh, Ingunn! I LOVE this....even more so because it was cheap!
I vote to keep it. I really like the way you have styled it and I don't think it looks at all unflattering. It's chic and classic. I'm sure you can find even more ways to wear it and I think ir can serve you for many years.
Now if only Goodwill here had some finds like this!

Anonymous

I rather like the look of it especially over the dress. I don't think it makes you look wider. Fitwise It's pretty close to my eye, Maybe a tad wide on the shoulder and in the sleeve width? As for whether it's dated, I'm not sure. It looks classic to me. I like the casualness of it unbuttoned and I also like it belted over the dress.

ramya

Veteran

I like the jacket but really that sheath is wonderful Ingunn.
Beware I may steal it

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Ingunn I am really torn on this. I think it is a great fit and you have styled it beautifully, but, it does look a bit dated to me. Somewhere between classic and dated anyway. The part that is bothering me is the high stance and the collar. I am not saying you or someone else cannot wear something like this and look terrific, and I do think you look great in the pictures, but you asked for an honest reaction and that is it. Take this for what it is worth, if someone else comes along and tells you that it is actually directional, they may be right and I will be happy to stand corrected.

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

It fits you great and no worries about hips (your hips do not ever look wide to me!) I think it looks best over the dress- probably because of the style being a bit conservative, the dress and stockings move it up a notch in the style category. I think if you keep it you should wear it with more unexpected outfits - wonder how it would look over that lace shell and slim pants with slight heels, etc. Or with a scarf...which would camoflauge the collar.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Ingunn, for a Goodwill find and as an extra jacket, I think this is fantastic. Especially if you do not currently have anything this length in the closet. I do have a reaction similar to Shevia's - the stance combined with the arm width make it feel a bit dated to my eye. BUT, I LOVE the way you styled it with the skirt. I think worn like that it has distinct possibilities. It does NOT make you look wide, because you are not wide.

harmonica

Veteran

I like it a lot and your styling is great. Whether it is dated, I cannot tell. It looks classic to me. Great find, anyhow!

PS Goodwill is Fretex, right?

PPS Where's that sheath from?

ramya

Veteran

Seriously harmonica you asked both the questions I wanted to ask.
If its Fretex then I got to say there is nothing available here

Anonymous

I think it has great potential. I really like it styled with the skirt.

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

I think it is a simple classic cut in a neutral color that fits you well. What more could one ask? Oh yes, a negligible cost.

I like it on you and think it could be very handy for the in-between seasons weather.

modgrl

(website)

Veteran

Nice jacket. I like it unbuttoned. I have a very similar one that also has a very slim belt on it.

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

Thank you, everybody! I'm very grateful for all your suggestions and comments. It seems that the jacket is acceptable.

To elaborate a little:
I don't feel "wide" in general, that would be ridiculous, really. But since I carry most of my weight in my tush, I sometimes think that a horizontal line across my hips, particularly where they are at the widest, isn't doing me any favors. This jacket ends beneath my tush, which I think is an advantage seen from behind. I'm not that sure when seen from the front, but as long as it is open, I think it's good.

I agree that this is a useful garment for in between seasons. It CAN be buttoned, and is warmer than my blazers. It does have a wide collar, but it looks better when it stands up. I don't know why I forgot to do that in the photos. The arms are wider than I would prefer, but I think I could hem them. They can't be scrunched, too wide for that. Maybe they could be taken in a little? I think a scarf would be both necessary and useful for several weeks, so it's an excellent suggestion.

Ramya and Harmonica - yes, Goodwill is Fretex:) The sheath is from BR, I bought it in San Diego last Summer.

Anonymous

Oh, so your thrift store is called Fretex? At first I thought, no way! They have Goodwills in Norway?!

Okay so I'm a sucker for a classically cut jacket/coat in wool and Benneton is a good label. It's a good neutral color and fits you pretty well. The seam across the upper chest, the collar and the button stance tells me it's from the 90's or early 'naughties'. I really like the way you've styled it, and in the picture with it open, it camouflaged these dating details, IMO (even better with a long scarf draped around your neck and down the sides.

I'm being really, really honest, so fasten your seat belt! It might be because my eye is used to seeing shorter or cropped jackets, but something about the length of this seems to cut you in half, visually. Which doesn't make sense because I'm sure there are lots of modern coats this length....maybe it's the contrast with the red jeans? I'm just thinking out loud here. Hmmmmm. Well one question I ask myself in the thrift store when considering something dated: "will this dilute the style I'm trying (so hard!) to achieve?" and "Will this make me go backwards or forwards on my style journey?" Only you can answer these questions.

You have styled it really, really well. I have no doubt that it would be a useful garment for you. I love it with the belt, and I wouldn't worry about hemming the sleeves if you decide to keep it. If not, I've heard you have some daughters that would probably fight over it!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Great responses already

Ingunn, it's a nice jacket, but not a killer jacket. It's *borderline* dated for your style. Although when you belted it in #7, you sprung Modern life back into it. I also like the strictness of #2.

And your hips look GREAT

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

Ok, thank you so much, both Claire and Angie. I think I know enough now to decide what to do with the jacket. I will probably offer it to share it with my daughters - there might be occasions where it can come in handy, and between the four of us (we are all more or less same size), I think it will get some wear.

It was very interesting to learn what to look for when assessing a thrifted garment, Claire. I'm very new at this game, you see.

Anonymous

If you are new at this, then you did amazingly well. Thrifting can be a fun and dangerous minefield!

Kristin L

Veteran

I like the jacket, but I can see where it can be kind of dated looking. I wonder if replacing the buttons and maybe adding another couple would help.

krishnidoux

Veteran

I like the jacket a lot. The fit is perfect on you. How about changing the buttons to oomph it up? Gold, or flat round white buttons?

unfrumped

Veteran

I see what you like about this jacket. I think you got good responses. Mainly, don't let it block you for better options, but may fill a niche/temporary.

You may also learn that you find a kind of heavier topper/not blazer useful and so can be on the lookout for how to incorporate an updated version.

I'm in a mild-moderate climate. I have a boucle boxy jacket, mid-thigh, that I always wore with pants, but then tried with pencil skirts, something like your stylings above, and I really like that silhouette. It's a useful weight to put over sweater/skirt/tights when I don't need a jacket indoors.

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

There is so much great advice in this thread - I'm marking it as a favorite for later reference. The suggestion of adding/replacing buttons is very interesting. I've had a closer look at the sleeves, too, and I think it would be quite simple to have them taken in a little. It is even possible to remove the collar, either to make a cut out neckline instead, or sew it back on in another shape (Peter Pan style?), or a little narrower.

Some alterations and the addition of a belt could revamp this jacket enough to make it modern again, and it would definitely be a fun experiment.

missvee

Veteran

I'm late to comment , but I love how you styled it with the belt and skirt.