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Burning Fashion Questions

Debby

(website)

1. Do you try to coordinate your winter coat to your clothes, if your coat is a color other than black? I've been thinking about a cranberry wool coat, but black is easier to coordinate with all the colors underneath.

2. What length of coat is good for knee length skirts and dresses? My legs are cold, so the longest stylish length would be best.

3. Do you keep the tags on your scarves? It seems like the tag always pops up right to the top and sticks out. Maybe there is a way to keep it hidden?

Thanks and have a great weekend everyone!!!

Dressing

18 replies

Latest reply was from Queen Mum

Diana

Veteran

1. Yes, but I don't have to try very hard. My two wool winter coats are black and cobalt - both of them go with a majority of my wardrobe anyway. Similarly, both my red trench and my blue one are pretty neutral for me. If I am wearing jeans and a top that doesn't really match the coat, I don't care much, but I do try to make sure that my coat and my pants/boots don't clash. Often I use my scarf as a bridging piece.

2. Personally, I don't like the "flasher look" so I prefer my coat to be slightly shorter than my skirts. I know a lot of people disagree with me here though. Mid-thigh (like the length of a long miniskirt) is my favorite length for a coat, since it's most flattering on my particular body and is shorter than most of my skirts.

3. I usually cut the tags off. Like you say, it's impossible to keep them hidden, plus they are often scratchy. I would only keep it on if it's like an Hermes or something.

rachylou

Veteran

1. My winter coats are long and cover everything
2. I vote for long. Lol. I would. My winter coat goes to my ankles.
3. I cut the tags off... but I admit it's not pretty. Inevitably, you have to leave some fringe bit of the tag or destroy the scarf.

Good questions!

milehighstyle (Linda)

Veteran

Hi Debbie -

My two cents:
1. I actually have a few winter coats, some colors and some neutrals. With the longer coats, I don't worry about color coordinating as they cover up most of my outfit anyway. With the waist length ones I consider the outfit more carefully when I select my coat. That being said, I don't think cranberry is too difficult to coordinate with most colors. I guess it depends on how colorful your pants and tights are (since the length you are considering will hide your upper outfit entirely). If you tend to wear neutrals on the bottom, no problem.
2. I am petite, so keep my longest coats (and skirts) around knee length or slightly below. No calf length or ankle length for me, but taller YLF'ers may have different opinions on what works for them.
3. I do clip the tags off my scarves. It's tricky; you have to be careful not to snip a hole in the scarf accidentally, but I think it's a good thing to do so you don't have to worry about it showing.

Aida

Veteran

Great questions!

1. Nope. In fact I quite like having the "outdoor" and "indoor" halves of what I'm wearing look different. Like Diana, I will often use a scarf as a bridging piece if necessary. None of my winter coats is short, like a peacoat, so that does help quite a bit.

2. I like either mid-thigh so that a good bit of the skirt is visible, or midi length so either none or just a teeny bit of the skirt is visible. I find longer lengths than midi to be cumbersome.

3. Nope! I use a little bit of double-sided tape (or fashion tape, if I had some) to stick it down, or just knot it in a way where the tag isn't visible. I don't mind particularly much if the tag is visible, though.

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

1. Yes. But you'd be surprised at how many outfits look good with a color (doesn't have to match, just has to go).

2. something longer than mid-thigh, usually not longer than just below the knee, but I don't worry about my skirt being longer than my coat. Wear tights.

3. Typically I try to take the tags off because i don't like them popping out. I also remove them on sheer blouses if they are in a spot that is visible through the fabric when I'm wearing it.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

1. I tend to buy in a limited palette anyway, but not really. I have a windbloc fleece in this horrible pinky red that I really want to replace, but I haven't justified the cost yet. It's a really handy item but I hate wearing it because it clashes with everything but black.

2. I no longer live in a cold climate but I focused more on warmth than proportion when I did. I know the received wisdom is that if you wear a skirt your coat should be either a few inches shorter, or quite long.

3. If it's annoying or visible, I'll take a pair of seam rippers and carefully remove the stitching so I can get rid of the whole tag. Much better than trying to cut it off.

catgirl

Veteran

Ironically, since I wear them ALL the time, I don't think about my coat vs. my outfit other than "will this keep me alive today?"... how sad is that? The Burberry is an exception but I'm wearing that with everythiing anyway.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I do tend to match my coat with what I'm wearing. Most of my coats are hip length or shorter, though.
I don't really wear skirts in winter enough to have an answer of value on that subject.
I clip tags on almost everything. I'm a serial seam ripper of tags in tops, dresses, I remove logo tags off pockets on pants.

Anonymous

1. I don't match but try to have them "go with my outfit. I do coordinate my bag and shoes with my coat, so they are a little grouping, though. I only have a couple of down coats, so when it is freezing to the point of fearing for one's life, I go to Una's mode.

2. Preferred is slightly above the knee but I have several types of lengths. With skirts, I like just a bit showing, to none.

3. I leave the tags on. I am afraid to destroy the thing. I just tie it so the label does not show.

K. Period.

Veteran

1. I do match my coat, but I always have one basic black or charcoal coat to wear over anything and one very warm "sorry, but I need to be warm today and I don't care if this is too long or short or whatever" down coat for those days. (I actually have a bunch of coats, but these are what I consider my coat capsule minimum for winter.) My "need to be warm" coat right now is a just-above-knee length down filled one from Lands End in white.
2. There are lots of opinions on coat lengths. If I had to choose one and go with it, I would choose a simple, only slightly fitted at the waist style that was either just above the knee, or around mid-calf. Personally, I like my coat to cover the hem of any skirt that I'm wearing unless I'm wearing a fit and flare style coat, in which case I think a little skirt peaking out can be very cute and slightly Victorian or petticoat looking.
3. I always cut out tags. On my expensive scarves, the names are printed on them anyhow (I don't really care--the beauty of the scarf is what matters, not the designer). On the less expensive ones, it may not be. Doesn't matter. I look for the tiny loops of thread on the top of the label and use a seam ripper to cut those. That frees the label. Since you do it from the top of the label, not between the label and the scarf or (God forbid!) the scarf side, you don't have to worry about damaging your scarf. A $2 seam ripper is a great investment in neck comfort.

Debby

(website)

Thanks so much for all of your wisdom! I'll keep wearing my long (I think it's midcalf) black wool coat for now, but when I find a cranberry coat I like, I won't obsess, but find a coordinating scarf. It is my "survival coat" and I so appreciate your honesty about staying warm no matter what. I LIVE in my wool coat in winter, and while I think it may be too long for fashion, it's the only thing that keeps me warm when the snow is on the ground.

I bought a plum down coat two years ago, but, silly me, it's hip length and doesn't keep my backside warm at all. Lesson learned.

Thanks also for your suggestion of the seam ripper. I do have one in my sewing kit, and will put it to good use!

Isabel

Veteran

1. Not really. But I do avoid certain combinations. For example, I have a fir green wool coat that I will NOT wear with my red pants. It feels too much like a Christmas decoration. I think that I would be more careful if my wardrobe weren't so neutral.

2. I have a wool coat, a puffer and a trench that hit right below my calf. When it is really cold or stormy, this is what I go for.

3. Yes. I always cut the tags off my scarves. If I need to remember something written on the tag, I write it down.

Mander

(website)

Veteran

1. I do hesitate to wear something that really clashes with my coat, so quite often I end up planning my outfit around my raincoats, which are bright red and burgundy. However, I just got a beige one, so that will hopefully be a bit less restricting.

2. Most of my coats are about mid-thigh but this is one fashion area that I just don't worry about. If it's cold or wet enough to want a long coat I will just wear it. An ankle-length down coat sounds like a great thing to have...

3. I cut the tags off if they really contrast with the scarf -- a white tag on a black background looks a bit goofy. I don't usually bother if it blends in.

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

1. I agree with Alaskagirl. When you live in a climate where the forecast often includes statements such as "exposed flesh will freeze in less than a minute", you think more about that than whether your coat matches your outfit.

2. I wear boots with a lot of outfits and find this helps with the coat length. My legs don't look as bare in a shorter jacket/coat if I have knee high boots.

3. I don't remove the tag but have wondered this too. Thanks for asking.

shiny

Veteran

Great questions!

1) I don't try too hard to coordinate with the clothes underneath. My wool coats are a) cobalt blue and b) light grey. I also have a short white coat, but that's fall weight only. And I have various puffers in white, off white, black, red and brown (I live in Boston and it's cold, hence so many coats! I choose according to temp & weather, more than outfit). The two wool coats are in colors that are "cool" tone and that works with 95% of my wardrobe. I wear the cobalt blue more often than any other, unless it's cold enough for a puffer. I adore having that pop of color to brighten up cold winter days. To make the outfit pull together, I often coordinate the scarf so it ties in with the coat and the outfit underneath. This isn't as hard as you would think.

2) Knee length, if that's your hem length. If you wear lots of midis, then you may want a midi- length coat.

3) No. I don't own a Hermes, isn't the signature printed on the pattern of the scarf?

Scarlet

Veteran

1. I think red is very versatile. Black also isn't perfect with everything.
2. I think as long as the difference in length isn't too large it looks okay.
3. I snip care instructions, but not the brand name tags that are usually sewn on all four corners. I don't know though what one "should" do though.

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

1. I have a long length brown coat that theoretically goes with everything and keeps my bun-buns from freezing off. I would love a darling red coat though! I have a navy trench.

2. I try to keep the length reasonably long (to my knees) to keep my legs from freezing off in the winter; I find it looks fine with a dress, especially a coat with more "flare" at the bottom.

3. I cut all the tags off. I would even if it was a Hermes.

Queen Mum

Veteran

1) I own one winter coat.. it's a brown/black tweed and *maybe* gets worn a half dozen times a year. If I lived in a different climate, it would be a completely different story.

2) I really can't say...

3) I'm a ruthless tag cutter. I cut tags off scarves, towels, rugs, bedding... any tag that has the possibility to show gets cut. I also cut those annoying hanger loops out of the shoulders of dresses.
Funny tag story.. we were staying at my mom's house and I got poked in the middle of the night. In the morning I discovered the culprit. She had used a straight pin to pin the tag of the comforter down! Seriously??????? Just cut the silly thing off!