Said no one, EVER.  But I'm telling myself to stand down, though, as you know, it's hard to turn that hunter/gatherer mode off, once activated. Backstory...I'm perhaps the world's pickiest coat buyer. I have two impeccably made cashmere Max Mara man coats (black and camel), two long dark puffers with faux fur collars (black and gunmetal) and an assortment of leather motos for warmer weather (black, black and taupe)...but, I don't have ANY color. I have looked high and low, and found some fantastic modern shapes (AllSaints has a great selection) but they were too stiff, or too scratchy or too something. I realize that I sound like the princess and the pea, but I don't really care.  I had fallen in love with Angie's fuchsia man coat, but the only relatively similar option I've found is a Chanel wrap coat that a) costs a small fortune, and b) makes me look like a child dressed in my mom's bathrobe.  Then, two weekends ago, DH and I were out and about running errands. We had a lovely brunch at the Seattle Art Museum, did a little Christmas shopping at the museum store and wandered up the street. Those fabbers who are familiar with Seattle know Sandy Lew's on First, it's full of funky, one off pieces which, it must be said, aren't perhaps Max Mara quality. However, this (photo #2) cobalt wool blend cocoon coat turned my eye, with it's tapered hem that comes down from above the knee in the back, to below the knee in the front. It has a fun hood, which probably won't get much use, but hey, the mannequin looks good in it (#3)!

So then, the next day we went into the consignment store that I use to move some of my unwanted pieces and I found this! Photo #1 is a purple wool Versace coat which was probably 10% of original cost, and virtually new.  You'll see that it photographs cobalt for some weird reason, so I got a close-up to show the true color. Anyway, it has an almost clergical look to it, with a button cowl collar and slight bell sleeves. I usually prefer more fitted sleeves like that of the cobalt coat below, but, as a tailor I talked to pointed out, tapering the sleeves makes the collar less balanced.  Not really clear on the level of flattering this may or may not be, but frankly, it's gorgeous...and purple...and Versace for next to nothing.