Coats - different enough, or skip? - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Shopping

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Coats - different enough, or skip?

nemosmom

Veteran

Hi fab friends, it's been a while since I've posted. I am in the middle of an outerwear edit, and after seeing Helena's amazing SuperPuff, I am considering another coat to add to my deep winter capsule.

The presumed wardrobe hole I am trying to fill is for deep Chicago winter and spring (November thru May/June), damp/windy weather, for outdoor walking or standing. Trouble is, I can't decide on a color.

I have it narrowed down to 3 (in photos). A carmel corduroy, a dark chocolate, and a dark olive.

My heart wants the olive, but I already have a similar style coat in much smaller size, but lighter weight and color. I have a parka in a similar color, but it is a different silhouette and weight.

Hubs picked the dark brown, but I have a shearling-lined aviator that I love that is also dark brown. My kids picked the corduroy one - so we are at an impasse

How would you decide? Which would you pick? Or, do you think I am sorted enough with what I have?

Current coat capsule, and some go-to accessories, in finds.

This post has 3 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

View Info

View Info

View Info

View Info

View Info

View Info

View Info

View Info

View Info

View Info

Shopping

25 replies

Latest reply was from Style Fan

Roberta

Veteran

The heart wants what it wants!

Myself, I like the caramel. I think your green accessories would be dynamite with it. I think the darker brown is a bit muddy, and you already have an olive puffer. But maybe you don't love corduroy, and you want a heavier weight olive coat!

SarahD8

Veteran

I vote go with your heart and get the olive.

If your existing olive coat is a different size, presumably they do not duplicate because one will always be either too big or too small? And even if they can be worn at the same body point, their different weights may give them different functions.

I think there's definitely an argument to be made for having coats in a similar color across different styles/weights -- that is, having a signature color for outerwear. It simplifies coordination of accessories and indeed coordination with outfits -- easy decision making, you just have to figure out the weather and grab the coat that's right for the day's conditions.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Well you have coats or jackets in all 3 colours already, although the aviator looks black on my screen here not dark brown. Thus, as you are duplicating a colour whatever you do, I say go with your own heart not their choices since you are the one wearing it? I also appreciate that we do try to please our families too- I do and several other Fabbers have mentioned it- but then you can’t please them all, this time.
I associate you with green in my head, but they would all look awesome on you xx

Helena

Veteran

I think you need to go with your heart on this one - the coats are different enough that you are not duplicating, even if shades are similar (as you say, the lighter puffer is for different weather, and the parka has a completely different vibe. Although I think DH and children's choices would look fab on you, you won't go wrong following your heart on such a sensible item (and Chicago's weather being similar to Toronto, I reckon you can't have too many warm coats!)

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Not the corduroy - not practical in wet weather.

I vote OLIVE!!! Signature

Dee

Veteran

I don’t think the corduroy either due to the winds in winter. You seem very partial to the olive, so why not a double dose of something you love.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

What SarahDB and Angie said.

i love the look of the corduroy but if it's wet, even snowy, it will soak through and get heavy. So it's not as practical.

Also, what Sarah said about outerwear in various weights in a signature colour. I love to have outerwear in other colours, besides my navy (and do!) but it is the navy outerwear I reach for most often and find easiest to wear, and I have indeed found it useful to have this colour across all seasons that I wear coats.

TNA the new little puff long Long packable puffer jacket

View Info

Top Pick

7

View Info

View Info

OPEN EDIT Relaxed Coat

View Info

Top Pick

6

Long downtown field jacket

View Info

Top Pick

8

JAileen

Veteran

Olive all the way! Why can’t you have more than one olive jacket, if they are for different conditions?

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

I agree with everyone else—an olive option for every weather condition. That sounds sarcastic, but seriously, this is the part of your outfit most likely to change st the last minute. You don’t want it to throw other things off

unfrumped

Veteran

I agree that corduroy as a puffer is somewhat confused, as opposed to a blazer or shacket.
Do you have any of these at home already to try on? I find that colors may look different IRL and with my other items. So it is about not only color but how a color works in a specific fabric.
For example, I could use darkish brown in pants but I recently tried a couple items that were in a more synthetic smooth fabric, and the chocolate didn’t translate well, compared to textured cozy sweaters or buttery leather or maybe brown tweedy fabric.
Then, is the olive “ your” olive, since that color has a huge range. If you narrow it down to trying the olive, then of course you can see how it goes with your wardrobe.

Runcarla

Veteran

Olive. What SaraHD8 wrote is spot on.

RobinF

Veteran

Yeah, I love the corduroy one but it doesn't seem as practical for your needs. Go with your heart.

rachylou

Veteran

I’m partial to a good brown, but I note you have a fair amount of olive, which to me may mean it’s a key player. Different olive coats, for different conditions, could really be handy.

nemosmom

Veteran

Thank you all!! I tend to just default to green out of habit (as evidenced by the olive peacoat I realize I left out of my current collection). So, I appreciate the sanity check. Hubs raised an eyebrow and asked if I really needed another green coat, to which I could only smile in response.

I don’t neeeeed it, but it is cool. Looking at wear counts for my current coats, all but the parka have more than 62 wears apiece in less than two years (62 wears is the peacoat that I just purchased this April-I love it so much). The most worn is the aviator at 87, purchased in 2020. I kinda feel like a new coat would help extend the wear of the other pieces…?

I do love the corduroy, but realized today that I have a couple of corduroy hats that might be too matchy with it. Hmm.

ETA: there was 1 olive left in my size on the Aritzia site - it is on its way to me. Fingers crossed the inventory was accurate!

Thank you all so much!!!!

Helena

Veteran

Yay!! It was meant to be!

Jessikams

(website)

Veteran

In your climate, you can never have too much outerwear!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Yay! I hope it works out for you!

Sal

Veteran

Good decision!! Outerwear that you love is an essential.

Bijou

Veteran

Glad you went for the olive - I would have said NO to the corduroy because it will not handle wet conditions as well as the other two.

JAileen

Veteran

I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like this before. I wasn’t sure what jacket you were referring to, but I think this is the one. It looks pretty nice. I’m astounded by the number of colors it comes in - 56!

This post has 1 photo. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

nemosmom

Veteran

@JAileen - yes, it is the SuperPuff! It comes in several colors, and fabrications - AND lengths!!! Talk about analysis paralysis!

I picked mine from the men's section. I wanted the interior pocket for my wallet and phone, since I don't carry a handbag in the winter. The measurements were close enough between the men's in a smaller letter size than my women's size. I also tend to prefer a more generous shoulder fit - especially if layering under.

I admit I am lemming this coat after seeing how amazing Helena looks in hers. I think it would help fill a hole of wetter uber-cold weather, and our winter/spring is quite long and cold. I just wonder if I will be sick of green after spending 7 months in it...

Anonymous

Yay! I'm on team olive for any weather conditions!

RobinF

Veteran

Fingers crossed it works! Wow, all of those colors are amazing! Wonder if one would be right for me.....

gryffin

Veteran

Oh so happy for you. I am never happy if I buy something I don’t love. Caveat, if I really love it, assuming fit and quality and buying for my real lifestyle, those usually end up being the best purchases. There tends to be a “recognition of self”. As our Helena says the heart knows!! Hope it’s perfect!

Style Fan

Veteran

Olive! The olive will look beautiful with your colouring. I have two olive puffers and might get another from Aritizia.