coats, cascading sweaters and boyfriend blazers

greenglove

Ok, I understand the desire to be current and embrace new looks if they are becoming. However, how do you start wearing the new longer fuller sweaters and boxier blazers without having to invest in a whole new coat collection. I have avoided some of these looks because the only thing they would fit under are capes. Are retailers starting to give us a brand new silhouette for coats? I am wondering how you feel about this dilemma: (fitting volume under classic styled winter coats). I am very tempted to get this coat in spice. (Cannot afford it at the moment)but I think of all the layers that could go underneath)
http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/29.....rchResults

16 years ago

General

5 replies

Latest reply was from Angie

garmenta

Active Member

This is an old dilemma on the frozen tundra, where we've always had a wear a couple of sweaters under a coat to keep from freezing to death Aside from feeling stuffed into a coat, here are a couple of thoughts:
Wearing layers in thin fabrics (tissue cotton, lightweight wool or cashmere).

Sizing up in a coat.

Looking for a label secondhand (I am thinking about the price) that is made roomier--Ellen Tracy, like the new one that caught your eye; Anne Klein; or Hillary Radley.

Looking for a vintage coat which is bigger in the armhole and torso. There are a lot of lady coats from the 1950s with that shape; Penguin and Mackintosh coats from the 1960s were boxier than today's and roomy in the armhole; and I remember wearing coats in the 1980s with big sleeves that had a lot of room for a layer or two. All of these coats turn up with great frequency in thrift shops at low prices. The trick is to find something cute and not dowdy. I like the vintage Penguins, even though the shape is boxy, because they have cute details on the pockets.

Hope that gets you started.

16 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

An interesting question, Jean! I have three voluminous cardigans (fine gauge knits), and they fit under my wool and puffer coats with several layers underneath no problem. Why is that? My coats are not voluminous. And boyfriend cardigans are cut slimmer so they shouldn’t be a challenge at all.

Hmmmm. I am beginning to think that lasses are wearing their coats too snug. This issue keeps on coming up.

Nice coat you've linked to, Jean! Great ideas from garmenta.

16 years ago

garmenta

Active Member

Angie, it's interesting that you bring up the fit of coats. I grew up thinking you should always size up in a coat so your sweaters and blazers could fit under it. That meant I was always wearing a coat that was too big in the shoulder, the armhole, and the torso. In the past few years, if I bought a coat to fit, especially in the shoulder and the bust, it's been snug fit over a sweater and a tight squeeze with a blazer. Is it the cut of recent coats, which are form-fitting, or are we buying our coats too small, as you suggest? Perhaps we can get fit advice and pictures!

16 years ago

greenglove

(website)

Veteran

Angie,
I think that I am referring to thicker sweaters. Fine gauge will usually fit. Some of the cascading cardigans I have seen have been much chunkier. The boyfriend blazer with a stronger shoulder line will not fit under a coat that does not also have that shape. I am wondering if retailers are showing boxier and fuller coat styles than past years. Is that something that is a given consideration due to the new shape in jackets and sweaters? Is it a way for everyone to have to buy more clothes? I was wondering if one thing changes, does it hit all parts of the wardrobe. i
I hate to think that this is a calculated way to have people keep buying new clothes. I am probably completely off but am curious how these changes happen and how to be a savvy shopper.

16 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Garmenta, you have to accommodate for layers with a coat! Otherwise there is little point, right? Sometimes it means going up a size and at other times, it’s about getting the right cut of the coat. For example, today I wore my black trench with this underneath:

o Camisole
o Turtle neck (fine gauge knit)
o Biker jacket

I could have worn another thin layer no problem. My coats do not look too big as you can see here (I’m wearing even more layers in this outfit):

http://youlookfab.com/2009/02/.....manhattan/

Jean, chunky knitwear allows for fewer layers for sure. I do not wear chunky knits so I guess that’s why I don’t have the coat challenge! But your questions are good ones. My answer is that you are right. Hemlines are shorter to accommodate mid-calf boots. Pencils skirts and sheaths look best with voluminous cardigans which is why you’ll battle to find A-line skirts right now. And I could go on.

16 years ago

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