In response to this thread of Una's:

http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....own-people

I live one town over from Walnut Creek, CA. WC has a ritzy downtown shopping center where Burberry decided to install a boutique store about a year ago. I ended up in the area last nite, yanked open the ridiculously heavy door, and strode on back to the quilted jackets.

A very nice and helpful sales assistant came over and i explained my situation (reconnoitering for a forum friend up in the wilds of AK). They didn't have your dream jacket in stock, Una, so i spent some time with the most similar piece they had - the Drayton jacket in elderberry with detachable fur trimmed hood ($1285). The pic below is of one in Navy with no hood.

http://us.burberry.com/store/w.....earch=true

My observations, good and bad, follow. Feel free to ask about anything i leave out.

So flattering it is unbelievable. If i had Paris Hilton's budget i would have bought it in 2 minutes flat, it's that amazing on. I tried an 8, it fit well through shoulders and a wee bit tight in bust, looser in waist and hips. But the quilted fabric has enough body that the extra room thru the hips just adds to a very pretty hourglass effect, especially when you knot the belt. The color is like a mulled cabernet - my eyes and skin just shone. The sales lady (of middle eastern descent with olive skin, darn brown eyes, and a round hourglass shape) also tried on the jacket and she looked awesome too! Again, the elderberry color is amazingly flattering, and the structure thru the shoulders really balanced out her bust and hips, while the waist shaping and belt scream 'hourglass right here baby!!!!'

Did i say this looks amazing on? oh yeeeaaahhhh.

Construction is just beautifully done. The variation in quilting is incredibly stylish, the lining is a gorgeous thin nylon with muted elderberry, greys, and shots of dark cream in soft swaths. All seams nicely bound and finished. The outer fabric is sturdier, but under normal conditions of use i can easily seeing it showing wear in anywhere between 3-5 years. Of course it is possible Burberry used some super-long lasting fabric, i don't know. And speaking from personal experience the interior seam bindings may start wearing thru even sooner. Una, if this matters to you maybe do a search on reviews?

Warmth? This isn't a jacket for protection against the elements. It's for rich ladies to look completely adorable while running errands or picking their kids up from school. There is only enough polyfill to give a little definition to the quilting. The jacket is nowhere thicker than 1/4" - it's quite thin. The jacket may break the wind, i didn't wear it outside so can't say. The lowest quality fleecy is warmer than this piece. Hot flashing women with generous clothing allowances take note

As to style - this is one of those items that isn't really "in" style, so it has much less chance of going "out" of style in future. Really really really flattering - seriously, you could grab ladies off the street and about 75% will look flat out gorgeous. Creates a cute, slender hourglass figure and lengthens the legs like no one's business. Screams expensive.

To my eye, it's not dressy. It's paying more to get a casual piece that makes you look stunning, and all the other fashionistas will know you're wearing a Burberry. And Una, I do understand how dressy REALLY varies from place to place! When i saw this piece in person, i knew that a certain set of people in the Bay Area would be kind of sneering about it. You know, the people who spend every spare minute either in the wilderness or researching technical gear for their next minute in the wilderness. They know all about everything having to do with outdoor gear and know exactly what YOU should be getting, how much you should spend, how you should tweak it, on and on.

In other words, the type who will take one look at that jacket and decide you are a shallow, stupid, vain spendthrift who chose a cute color over temperature rating. And proceed to give you grief about it. I mention this because we have plenty of these types here and i can only imagine how many more you have in AK! Just a head's up in case you interact with a lot of this 'species' and give a hoot what they say To let you know where my head is at on this, i just had to hear my bro tell me allllll about some lightweight super secure aluminum suitcases this couple he knows use for travel, when they're not both being F-16 pilots and photographers. This started when i mentioned i'm looking around for an overnite bag for trips to Carmel, 2 hours drive away. I may be a little over-obsessed with this type of gear-head right now, in other words ha!!!

To sum up - if you want to look cute as a button and don't need much warmth, and aren't depending on this piece lasting for ten years as an 'investment', one of these jackets is perfect. Personally i have nothing against getting something just because you love it to bits and pieces and not worrying about $$$, how long it lasts, if it goes with much in my closet or is practical. My Fluevog heels are in this category - i have reason to wear them only very occasionally but they are so cool (and they were $99, not $999).

But if you would like to spend this cash on a piece with some type of practical aspects...........my gut is leaning towards no on one of these Burberry quilted jackets.

Hope This Helps and For What It's Worth! please ask any questions. I know i don't have any pix of me in the coat, but i have a good reason - reckless driver ran into a gas pump at the station 1 1/2 blocks from my house one hour before i had to pick my husband up from the bus station.......after the explosions and sirens stopped, we had 3-4 news copters hovering over our house. Which is why i said, "Honey, let's go downtown and let the gas station thing calm down for a while, okay?". so i forgot my camera.

This was a lot of fun and definitely took my mind off the exploding gas station! Believe it or not, no one was hurt. Thank you Una!!!

p.s. Pic two is a gratuitous shot of my fluevog miracle cascades. Just wore them to my Grandmas' 100th birthday celebration and they were quite popular.