Time to go shopping. It’s like not seeing food stains on your clothes. People may wonder if your eyesight is going.

Goodness Joy some of you ladies are pretty tough in this thread! You and Janet and lisap! Surely Jessikams, who is a snazzy and interesting dresser, is still going to look OK in these coats for a while longer if she wants to wait a while and get more out of them especially the more expensive one.
I don’t think her eyesight will seem to be going

I think there's definitely a cultural element to this. I'm in New England where there's a lot of perceived virtue in the old adage "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without." And there's also an element of "old money" here so people wearing all shiny new things, driving new cars, etc are looked at by some as "nouveau riche" (very different from Beijing, I suspect!).

I have a hard time being bothered by visible wear on most things. I probably wouldn't wear that coat to a job interview or important meeting, but for everyday wear I would live with it until I found a great replacement. I would also remind myself that most of the time, the bag itself will be covering the wear, and when I take off the bag, I'm probably taking off the coat as well, so how much will people really notice it?

Like Jenni NZ, my frugal side would be bothered by coats that wore out quickly, especially the pricier one. So when shopping for a replacement, I would be looking for a solution to the problem, maybe a smooth, durable fabric that could tolerate a lot of abrasion. A trench coat with a warm lining, perhaps? 

I must fall into Angie’s “urban grit” camp as I’m comfortable with fair wear and tear. As long as the item still fits and is clean and pressed (no stains, unintentional rips, pet hair or obvious loss of shape). My face is lived in and my body is lived in. I’d rather not look like everything I am wearing on it is brand new and in pristine condition. That’s part of the reason why I like vintage jewellery - the fact that it has a history and wasn’t made yesterday. Much like me! But that’s just my style preference of course.

I was reading recently about the iconic Byzantine style cuffs developed by the Duke of Verdura for Coco Chanel. She adored them and wore them everywhere. Apparently the ones from her personal collection are all chipped from wear. I like the fact that, for all her wealth and the fresher alternatives that must have been available to her, she saw the enduring beauty in them and remained faithful to them, despite the obvious signs of wear.

So, if you still love the coats, wear them with pride

I'm with laPed and would probably retire when they:
a) start to look bad beyond the parts covered by your bag
b) look like they will tear at any moment

Yet all other considerations are equally valid

Wearing happily for now. We’ll see how I feel when fall runs around!

For me shoes are the most difficult category to define when it is too much. I walk a lot and destroy my shoes on regular basis but I can’t replace them after each scratch. There’s a point when they become just too beaten which I don’t always notice or I don’t have adequate replacement and have to keep wearing them.

I think it's all about different cultures, personalities and environments you live in- and big surprise also about how good your vision is!( not kidding!:-)).
I myself am annoyed by (and cannot wear too much/many) signs of wear (not only for work, but casual, too)-but I take care about my clothes and petting them for years.
Interesting point about jewelry (from Brooklyn) I never liked too shiny (maybe only for a cuff?) and pristine either and I would happily wear an authentic piece which shows a good amount of wear (like Coco:-)) but the truth is I cannot afford one so I have to please myself with fake antique finishes-but they don't last unfortunately...:-(

Lyn- your words are true for me also!!!

I do distinguish wear from stains- and some signs of wear from worn out.

I am not terribly observant so often do not notice.

Call it "Western old money shabbily genteel." Since you're not Chinese, maybe you can get away with it? Maybe get a new bag with the new coat? Or a bigger one to REALLY cover the rubbed patch?

Love it, DonnaF

Mmmm ... I'm a fusspot so if it's visible in any way, it's binned. Having said that, often my cheap items last longer than more expensive purchases!