I love coats and have culled my collection in this past 12 months. If you wear them and love them, the I say have as many as you like:)

In total, I probably Have around 15 coats. The only thing that outnumbers them are my scarves. Love coats and blazers. My wardrobe is small otherwise. I live in the same climate as Diana. But I am a SAHM and I still feel like I need all of my coats.

I have a long winter trench with removable liner. Slate
Two wool pea coats black and red/black plaid
A long puffer black
A 3/4 puffer lack
A quilted car coat dark brown
A menswear plaid car coat , wool
A long spring trench navy
A short spring trench black with cognac leather trim
A faux leopard 3/4 coat that I have worn for 10 years on dressy occasions
One soft shell sports coat dark purple
Spring trench dark purple animal print
Lightweight summer rain jacket black and white polka dot
Goretex summer rain trench black
Wool car coat, black bottom half red/black tweed on top half.....I know there have to be more than I am remembering.

I love every one and use every one. Oh two biking windbreakers.....
And I feel no guilt or shame at all. In fact, I want a long wool coat. ; )

ETA : I missed deep purple corduroy trench ( Fall ), my Lemming Speigel jacket ( per Diana ) and my black wool, military style car coat.

That is 18.

My coat inventory:
--above the knee length heavy black wool coat
--mid thigh cobalt wool coat
--forest green hooded wool toggle coat with quilted lining (just covers butt)
--black wool blend swing coat (also just butt covering)
--red cotton corset trench
--lightweight navy rain trench
--fairly useless short 3/4 sleeve teal swing coat
--turquoise leather moto
--black leather moto
--cognac leather jacket
--black Spiegel lemming jacket

Yes, Angie, I counted my leather jackets because they are 100% outerwear for me.. I did not count my denim jackets, my silky bomber, or another summer weight jacket, even though those are also primarily outerwear because I could wear them indoors if I wish.

I *definitely* have more boots, as I stated above. Actually I'm surprised I don't have more coats but I did purge several in my most recent move.

Diana...how can you EXIST with so few coats ??? LOL

Like Diana, I didn't include denim coats or leather. Or blazers that I sometimes use as outwear. And then, there are my wool sweater coats. But no one asked about those...sshhhhhh.

Gaylene, oh how I wish I had a coat/gear room - DH and I run, bike, and nordic ski all winter long, which means that I have:

long puffer
short puffer
short trench
knee-length trench
wool duffle coat
wool pea coat
down "sweater"
2 "gear" raincoats
1 lightweight neon yellow biking windbreaker (for those dark nights)
2 denim jackets (I only wear them outside)

huh, I guess that wasn't SO bad.

So, I'm right there with you in the lots of coats dept. But honestly, there are so many seasons where I live! It's going to be 2F tonight and 34F on Monday, for example.

I actually need a much larger coat wardrobe than I have. I live out on the plains and have such a variety of weather and levels of dressiness. I have lots of holes in this area. Note to self: examination of coats on the wardrobe inventory is a must. Develop a game plan for coats.

I have one coat. I bought it under pressure for a November trip to Cleveland and the temperature never dropped below 60 and I had to carry that thing around the whole time. I hate it because it has a sash and I have never liked any article of clothing that has a sash. Also it has a big double collar that is not me. I'm keeping it in case I need to travel somewhere cold again. However I've discovered that my leather jacket, with a warm scarf, gloves, and perhaps a hat, is just fine down to about 20 degrees.

I must not run too cold because my (pre-move) climate is colder than Rachy's in the winter and she says she lives in coats.

But anyway I am hugely enjoying this thread! I'm loving reading about everyone's coats!

My coats share the same closet as my jackets (and DH's too) so the one-in-one-out rule has to apply here. My outerwear looks like this:

1 blue denim jacket (15c/60)
1 oatmeal lightweight hooded rain trench coat (anytime)
1 fleece grey plaid jacket (10c/50s)
1 navy wool blazer (10c/50s)
3 pleather moto jackets (black, white, mint, 10c/50s)
1 black knit moto jacket (5c/40s)
1 black zip up hooded pea coat (0c/30s)
1 tie-up oversized collar patterned coat (0c/30s)
1 navy maternity coat (0c/30s)
1 camel wool trench coat (-5c/20s, currently doesn't fit)
1 oversized black parka (-5c/20s)
1 red Canada Goose copy parka (-10c/10s or lower)

Note that I run warm so I probably don't need as much outerwear as those of you who feel the chill all year round.

I have been thinking about buying a long black down puffer lately, so you guys are enabling me If I do get one, it will replace my big black parka which is 10 years old and has a hole in one sleeve anyway.

Actually, Barbour is quite the thing these days, so I am sure it is fashionable

I have a very long cold season and am limited by a small apartment with no coat closet, so for this reason I am getting rid of three coats. But I just bought another one and wished another one for Christmas, so there you go. I spend a lot of time in my coats, and it is nice to be able to mix it up, adjust to the sportiness/dressiness of the occasion, gradations in weather, so on and so forth. If I had a bigger closet I would add in beautiful colors.

Coats are my favorite wardrobe item so I support you all the way. It seems you always need a different coat for the weather here in the midwest. Every time I add a coat thinking I will purge an old one, it seems I can't bear to part with the old one because they all serve a different purpose. This has resulted in me stashing coats all over the house.

My coat closet is modest, but arguably too large for my temperate climate. I justify my hoarding to myself because my job requires travel to business formal offices in colder climates, and because it is hard to find nice replacement coats where I live. But maybe this year is a good year to really test that theory.

I am another of the "small coat closet", here. But only because I only brought one with me. I've got 2 winters in scotland, so I'm sure this will expand. But for now, I have:

-one dark green knee-length puffer coat
-leather jacket (which is too big, but I'm keeping it because I can now layer bulky sweaters under it.

I've also got an orange wool jacket and some lighter weight ones in storage that I'll have an opportunity to pick up in a few weeks when I go to the US. And a cool trench cape that's in storage in Australia. I left it there because I might need it at the end of my stay next year (running into the beginning of winter) and for scotland, it's a summer-weight jacket.

ETA: This means I've got...6 coats/outerwear. Only 2 are available to me at the moment. Clearly not enough for where I' living!

Scarlet - happy to hear my Barbour is not the dinosaur I thought it was!! That coat is a wonder!! - Just needs to be re-proofed every couple years!!
Everyone's inventory is very interesting and actually makes me yearn for a couple more that aren't in my current rotation!! I don't do leather jackets as it doesn't seem to fit my style/personality - but I've been wanting a red wool car coat (to wear over pant suits) and a grey cashmere knee length BF style to replace the grey herringbone tweed (it's beginning to show it's age) - but I've yet to find one with the sleeves long enough. - I'm thinking I'll start looking in the men's department!! - As an IT hip room is usually not an issue. DH has the most beautiful charcoal grey cashmere dress coat - but it is definitely too big even as a BF style!!

Except for underwear, what item gets worn more than our outerwear in colder climates? If you live somewhere where the answer is none, then you should have a fair number.

I have different coats/jackets for varying temperatures. I have a leather hip coat and wool coat for the in between weather and then about half a dozen puffers in different lengths/colors for the colder temps.

Here's a list of most of my outerwear. Sorry, it's a long list:

Camel hair coat - mid calf
Raincoat olive green with zip out lining - mid calf (very ancient)
Dark teal hooded puffer - mid calf
Loden heavy boiled wool coat
Camel/cream hooded zip up duffel
Navy toggle duffel
Red peacoat (in my first WIW!)
Navy, red, olive, cream plaid peacoat

Here are parkas and mid weight jackets:

Dark teal hooded down parka with fur trim
Light sea foam down belted parka with fake fur collar
Taupe quilted corduroy jacket
Red Lands End Squall jacket
Forest green Patagonia squall type jacket - very old
Silver Patagonia nano puff jacket (perfect for travel)
Spruce green velveteen jean style jacket with tan fake fur lining

There might be more. We rarely get rain, only snow. I also have several shells for protection from snow and wind, and several fleece jackets that I would only wear while shoveling snow, etc.

jAileen - I think our coat closets are sisters!!!

That was my thought too!

I am a firm believer in a large coat wardrobe! I love coats, and I think maybe it is inherited as both my mom and my grandma were coat lovers......

Both my dad and my DH have been questioning my mom and I WHY we need so many coats! so many reasons....I live in a rainy climate with little snow, so waterproof coats are a high priority for me

I have a lot--I will attempt a list without going to the closet(s)

3/4 black wool with big silver fox collar
long grey hooded A-line wool coat
Vintage 3/4 60s grey wool w/mink trim coat
Black wool cashmere 3/4 coat
Vintage Red boiled wool 3/4 coat
Teal 3/4 Wool car coat (new!)
Long Down waterproof commuter coat
Long Black Faux Fur coat

Red wool peacoat
Quilted Olive short coat
Quilted Down brown coat
Red waterproof snow coat
Vintage 50s Leopard Faux Fur
Vintage Ivory Shearling 3/4 coat
Vintage 60s black faux 3/4 coat
Vintage Pendleton 3/4 plaid wool

Black waterproof 3/4 Trench
Insulated black 3/4 parka/trench
red dressy trench
yellow spring trench
tan burberry trench
Black Waterproof HH Coat

Leather Jackets (all are outerwear weight):
Navy moto
Black moto
Ivory moto
Black racer
Red vintage 3/4 leather
Tan Suede

+ other shorter, warmer weather jackets/vest/tech. but they are not really coats

Rebekah - I am in awe of that most awesome collection!! - Just showed to DH and he is backing off a little on my own collection. We have several matches here!!

Dustt Glad to hear it! My all time favorites are my vintage leopard and red peacoat. But these days the more utilitarian down commuter is getting all the wear!

I confess I have a few more than I need, and a couple of them are really for very special occasion dressing. I'm planning on donating a couple of them to a womens shelter this week, since I do have a few duplicates that someone should be wearing & its been really cold here

My mom, and grandma always used to say if you have a good coat & good shoes you are good to go....

Why get rid of good condition coats you like? I love coats!
I have a ton for fall but I'm hoping to expand my winter collection

Guilty as charged: I can't stop adding new coats every season and, though I wear them a lot from November to May, I sometimes feel guilty for not being more economical in my coats' choices.

ATM: 2 2cm above knee-lenght shearling coats (1 in beige and 1 in black), 3 shearling bombers (2 in chocolate brown and 1 black), 1 100% wool knee-lenght/man's style coat (black), 1 40% wool knee-lenght/man's style coat (in cream), 3 trenchcoats (1 in black, 1 in tomato red and 1 in beige. They aren't lined with fleece or anything special - just regular polyester, so these are more late spring/beginning of autumn options), 1 80% wool military coat (in navy blue), 1 40% military coat (in dark grey), 2 60% wool long flared/frock coats (1 in tomato red, 1 in black), 1 cocoon-ish mid-thigh coat (striped in black and white), 1 fake-fur coat (hand-me-down, in black), 1 60% wool cape (in black).

As I said: guilty as charged.

I was thinking of this thread earlier as I was out shopping with my DH and trying to persuade him that clearly I need to expand my outerwear wardrobe... Since I moved to Calgary, I'm wearing coats of some sort for ~8 months of the year, so having a little variation is nice. To his dismay, I bought two today, but will probably end up returning one.