K/R - oversized wool coat - YouLookFab Forum

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K/R - oversized wool coat

Jacky

Veteran

I've been really in love with this oversized wool coat trend this season, and a couple months ago, I was meeting up with a friend at the mall, and happened to try on this one from Club Monaco:
http://www.lyst.com/clothing/c.....k-leather/

It was instant love. As luck would have it, it recently went on sale and then yesterday it was an extra 30% off in stores, so I snapped it up (just in time, since it's now sold out).

I'm dithering a bit on whether or not I should keep it though. It fits me really well, but that's almost part of the problem - I sort of want a more cocoon like coat that feels a bit more oversized, but I'm not sure if it'd be possible to get one that didn't swamp me and just look like I'd stolen my dad's coat out of the closet. I'm a bit on the short side at 5'4", so I think it might be difficult to find one that settles well and looks chic instead of sloppy.

The other thing that worries me is I'm wondering if the sleeves are a tad too short. I generally like my sleeves to be pretty long, especially on outerwear, and these come just below my thumb joint. When I bend my arm, the sleeves come to about my wrist, which feels a bit high, especially if I'm wearing this on chillier days.

What do you all think?

Also, apologies for the terrible photos - I left the office early today, so I had to take my own pictures instead of relying on a friend. Hopefully you can still see enough to be able to analyze it. 1 and 3 are with it closed, 2 and 4 with it open, and 5 is a close up on the sleeve when I have my arm bent.

ETA: I'm told that the type of coat I'm considering I may want instead is actually called a cocoon coat (yay for evocative descriptors), which is considerably less fitted than this coat.

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28 replies

Latest reply was from Gigi

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Wow. Well, I am a Club Monaco fan.

I like this coat a lot. But I don't see it as oversized at all. From what I can tell, it actually looks quite tailored on you. I think the sleeves are a great length -- this is what I seek (oh, do I seek it -- and rarely find it without alterations because my arms are apparently a bit short). You need to wear gloves with a wool coat. That's the way to deal with the chill. (Said by a bossy Canadian. Please take with grains of salt if you must...we put that on our roads up here to deal with the ice.)

Anyway -- I think the coat looks terrific -- TERRIFIC -- and I think you should keep it and then stay on the lookout for an oversized coat as well.

Liz A.

Veteran

i think this looks great on you. the sleeve length looks just right.

carambola

Veteran

Wow! That is a fantastic coat and it looks amazing on you. Love the leather details. I think the sleeve length is perfect.

catgirl

Veteran

What Suz said!

Gigi

Veteran

I agree with Suz. If you want an oversized coat, I think you may need to keep looking. This one appears more form fitting. But I think it looks absolutely great on you--*if* you don't mind the more tailored look.

As for the sleeves, I would buy yourself a pair of leather gloves that extend some inches past the wrist. That should still keep your hands warm in the cold weather if you are worried about the sleeve length.

Jacky

Veteran

Hm, I supposed I think of it as oversized because it doesn't closely follow the lines of my body like most of the rest of my coats and jackets do. Perhaps boxy is a better word to describe it ...

Definitely the silhouette I'm currently in love with is the more oversized look - I'm just worried that one will dwarf my frame! I guess I'll go by the mall this weekend and see if I can find some more truly oversized ones to try on. What brands do people for wool coats? I don't think I've ever really thoughtfully bought one before ...

I don't think I can really justify keeping this coat _and_ buying another wool coat, so I'll need to decide if I actually want a truly oversized coat or not. It's not really cold enough for a long enough time period around here to have multiple warm wool coats in the closet, sadly.

Deborah

Veteran

I think this is a lovely looking coat. Are you able to layer much underneath?

Jacky

Veteran

I can fit one reasonable layer underneath - in the photo, I'm wearing a light wool blazer under it, and I've tried it with a medium-weight sweater. The limiting part is the shoulders - mine are pretty wide for my frame.

Mary Beth (formerly LBD)

(website)

Veteran

Are you still in love with this coat, the way you were before? I think it looks gorgeous on you! If you are still in love, keep it. But if you are having second doubts, and you already know you want something different, throw this fish back in the water

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I think it's a great coat. Seriously. The fit is superb. That isn't easy to find.

Thistle

Veteran

The coat looks lovely. I would not think of it as oversized though. If you truly want an oversized coat, I think you should keep looking.

That said, this is an unexpected jewel that looks stunning on you!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Jacky, I can't tell with all certainty from these photos that the coat fits on the shoulders. Sleeves are not too short, and the rest of the fit is fabulous.

Anonymous

Beautiful coat!

Jacky

Veteran

So I think I'm leaning toward keeping it and giving up my quest for a cocoon coat. I realized that the last couple of days, I keep thinking "man, I wish I'd settled on keeping this coat already so I can wear it now," which is a good sign that it'll be a pretty good workhorse for me. I don't think I could really say that for a cocoon coat, even if I loved the shape of it.

gradfashionista

(website)

Veteran

Echoing a) how tailored it looks on you and b) how it doesn't look oversized. Maybe you need two coats. Between the option of keeping that and going chasing an oversized coat, I would keep the one you have.

gryffin

Veteran

Jacky - I think this coat looks gorgeous on you. Very flattering and to my eye the sleeves are perfect. But remember that no matter what I think, only your happiness matters. Coats are a big investment. If you could have more than one I would say absolute keep. If this is not making your heart sing with joy, well winter can be long and if you don't adore it now you won't adore it more later. Another consideration, do you have another coat that is warm to wear now? If you really love this perhaps you could justify another oversized coat for next year. Only you know what will really make you happy. You should not settle for like if you can hold out for love. Good luck, though decision because it looks fantastic on!!

gryffin

Veteran

addendum: Jacky is this more what you had in mind? More men's wear oversized? http://www1.bloomingdales.com/.....goryID=100 Klein%26spp%3D24%26ppp%3D96%26sp%3D1%26rid%3D107%26spc%3D44 It come in khaki too. Or do you want a true cocoon shape?

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Jacky

Veteran

gryffin: I'm looking for a true cocoon shape. Something more like the last picture in this: http://www.omiru.com/wp-conten.....021008.jpg although slightly more formal looking. Thank you for your words of wisdom! I really appreciate reminders like that because sometimes I can get caught up in small details. You've also hit the issue right on the head: I don't really have a warm coat right now. SF isn't super cold, so what I do have usually suffices, but I tend to spend part of winter in Boston and NYC, and I always end up freezing when I do.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I'm glad you're keeping the coat. It fits your style.

gryffin

Veteran

Jacky - It's hard to give up on the idea of a perfect item but I think you will look stylish, elegant, edgy and be warm in this coat. Sometime I find if I buy something with my head rather than my heart (ie it's perfect on the needs list, is stylish, but it wasn't the picture I had in my head) I find because it fills all the needs and looks good that sometimes I come to love it. Kind of like a great relationship that love blossoms over time. Just a thought!!

Gigi

Veteran

Jacky, I think your idea of going to the mall this weekend and checking out some truly oversized coats is a good one. If you try them on and see that they do indeed dwarf your frame, you'll know that this coat might be the best solution--boxy but not truly oversized. I'm sorry that I don't know of any wool coat brands to recommend; I have only a puffer coat and no wool.

I will say one thing: If you really do get cold in your climate, an oversized coat might not be the best thing. If a coat is not very form fitting, it does not hold your body heat in very well, and you will be cold.

Marley

Veteran

Oh darn - I just posted on this thread, and then it all of a sudden disappeared on me! Arrrgh!

OK - as I was saying . . . this is a beautiful coat. The only thing that gives me pause is the fit on the shoulders. It may be that that strip of leather right at the shoulder line, leads the eye inward so that your own shoulders look as though they are sticking out further than the shoulder seam? I'm not sure!

I love this coat love. But, it is definitely not a cocoon coat - and if I really wanted a cocoon coat, I'd return this one and hold out for a real cocoon coat.

Anonymous

I hope that you keep this coat. It looks like a style that will last and looks so good on you.

Vicki

(website)

Veteran

Jacky, I live in So. Cal. and don't have the opportunity to wear coats often, although I love it when I can. I really like this coat on you and hope you did decide to keep it and that the fit works with the layering you need to do. I agree with what Gryffin said and love what I see at Club Monaco, this coat included. Angie had some cocoon coats on one of her posts a month or so ago when she talked about coats.

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

I think it looks fantastic on you. You just need a second coat now, a cocoon coat for when you have bulkier layers. Trust me, this second coat is a need not a want.

And I think the sleeve length is good. In fact, I would be worried that it is too long not too short but that is my bias. I like a shorter, almost 7/8 sleeve with some sweater or shirt peeking out kind of like you are a 5'11" model.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

What a great coat! I really like it on you, even though it's not a cocoon coat. I'm glad you're keeping it.

Jacky

Veteran

Thanks everyone for your advice! I did end up keeping the coat and I've worn it a bunch of times. My terrible tolerance for even slightly cold weather has made this coat a fantastic purchase.

Angie and Marley: you both mentioned shoulder fits, which I was also worried about. It's a bit tight around there - my shoulder joint actually comes to exactly the right spot, but my deltoid is actually a bit large, and it pushes up against the sleeve. I asked a bunch of people what they thought about the fit, and they all agreed that it looked a bit tight but that they wouldn't have noticed if I hadn't mentioned it. Since it's a pretty good wool though, the sleeves have already stretched out a bit to accommodate though, so I think keeping it was the right call.

Gigi

Veteran

Thanks for the update, Jacky! I'm glad you are happy with the coat. :^)