I'm glad you're keeping the coat!
>> I like the look of the smaller one nipped in at the waist too. Kind of frustrating that getting a large enough fit on the parts of my body that annoy me usually means less emphasis on the part I want to show off.
Yes! This is the source of my preference for cardigans over jackets: if a jacket fits my shoulders, it's seriously unlikely to nip in enough at the waist. Or because I'm long waisted, it will 'nip in' about 2" too high, where my ribs are still broad instead. (Although reviewing my cardigans, almost none of them are small enough at the waist either, but at least they're easy to tuck.)
Reading all of the comments about fit on this thread has reminded me of how often I end up compromising on fit. Sigh. I lived in knit tops when I was younger, simply because those were the only ones that actually showed how small my waist was (which was more important to me then!). Now that I wear a lot of woven tops, usually the only way to define my waist is to tuck or belt or both. The rare woven top I try on that really fits my waist (not skin tight but shows its true size) pulls at my bust, which is silly since I don't have a large bust. Unless there are ties involved, the fit I need just doesn't seem to exist. :/ Dresses too: I don't have a single dress that comes in enough at the waist & actually hits me at my smallest point vs my rib cage. Eek. (And it's not as if I have a terribly exaggerated figure either.) No wonder I'm interested in learning to sew!
(And re: returns inconveniencing the SAs...I don't understand this. It's their job, yes? Obviously be polite and cheerful about it, not crazy, but if you're respecting the store's return policy-aka tags still on, etc.-I truly don't understand how it could affect the SA negatively.)