Viva's purple coat? Help me think! - YouLookFab Forum

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Viva's purple coat? Help me think!

Peri

Veteran

You guys are killing me!!! Yes, Peri needs that coat! Do I?

It does sound good for my climate, but I have a dressy light weight coat...a black faux persian lamb I bought last year and haven't worn enough. Because a dressy coat is not my everyday default. I'm looking for a step up from a polar fleece jacket. This looks 5 steps up.

Can you see this coat as a put on over casual knits and gym shoes to run to PT or the grocery store kind of coat? Or would I keep reaching for the polar fleece because this one is a touch too dressy and would look out of place?

And I do seriously love purple, but my common shade is more on the berry side. Would this purple clash with my bag and new beanie or look artfully blended and save me from the matchy matchy thing I've got going?

Tough love please! I want a splurge, but not a waste!

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Double-cloth collarless coat

$350.00 $279.99

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21 replies

Latest reply was from Aubergine

catgirl

Veteran

I think it's quite dressy in itself, but nothing wrong with that, and you know it's a fashion thing to mix dressy and casual. I can't speak to how the color will go with your current shades, but I don't see why not. The j. crew purple is fantastic.

HOW IS THE BEANIE?

kkards

Veteran

can't comment on the color, but i can say i love a dressy coat over casual clothes. IMO, it just has a certain like of Katharine Hepburn kind of feel.

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

Personally, I don't think I'd wear it with the berry shades you've pictured. Looking at them together, I think the purple is actually a warm shade. If it were more of a royal purple, yes, I'd definitely pair with the berry purse and beanie.
Stylewise, I think it would work. It's a real chameleon. I don't think the fabric is as dressy looking as, say, a cashmere or cashmere blend coat. And the zipper gives it a sporty feel. Imagine if it had buttons: that would be a whole different look, and more formal, don't you think? And yet, the simplicity of the design allows it to go dressier, too.
What about the blush shade?

Liz

Veteran

Well, words like "splurge," "need" and a request for "tough love" don't go together. So I think you need to decide if
A) you're buying to fill a wardrobe need or
B) you're shopping because you're itching for a splurge and a treat.

Tough love if you're going for A)
* you do not need this coat. You have a black coat.
* you rarely wear dressy coats. You are not wearing the one you already have enough.
* Your life is casual.
* your coat need is not for this coat -- it is for a coat more useful and everyday than this one.
* If you buy this purple coat, you will probably still want to buy the "step up from fleece" coat.

If you're going with B)
* If you have the money and are OK with spending it freely, why not? Splurge away, regardless of the cost per wear or practicality. WEar it three times and enjoy it hugely each time. Go for it.

Elle

Veteran

I'm not crazy about the berry colors with that purple since it seems to diminish the impact of that wonderful purple. But monitor colors are not always true to life.

I love that coat and think it could definitely work with casual items but the big question is whether you would actually reach for it . So I'm not much help....

viva

Veteran

Personally, I would definitely wear this coat casually -- but I am not so sure about mixing it with berry tones. I might have to actually see them together to see how it works. It's not a pairing I naturally think of.

I do still love this coat so much though.... SIGH.

Anonymous

It's beyond gorgeous, and I would be the last person to talk you out of it. Think of how much it will cheer you up on those grey, cold winter days! Even if you're just going grocery shopping.

I would go with steel-, smoke-, charcoal-, or silver-grey accessories rather than the berry. You could really dress it up with a metallic silver clutch.

Sal

Veteran

I agree with Viva.

I would wear the coat over jeans and boots, or jeans and sneakers, or tunics and leggings....I think it could be a sporty look.

But I see this as a cool purple and the accessories a warm purple, and I do think they might clash. I mix warm and cool - ie olive green and coral, or blush pink and denim, but I think within the same colour it is harder to do - I would not wear lime green and mint together. But you can always try it and sometimes it can be surprisingly good.

I wonder if that is why I struggle with my sea green tunic with blue denim...I want to like it because it is almost a column of colour but it is not quite....

Bonnie

Veteran

This is a beautiful coat and I love that purple color but I agree that the accessories might not work.

Mellllls

Veteran

I don't think the coat is too dressy but I wouldn't pair it with your accessories. Does it come in another color?

JAileen

Veteran

I used to wear a really nice camel hair coat to the grocery store because I often went on the way home from work.

I agree with the others that your bag and hat might not be compatible with the coat. If you love the coat, do you have other accessories?

Peri

Veteran

Thanks for the collective wisdom. I think the smart decision is no. Truth is, I love the shape but it is mainly the color that is calling me. And yet I've made a bigger commitment to the berry shade of purple and side by side I think the berry color is more flattering for me. I have, love and wear all shades of purple but in a show down the warmer reddish purples suit my extreme paleness better.

And I'm not at all a bag person so the idea of swapping out bags or buying a new one (I own two...the other is red) doesn't appeal.

And Liz is right...I think I would still end up looking for that step up from fleece.

Sigh. Not the final decision, but seems like the right one.

unfrumped

Veteran

It's a lovely coat, but does have that violent violet to it, whereas the berries are more muted (but your choices are quite rich in color, not drab at all). I think it's a harder color to wear and requires a very neutral background, but clear dark neutrals, whereas your accessories to me are more versatile, and will look good with both solid neutrals and more casual denim blues.
So it's still a coat you could get if you wanted to go in that direction, but sounds like you don't. Don't worry, a coat in a similarly fab, but possibly more wearable, color will cross you path one day!

Joyce B

Veteran

I am all for purple and I am not being helpful, I think you should get it, purple is your color too.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Pssst...are there free returns? If so, it doesn't hurt to try it out...

said the voice of the coat - devil.

SandyG

Veteran

It's vivid purple, what's not to like? It will look great with gray accessories and every pair of jeans I can think of. Get it, try it on, have some fun, see if it's your wildcard. Aren't we helpful? Now we'll all crave purple coats.

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

That's a gorgeous purple! If you have just the one (black) coat, I say - buy this! I'll also tell you why.....uhmm uhmm.

I also live in a climate with mild winters and have a casual lifestyle. But I like some variety in coats because (a) having just 1 feels a bit too less & boring (b) in winters, your coat becomes the 'accent' piece & I don't want to sport the same accent over & over & over when I go out to meet friends or even if I'm just dressing to please myself (c) I find that winter wear last for years and I still comfortably wear coats I bought 8 years back because they're gently used, so it isn't foolish to spend on one new coat every season (Coz it'll last you quite a few seasons to come) (d) A beautiful coloured coat can NOT be compared to a neutral black coat. It's like trying to justify why you should have a pair of statement heels when you already have one trusty black pair.

So did I manage to justify this splurge, yet? If not, I'm pretty darn sure I can come up with more points

Elizabeth P

Veteran

I could easily try to talk you into this, because it's a gorgeous colour, and I think it would look great on you. But the bottom line is that your accessories probably won't work well with it, and if you aren't interested in purchasing another bag, then walking away from the coat is the right choice. If I hadn't turned my coat hole into as small hill this year (a post on that coming shortly) I'd be looking at this too!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

YES. I can see the purple coat with your black pants, black sports shoes and burgundy support act.

Marley

Veteran

I'd get this in a N.Y. minute! I think the color would look absolutely gorgeous with your coloring - and retailers are showing a lot of berry/burgandy mixed with purple/violet this fall/winter. I love the combination and find it interesting and unexpected - in a very cool kind of way.

Aubergine

Veteran

I'm kind of late here, but I heard there was purple on the forum and had to track it down.

That's such a lovely coat and I vote to at least give it a try. I think that, with the simple cut, it could definitely work with really casual outfits, and the color would look great on you. I agree with Maneera that having a fun coat that's not a sensible neutral can make winter clothes a lot less boring and that a coat is something you'll have for a while, so it's somewhere where a splurge may be a little more justifiable. And it always seems to be hard to find coats in more unusual colors, so there's something to be said for snapping one up when you love the color and the style.

I love the bag and hat too! It's hard to say for sure, but I could see them working with the coat.