Sylvie, thank you so much!
I did call about one style that is not available anywhere in my size, alas...
However, I didn't ask about others, and that is a great idea. I mainly just went to the store to find out what my size in the jackets is. I had never tried one on before.
As to your particular recommendations....thank you!
I actually tried the first jacket you linked to. It is clearly an outdoor jacket (in my mind) both because of style and also because it just felt heavier overall than the other two. It was "okay" but not great on me. IRL the colour actually did not look as good as the colour on the jacket I pictured here. And I didn't want all the detail - e.g. epaulets, etc. It felt too fussy to me.
I like the looks of the super dramatic one you linked to. But it is much more of a true brown than I want, and also would be long on me, I'm sure.
Now to your fit explanations. This is becoming more and more interesting every time somebody pipes up! You got the same advice I did about fit, and I would have been able to wear a long sleeved shirt or a thin knit under the ones they told me were the right size; nothing more.
On me the fit IS very snug in the arms, however. The body of jacket 1 was snug through the bust area (as were a couple of others, prompting me to laugh like crazy because as everybody knows, I have ZERO bust!!!!). I don't think it's really the "bust" per se that is snug - it's because of my shoulders/ arms. (I am not an IT but have a strong shoulder line!)
Jacket 1 was snug on the body as well...but not at all uncomfortably so.
Jacket 2 was less snug overall (body and arms) but again, the snuggest place was the shoulder/arm area.
When I sized up in that, it was just way too big overall.
The brown in that jacket was in store - it is too dark. The grey is...well...GREY...not taupe. And while I like grey and expect it to be one of the colours in my wardrobe, I am pretty sure the raspberry would be more flattering to me. I tried on another jacket in that grey and thought it was just "okay."
Back to peruse the website to see if there are other styles I could get ordered in, though. Thank you for that tip!