Last Purchases of 2013

This year I realized I'd had it with freezing knees, those square inches between the hem of my wool skirt and the top of my boots. I'm not wearing long skirts like I used to, and I am cold. The object of my affection was a thousand dollar Fleurette coat at Nordstrom's, though I realized that was not happening.

Fleurette Cashmere Long Coat

But there were some more reasonable possibilities at Lord and Taylor and Macy's; Anne Klein, Jones New York, etc. There was even a Cinzia Rocca coat that I might have gotten up the nerve to charge on my card.

Cinzia Rocca Due Wing Collar Alpaca Coat

Some of the more affordable coats were blends of wool and nylon, and I suspected they wouldn't be all that warm. Some seemed warm, but were itchy around the throat. One Forecaster of Boston coat was gorgeous, but had shortish sleeves, which made no sense to me.

Then I found it. (Though mine is black.)

 

Portrait Mixed Media Coat at Lord and Taylor. The model's picture, for a change, does not do it justice. It has a detachable hood. It has deep pockets. It is easy to button. It is not too heavy. The cuffs unfold to keep your hands SUPER warm. It is incredibly soft around my neck and face. It was 60% off (and even more marked down now).

I wore it home. I may have taken a nap under it. I wore it Christmas Eve downtown in single digit temperatures, and was toasty. And it even moves well when I walk (down is so stiff). I feel like I'm in the Narnia wardrobe when I'm wearing it.

Then, being on a tear, and in utter contrast, I bought this:

Anne Klein Asymmetrical Quilted Coat

It was 60% off at Macy's. I've wanted a quilted leather jacket since my former boss showed up at work in one about a decade ago. She wore it like a blazer, in a tough but sweet outfit. Moto jacket, floral skirt.

And it is pretty darn cool. It's hanging in my bedroom, letting some of the packing marks relax, letting the leather bloom, as it were. I have a gray and white floral challis skirt that might be good, and an orange pleated silk skirt that might be good too. I kind of like the idea of schoolgirl plaid with it too (which, ahem, I don't own).

So, my last purchases of 2013 are all about NEED (warm, long, soft, affordable) and WANT (short, leather, cool). Here's to a little of both for all of us in 2014!