Style by Joanie

coats to love

Banana Republic

Uniqlo

The Curated

Sandro

H&M

DKNY

J Brand

Vince

Alex Mill

I wait all year for fall to hit so I can work on a coat/jacket round up! In my opinion, we should be paying more attention to our outerwear as it’s a primary styling piece for two seasons out of the year. It doesn’t feel good to pull on the same boring coat to face another grey day. Even though I live in California, I am very familiar with Michigan winters and the day in and day out darkness that can start to drag you down. When it comes to coats and boots, there is a lot of age old wisdom circling around, “buy something practical!”, “make sure it’s sturdy!”, “it should last you a lifetime”, “it can’t be too thin!”, “it should be a neutral color!” and my personal favorite which is the “can you easily lift your hands over your head test” while wearing it which is just not an actual way to measure if any article of clothing works or not. What if when it came time to pull down the ole’ winter bins, you felt excited to take out your coat and hang it up for another season? I’d like us all to be able to have that feeling. Our winter-selves deserve a little style thrill!

A guest style post by my sister Joanie. Love her points here, she’s right–I’ll be wearing these coats every day for the next six months! Thanks Joanie!

Coats and outerwear can be an investment but they truly are a cost per wear item, much more than many of the clothing items we spend a lot of $ on. And, when you buy quality they truly last a lifetime. My Mom has coats that are 30 years old that I love and wear when I visit. But, on the other side of that coin, I am also an advocate for buying something impractical that might not be the most high quality piece but that feels fun and lively. Like the neon orange coat I bought from Zara years ago and love to wear and get a zillion compliments. It’s all about balance. Here are some favorites from around the web.

Banana Republic

Uniqlo

The Curated

I know I’ve mentioned this several times before by Banana Republic has really been stepping up their game. It’s thrilling to me if I can find BR pieces from the 80’s + 90’s while I’m thrifting but they really lost their way in the 2000’s. Going in there felt like stepping into a fast fashion store. But, I think they’re starting to find their way again. Things feel more quality, styling is way up and the overall vibe is elevated classics which is what they should stick to. I love this jacket. It’s a great length and the blue is fresh but still very versatile.

I have this Uniqlo jacket in the pink. It’s super lightweight, the kind of coat you can shove in your carry on bag or purse as a “just in case it gets cold” option. And yet very warm. It’s also a great layering option too.

Rachael bought The Curated camel coat and I loved it so much on her I bought the same one in green. It is expensive but it really is so stunning, feels like Max Mara. It’s a female-founded company and they are very transparent with their pricing and manufacturing practices. If you are between sizes I highly recommend sizing up! I wish I would have gotten a medium instead of a small so I could wear sweaters under it.

It’s hard to find a classic raincoat. There are lots of “water resistant” options but that’s not the same as something that will keep you really dry. J.Crew just has an insane amount of good coats and jackets right now. Stutterheim also makes a great durable rain jacket. The price is high but it’s a great coat that i own and love.

Sandro

H&M

DKNY

Sandro is one of my favorite designers, the quality is amazing. Their pieces can be expensive which is why I look to by it second-hand which usually means at The RealReal. A long wool peacoat by them is a great buy. The perfect thing to wear to a dinner out or to an event where you don’t want your outerwear to detract from the look you’re wearing. Would also be very cute during the day with jeans, flat boots and a sweater under it. I also love this deep camel colored one from them. The fringe is an unexpected fun detail.

I got one of the faux shearling options from H&M last year and I wear it all the time. I love how cozy it is and it looks great worn over workout gear to make it a bit more chic. And it’s remarkably warm. This cropped version is cute too.

I adore this perfectly modern checkered coat from DKNY. So chic!

J Brand

Vince

Alex Mill

This wool/cashmere coat is a great buy. The wide color and two button closure make it a timeless piece.

We bought this Alex Mill sherpa wool jacket for my mother-in-law for Christmas last year and it was a hit. I saw it person and immediately wanted one, but they were sold out for the season. Happy to see they’re back!

I could go on and on because there are so many cute options out there right now! But I’ll end on this one from Vince. If you haven’t tried a long wool/wool blend coat I encourage you to do so. If you usually stick to shorter jackets, give a long coat a try. It might take a minute to get used to but there is something about them that makes you feel a bit more put together, glamorous even when you put it on. Even worn over sweats you somehow feel pulled together.

6 Comments

  • Erika

    These posts are so much fun! I love the range of items and I always find something I need for the season. Thank you! Can Joanie tell me what leather jacket to buy??? That’s a staple I need in my closet.

    • Joanie

      Good call on leather jackets! I usually like them fitted and on the shorter sided with a zip, what do you look for in a leather jacket? Let me know, it’ll help me source good ones! Xx

  • Susan

    I love long wool coats with a hood. I bought one from Uniqlo but it looks so worn out after three years. Just purchased a wool Anne Klein coat from Thred Up that looks similar and I hope it works out. I find it difficult to buy clothes online for myself but I still love looking!

    • Joanie

      Vintage Anne Klein is the absolute best! The quality of her pieces is amazing and they last forever. I think it will out last your Uniqlo piece by years. Xx

  • Tori

    I would love an accompanying post for kids clothes (especially investment prices like coats and boots)! I find it so difficult to navigate wanting good quality pieces that have hand-me-down potential when sometimes the pricier options are no better quaility than the Amazon quick picks. Some tried and true recs would be heartily appreciated!!

    • Rachael

      That’s been on my mind Tori, I will try to write that up. We actually lost almost all of our winter gear in a package last year, so I’ve had to re-evulate, and repurchase, everything! It’s been traumatic but has reminded me of how thankful I was for what we had and can get.

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