I love spring—it’s then my favorite flowers bloom, the ones my grandmother knew how to grow into wild abandon, the shameless grand dames of any garden, the exploding irises and peonies that render other spring flowers wallflowers by comparison. But it still hits a bittersweet note for me, because I must soon say goodbye to one of my fashion favorites—the winter coat.
When I speak of winter coats, I don’t mean the puffy polyester Michelin-man monstrosities that turn women into life rafts. And, I don’t mean furs. As much as I love old school Hollywood glamour, I am 100 percent faux in my own life. I may know how to skin a squirrel, but that long-ago skill acquired in childhood has been and will remain in my past.
I am talking about the kinds of coats that you can make your calling card. Coats that can become your signature statement. That can conceal all manner of faults or bad decisions, fashion or otherwise. Spilled coffee on your dress at lunch? Walk home like a boss in that fitted fan
cy red wool coat with the black faux fur collar, and passers-by will be none the wiser.
Did a wee bit too much scotch facilitate a poor choice the night before? Hey, it is winter, and all anyone sees when you walk home now is the fabulous, classic wool coat that covers all manner of sins. Of course you just left your house, and you are going to a house of worship.
Did you ignore my advice and leave your house in a dress that was a bit too tight? Find a chilly brunch spot and make an excuse to keep on the princess-seamed bright blue tweed that looks as if it were made just for you.
If you stick with classic lines and fabrics—especially wool and such blends—you never have to worry about being “on trend.” The coats featured in these photos have been in my closet for a year, five years, and eight years. I still wear them a
ll. Whenever I can. Coffee or no coffee.
Warm weather, of course, has its fashion benefits. But there is no easier fashion statement than just the right coat when the weather is cold and the snow is falling. Slip on a pair of shoes that complements the coat (note the heels in the photos), and you are good to go. You could be naked. You could be wearing a top smeared with enchilada sauce. Or, you could be like me—wearing the exercise garb that goes under my hockey gear.
No one need know your secrets as long as the wind has a slight chill. Find a beautiful coat and make the most of it. Because April is indeed the cruelest month—and it and its blossoms are right around the corner. And the coat is right around the corner from the closet.