More Red Coats!

After the heads-up from a fellow blogger Jill Bielawski about why I shouldn't be thinking about anything with wool in it (except the kind that I knit myself, produced by humane producers), I started digging around for a red coat without any wool - no wool blends!

I found these coats at dillards.com - neither has any wool in them.  Both are designed by Jessica Simpson:

Jessica Simpson Notch-Collar Coat
$99.00 Dillards

Jessica Simpson Pocket Coat
$129.00 at Dillards

Both coats are made of a polyester/viscose/spandex blend.  Not exactly environmentally friendly because of the use of petroleum products to make the synthic fabrics, but on the other hand, no sheep are being tortured to make wool for these coats, either.  We KNOW how to raise animals in a humane way.  We know how to shear sheep's wool in a humane (not "by piecework") way.  Let's just start doing it, and leave the petroleum for gasoline and vasoline production.  Geez, people!  This is the 21st century.  Aren't we better than our barbarian ancestors?

I Want a Red Coat!

I've had the idea in mind for awhile, but I've been spending so much on new clothes of late, and with the Madrid vacation coming up in January, how can I possibly justify the expense of a new coat when I have several perfectly adequate coats already hanging in my closet? 

I want a bright red - not a ruby red, not a rasberry - coat.  I already have a rasberry-colored down coat that I bought a few years ago from LLB that I LOVE!  It keeps me toasty warm during all but the coldest days of our Wisconsin winters where, if needed, I pull out the heavy-duty down coat that's ankle-length!  It's not a beautiful mood-lifting rasberry color, though.

Ideally what I'm looking for is a three-season bright red coat with a zip-out lining. But I'd go for a suitably styled wool-blend walker that fits!  That's the thing - finding something that fits. 

My height is 5' 3-3/4" unless I've shrunk (wouldn't be surprised if that's starting to happen now, post-menopause) but at my current weight, I'm not "petite."  Even when I was 106 pounds I wasn't exactly petite, because a lot of sizes called petite are geared for women shorter than me.  I'm in that shady borderline area where misses' clothes are usually cut too long and petite sizes are short-waisted, too short and cut too tight across the bust and shoulders.  Argggghhhhh!

I love this look, but I don't think it would be flattering on my current figure; the belt is a no-no right now and without the belt the look would be more potato sack blah than anything else.  Also, I think the short length would mean freezing my butt off - literally!  This is a New York winter type of coat, where it doesn't drop down to 20 or 30 below zero except maybe once a season, and then everyone stays home from work :)  The belt looks cheaply made, BTW.  I think a matching red belt would be more figure friendly, but if it must be black, make it out of a faux snake-skin look or something else than this tire-retred look!

Macy's, Steve Madden long sleeve belted cape coat.
Regularly $179, on sale for $99.

Here's a possibility - again, an interesting sillouette like the look above, and nice tailoring details.  The color is also spot-on what I'm looking for.  The figure-skimming A-line would be more flattering than the cinch-waist look.  It's a lined wool-blend too, and I suspect it would be warmer than the Steve Madden coat above

Tommy Hilfiger, long sleeve A-line wool toggle coat.
Regularly $198.50, on sale for $149.99.

 London Fog can always be counted on to have classic looks, and this coat looks promising, but the reviews at Macy's say the color isn't anything like the nice bright red in the photo, but more of a MAROON color.  Oh yuck!  That means - NIX.  Too bad, it has an acrylic lining (doesn't say it's removable, though), plus removable hood and removable scarf. 

London Fog rain coat, $99.98 everyday value at Macy's.

Doesn't anyone make longer coats anymore? In the winter I'm outside for up to 40 or 50 minutes at a time, walking and waiting for buses that sometimes don't show up!  I need something with coverage!

Ah - here are a couple of looks from Ann Klein, also found at the Macy's website and also on sale:

Ann Klein, wool blend belted walker.
Regularly $175, on sale for $169.99 at Macy's.

Ann Klein, wool/cashmere blend seamed walker.
Everyday value $169.98 at Macy's. Great price!

How about something below the knee, please?

Here's an absolutely gorgeous coat - and a price I can't touch:



Cinzia Rocca Long A-Line baby llama/wool blend.
Niemann Marcus $1,530.00.

I'll keep looking :)