me and coats (lyn)

Some people have an obsession for shoes; I have one for coats.  It’s another reason I love fall and winter.  You can always hide under a coat and still look good.

This past week I rid myself of two coats.  I brought an old Prada coat to the Designer Resale shop, and gave my mother a barely worn knee-length chocolate leather coat that squeaked too much (plus it was a little big).  It looks great on my mom.

Today I decide to re-size a gorgeous black cashmere swing coat I bought exactly five years ago.  I’ve barely worn it.  When I put it on last year it looked ridiculously big.  I search online for a good tailor and find one nearby, George’s European Tailor.  Writers on Yelp give him outstanding reviews, though he is described as being gruff.  An understatement as it turns out. 

George pins the coat and when I ask him if it needs to be shortened he says, “Maybe, if you were twenty years younger,” implying, what, I’m not exactly sure, but nonetheless I don’t like his comment.  I leave George’s deflated.

For the past two weeks, I’ve been haunted by this must- have casual, button-less shearling coat by Vince.  There must be something wrong with me, as I am losing sleep over this coat.  I start to rationalize. I can use the $225 in Reward Cards that I’ve accumulated over the past year and that expire by year's end.  I'll have it forever (though it's hard for me to imagine wearing this coat at 85).  The Vince Department will honor a 20% off promotion they had two weeks ago (It's a long, agonizing story as to why they agreed to this).  It'll be perfect for all those fall screenings: warm but not big and bulky, and easy to maneuver in a chair (Really, doesn't everyone need a good movie  coat?).  I know I shouldn’t and at the same time I know I will.  Then I learn that today there is another promotion and I’ll get an additional $250 off, plus a $75 Rewards Card because it's also triple-points day.  Now the coat is 46% off while still selling at full price at Saks and Bergdorf’s.  Bloomingdales only has one left in size small.  I have no will power.  I buy the coat.  I can always return it.  I wish the cold weather would hurry and arrive.