By Bigwavedave
from New England on 06/08/2011
Pros:
Blocks Wind, Flattering, High Quality
Best Uses:
Travel, Wear To Work
Describe Yourself:
Classic Dresser
Length:
Feels true to length
Sizing:
Feels true to size
Sleeve Length:
Feels true to length
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
This is not a coat to be taken lightly. It is serious, maybe even a little off-putting at first to those of us used to more gregarious garments. This is no eager to please, but ultimately unreliable fashion statement. For instance, it is not only fully lined, but insulated from the waist up. This was not expected, at at first, a little bothersome. I had expected the flannel lining that is popular in so many of these English waxed garments. It was soon clear that any disappointment on my part had to do with my expectations, rather than the coat itself, because the woman who will wear the coat enjoys it greatly and without reservation.
FIT: The insulation makes it a little less form fitting than a lightweight raincoat, to which it will be compared at first. It is, however, much more substantial than those sassy little numbers that hit mid thigh, leaving your knees exposed to the elements. And, it is quite flattering when one considers that this coat's main purpose is not to flatter you, but to protect you. And shouldn't a good friend be more concerned about "having your back" than stroking your ego?
BTW, The wearer is 5'7" and heavy chested. This coat accommodates her chest without hanging shapelessly over her lower body.
FUNCTION: This coat will keep you dry. It will keep you warm for a reasonable amount of time in any weather in which rain, rather than snow falls, which is great for those cold, rainy days that soak the nice wool coat. With a sweater, it would get through a decent part of a coastal or urban New England winter.
CONSTRUCTION: Seems well stitched. Nice details like (heavy-duty) stitching between the snaps on the front, which means the fabric that covers the snaps does not get blown around or mis-shapen. The snaps themselves are pleasantly unusual. The whole system of closing the front the coat is more thoughtfully engineered and heavily constructed than most any garment I have seen (I used to have a collection of vintage and military winter coats), including the double zipper, which should be standard on over garments, but which is woefully absent on many of today's fashions. Although the contrast stitching is not as garish as described by another reviewer (it is tan, not white), it would not have been my choice. But we accept the quirks of our human friends, I suppose, so it seems appropriate to let it slide. However, the one thing that I (and the wearer) found strange was the lack of a hood. There are not even snaps or buttons to accept one.
FINAL NOTE: There is an funny pocket in the sleeve. The wearer has not found it yet, and I'm not telling her, because the occasional surprise is good in a long term relationship.
