Spring coats where the season is short
Spring coats where I live are what my mother called "a snare in a delusion".
The temperature bounced between -2C and 14C last week, but everyone's sick of heavy winter gear, even though there's still ice in the wind. But if you buy a light coat, you could wear it shivering in sleet.
Since spring is so short, investing a lot does not make sense, unless it's a neutral you'd also wear in the fall, like navy or beige. But then it doesn't look exuberantly spring-like. I think that's the case in warmer locales too: fall and spring cast a different mood.
Some solutions I've seen on our city streets:
- A powder-blue lighter-weight down vest over a an off-white cashmere sweater: Sporty and springy
- The lined raincoat: A classic solution, but most versions are not interesting
- The quilted jacket: Just enough warmth and, if in a colour, seasonal. Like them on others better than on me. (Shown, the Land's End Dory, on sale for $47.)
Two of my spring coats are from my favourite resale store: an Escada butter yellow wool topper that was pre-owned, and a "new old stock" Anna Ma
ria Beretta pale taupe spring-weight wool. The third I bought at a local boutique, a Chacok trench in a shimmery burgundy techno-fiber.
That should keep me covered, but I would love the Pringle 1815 embroidered cotton trench, $595 from Net-a-porter.
The colour and embroidery at the hem lift it from the mannish sameness of many trench coats.
A leather jacket is useful in cooler-climate spring, but not in heavy black. This, the iris blue Doma washed leather bomber, $505 (also from Net-a-porter) would be dreamy.
If buying a raincoat, an interesting finish makes the coat seasonal. This Hilary Radley coat from Bluefly is pearl double-faced linen. (It's is deeply on sale for $159, but only available in size 12). I'm showing it to illustrate how a slight iridesence lifts a neutral. If you find one, grab it; they are rare as rainbows.
For a short rain jacket, I'd pick this elegant one from Babette's Spring collection. The rose will flatter everyone, and I prefer it to a wan pastel.
The temperature bounced between -2C and 14C last week, but everyone's sick of heavy winter gear, even though there's still ice in the wind. But if you buy a light coat, you could wear it shivering in sleet.
Since spring is so short, investing a lot does not make sense, unless it's a neutral you'd also wear in the fall, like navy or beige. But then it doesn't look exuberantly spring-like. I think that's the case in warmer locales too: fall and spring cast a different mood.
Some solutions I've seen on our city streets:- A powder-blue lighter-weight down vest over a an off-white cashmere sweater: Sporty and springy
- The lined raincoat: A classic solution, but most versions are not interesting
- The quilted jacket: Just enough warmth and, if in a colour, seasonal. Like them on others better than on me. (Shown, the Land's End Dory, on sale for $47.)
Two of my spring coats are from my favourite resale store: an Escada butter yellow wool topper that was pre-owned, and a "new old stock" Anna Ma
ria Beretta pale taupe spring-weight wool. The third I bought at a local boutique, a Chacok trench in a shimmery burgundy techno-fiber.That should keep me covered, but I would love the Pringle 1815 embroidered cotton trench, $595 from Net-a-porter.
The colour and embroidery at the hem lift it from the mannish sameness of many trench coats.A leather jacket is useful in cooler-climate spring, but not in heavy black. This, the iris blue Doma washed leather bomber, $505 (also from Net-a-porter) would be dreamy.
If buying a raincoat, an interesting finish makes the coat seasonal. This Hilary Radley coat from Bluefly is pearl double-faced linen. (It's is deeply on sale for $159, but only available in size 12). I'm showing it to illustrate how a slight iridesence lifts a neutral. If you find one, grab it; they are rare as rainbows.
For a short rain jacket, I'd pick this elegant one from Babette's Spring collection. The rose will flatter everyone, and I prefer it to a wan pastel.
Comments
mardel: Check the Babette web site, to see more from this season!
Duchesse, the people I was scrutinising yesterday had all stored their ugly winter boots. And they looked very chic indeed.
Babette is lovely indeed, though I don't think rose is my thing. I prefer deeper reds, though there is something about the hue of that jacket I do like.