I took a couple of coats along to last week's style event so thought that I would show them to you, together with a couple of alternatives.
I am a big fan of a Crombie coat. Simple, single breasted and with clean lines, they don't date, are incredibly chic and suit most shapes. They can be worn with both smart dresses and heels for work and skinny jeans and boots at the weekend.
This Next Coat (£60) is a fantastic price and actually feels OK. Tapping into this season's trend for leather - or in this case pleather - (arguably that part of it may date slightly) it's a really great piece.
This is what the coat looks like on a body!
As an alternative, this Boden velvet trim coat £199 is beautiful. It also comes in camel and is quite generous in size, so it may be worth sizing down.
For a more casual coat, you can't beat a parka. They are everywhere at the moment. Some are more fashion orientated - great for those of us city dwellers - and come with detatchable linings and hoods. On the other hand, brands who make clothes for the "proper" outdoors, such as Berghaus and Merrell, design parkas possibly more suited to those who live in very wet/windy/cold climates, where more demands are placed on the coats.
This is the NW3 Birch Parka £179, which has a lovely fleece inside and a hood with a fur trim - which isn't at all mangy!
Again, this is what it looks like on a real body. With a draw string waist to add shape, plenty of useful pockets and snug cuffs, it's pretty near perfect.
Next comes the Next Luxury Navy Parka £85 - I must admit that I haven't seen this one in the flesh but again it has good sized pockets, a hood and it looks as if it draws in at the waist.
I really like the finish on this Oasis Wax quilted lined parka (£86). It's not quite as shiny as in the picture but, given that it is waxed, it does have a sheen about it. Having tried it on, I can tell you that it's definitely worth investigating.
For anyone who would like their parka to add a pop of colour to their wardrobe, this
GAP fur twill parka (£99.95) is a great option. It also comes in a pinky/coral colour, as well as the more sedate navy and khaki colours. In previous years the GAP parkas have sold out nationwide and a few weeks ago they were alarmed. What is the world coming to?!
Two basic styles of coats but with a few options for each. Oh, and one final one that I couldn't miss out - this very on trend number from Warehouse....the Warehouse colour block parka (£95)
I was given the heads up today that the Pavilions campaign in which I featured is on the front page of the new Shopping in Birmingham website - which has just replaced the Style Birmingham site. That aside, for anyone planning a day out shopping in Birmingham, it's a great place to look for information.
