the hooded parka

Surely winter could not come and go without at least the consideration of a new coat. Surely.

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And wouldn’t you know it, I found one! An olive green parka with a fur lined hood, like I’ve been hoping to find for ages. Ages I tell you. Cotton, not down, but still quite heavy and warm, and not $600. Not inexpensive, either, but that’s a coat for you.

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It’s getting to be that time where the fashion element of the site consists of various outerwear and protective gear. I do love coats, but still. It’s going to be a lot of coats. A lot of a few coats. One does want to look just as stylish with or without a coat, true. I’ll be mostly wearing thermal shirts and sweaters underneath them so will probably look a good deal more put together with the coat on, but one does long for the days of bare arms and wearing whatever one wants.

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Two scarves!

Zara parka, Express Jeans, Jeffrey Campbell France Strapped boots (I do like olive and rust together). On the lips: MAC lipstick in Hang Up, a deep raspberry bordeaux, which liking very much. I need to do another bordeaux lip round up, I think. Have found several I like since the first one.

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I can’t get enough of dramatic hoods and collars, and dramatic necklines in general. Fur is an easy way to achieve this kind of massive sculptural volume around the shoulders and/or throat, and I’m always lamenting that some of the old school strategies have gone out of style, i.e. ruffs and vertiginously high collars. A generous hood can be such a pleasing frame for the head and shoulders when down (think the massively hooded cloaks the women are wearing throughout the Danish film Babette’s Feast – excellent film btw), it’s almost a shame to put it up. Then, though, up it is a completely different kind of pleasing frame.

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we ♥ coats

We really do.

We like bold lapels.

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Yohji Yamamoto

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YSL

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Ralph Lauren

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We like plaids and florals.

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Nicole Miller

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Badgley Mischka Fall Winter 2013 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

Badgley Mischka

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We love a bit of military structure and matador embellishment.

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Balmain

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YSL

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Ralph Lauren

We like coats that look like dresses.

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We like coats that are not strictly coats.

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capelet!

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We rather want to buy this coat.

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LL Bean Signature Middleton trench

We are also hunting especially for a floral print trench but satisfactory prints and cuts are elusive, never mind the two together.

In fact, there is always some coat or another we want.  Or some idea of a coat. A good coat will take you anywhere, as anyone with a good coat knows.

Yes…we really love coats.

images via pinterest