All Bundled Up

I’ve written about not wearing a coat in our mild Texas winters, and getting by with a few light layers and comfortable cardigans.  And then I planned a little trip to Salt Lake City in January, and immediately realized that I’ll need something more substantial to shield me from the actual SNOW that apparently falls from the sky there.

I have a leather coat that’s over ten years old and a shapeless gray trench that I throw on for walks around the neighborhood, but I wanted something more sophisticated that doesn’t scream, “Look at the girl from Texas who doesn’t know the first thing about outerwear!” and when I saw this piece on sale at Anthropologie over the holiday weekend, I knew it might work for me.  Plus, the amazing Lindsay from Black & Blonde gave her approval, so I jumped at the chance to update my coat collection.

I realize I have Anthropologie on the brain recently, and I’m blaming it on the cupcakes.  Honestly, they had a really great Black Friday sale and I purchased the Modernist Shawl-Collar Coat for an amazing deal.  It’s incredibly warm and comfortable, but I was first intrigued by the unusual collar and the flattering closure that stops midway down.  As a pear-shaped woman, I often find that longer jackets and coats fit great around my shoulders and torso, but not so great around my hips.  This silhouette is comfortable and flattering, and also extremely warm.  It will serve me well for the few days in January when an actual cold front blows through, and paired with a sweater and a few layers, it will also keep me warm in Salt Lake City.

(A detail of the collar.)

I love the definite modern look of this coat, but it also feels very classic to me, too.  And I personalized it just a little with a sparkling ballerina pin.

(The coat unbuttoned.)

It also works unbuttoned, and the shawl collar falls nicely around my shoulders like a scarf.  I’m not a fan of constricting clothing around my neck, so this piece suits me perfectly, keeping me warm without that suffocating feeling I dread.

(It’s HOT, y’all!)

And once again, in the true spirit of blogger integrity, I’m keeping it real and revealing everything.  My fabulous coat arrived just in time for another warming trend, and it was a balmy 80 degrees when these pictures were taken.  I wore my trusty old boyfriend capris for a little ventilation.

But I’m so excited to wear my amazing coat when the temperature does finally take a plunge, or when I step off the plane in Salt Lake City, whichever comes first!