Outerwear Essentials

"When 'tis fair be sure to take your great coat with you." - Benjamin Franklin. 

Coats and jackets are such an essential part of your wardrobe. "What's the difference between the two?" you might be asking. Did you even know there was a difference? There actually is; 2 distinct ways of telling apart a coat from a jacket is a) length and b) thickness. Jackets tend to be shorter and lighter in material, and coats are longer and heavier in material. None the less, both outerwear pieces are vital to both men's and women's collections. 

Recently I've become obsessed with the two. I even had to return this beautiful wool coat/cape I purchased during Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale :( It was such a pretty piece, but I realized as much as I liked it and as much as I could convince myself I'd wear it, truth is, it's wool and I live in California...so back to the store it went. So in it's place and for a fraction of the cost, I got a few new outerwear items!!!

The Rainy Weather Coat

The other day Joey and I went to Sam's Club. It was a free pass day, meaning, they were having a  promotion for non-members, allowing them to shop for one day only at their location. So....we took advantage of it. And one of the items I picked up was my brand new trench coat in khaki. The coat, is from the Reaction collection by Kenneth Cole and retailed at $39.98- such a steal!!!!!! Of course I had to get it ;) Aside from khaki, the coat also came in black and an army green. It fits true to size and has several details. What I love about this coat is that it looks nice open or closed and that it can be dressed up or down. This particular piece is more for the rainy weather, starting in the fall and can run up till spring- depending on what part of the world you live in. It's not as heavy as a full on winter coat, it's designed that way- acting more as a barrier from the rain than from the cold. If you don't have one, get one, its versatility makes it an essential!

The Cold Weather Coat

Last winter I came across this off white Espirit number at Burlington Coat Factory. I think I was planning a trip during the winter and I didn't have an appropriate coat- I did just  move from Hawaii 1 month prior ;) I want to say I was actually looking for a leather jacket when I came across the one I purchased, and I believe the coat was in the neighborhood of $40 or so. I had to do a bit of tailoring to it because it was a little lengthy in the arms, but that's nothing a quick needle and thread couldn't have fixed! I also made sure to scotch-guard it before I wore it, to prevent from it getting stained or God forbid ruined. So far, so good! This coat too, fits true to size and looks darling when all buttoned up. It's nice and thick, so it definitely keeps me warm. I absolutely love this coat, and can't wait until it gets cold enough to wear again. Actually I can....but you catch my drift :)

The Fashion Statement

Leather Jackets are the ultimate fashion statement. This piece is a classic, I don't foresee it going out of style any time soon. Which is why I was so excited when I picked up my first one. Both jackets are from a store called Style For Less and retailed under $35 each. The black motorcycle style was $34.99 and came with a detachable belt, which I don't wear with mine. I love the collar on this jacket, it's the style of collar I've wanted on a leather jacket, ever since I could remember wanting one. It's the feature I love most about this piece. 

The brown leather jacket was $24.99 and features plenty of zipper detailing. What caught my eye about this one was its cognac hue, it's going to look amazing in the fall!  Leather jackets are also another wardrobe must have, they too are versatile and can add a bit of edginess to your outfits. And if you can do all that without breaking the bank, why not??

*Side note: both jackets are faux leather- as if the prices told you otherwise ;)

There you have it, just a few key outerwear pieces. Where this obsession will take me, I'm not sure. Hopefully I'm through with buying coats AND jackets for a while because I'm definitely running out of closet space!! Explore what you have in your own, check out local shops and even thrift stores for those key pieces. You don't have to spend a fortune to look like one. Till then, stay fabulous. XOXO