Honest Thoughts On Classic Outerwear

So, I own quite a few pieces of outerwear. A really shameful amount, considering that I live in California. And as fall is coming up, I thought I’d share my real, honest thoughts and experiences on a few so-called “classic” pieces – at least this way they’ll be going to some use, since it’s currently still in the high 70’s where I am right now.

1. Burberry Trench. Ahhh, the good ol’ Burberry trench. You know, personally I’ve tried to make a classic Burberry trench work on me so many times, but have yet to be successful. There’s always something off! I always hope that I’ll look just like Jessica Hart (I’m not quite sure why, since the rest of me does not) and it never works out. That being said, due to my frequent try ons, I have a few pieces of feedback:

A) don’t be pushed into buying one too tight, unless you only want to wear it over little cocktail dresses – I know it looks so nice and sleek all buttoned up and slim, but you want some room for sweaters. And breathing.

B) There are two classic khaki-ish colors, Trench and Honey. Try on both, each flatters different skin tones.

C) There’s multiple lengths for all the classic styles, so if something is looking too long/short, find the right length somewhere else. I feel that there’s enough styles and cuts of this trench that you should need minimal tailoring, unless it’s an issue of arm length. I mean, they’re expensive enough right? Save some costs on alterations.

2. Loro Piana Travellers Jacket: I own this in beige and love it. I actually like it so much,  I mentioned it as one of my travel essentials in Virtuoso Magazine. HOWEVER, I will say that this jacket is expensive. Really expensive. And it’s not going to be a show stopper, aka something that your husband gets excited about when he sees you pull it out of the closet. The only people who are going to compliment you on it are posh ladies with Corgis (always good to impress) and salespeople because they think you have money to burn. However, super practical and forever.

3. Chanel Little Black Jacket: I’ve tried a few of these, and after some mistakes and errors, my advice to anyone looking to add a classic Chanel little black jacket to their wardrobe would be to find one that you REALLY love, and to buy it in your exact size, and hopefully on sale. But the importance should be in this order: Style, Size, Price. I put price last because these things are hideously expensive even on sale, so it isn’t worth it to “settle”. Of course it’s great if you can get it on discount (and if you aren’t size 34/36, all the better your chances), but you want to wear and have and love this jacket forever, so make sure the style and size are right for you first. Do not wear your sale goggles! Also, the most classic styles in black usually sell out first, and mostly at full price.

Also, The Real Real, which I linked to above, occasionally has some excellent deals on these. Worth a peek, and plus you can return (without the judgment of salespeople).

4. Max Mara Coat: I love Max Mara. If you can swing it, get the Manuela.  It’s classic, forever, and I kind of regret not buying it (I bought a slightly more trendy version instead, with big sleeves, as seen above). Plus, now they have size 0, which means if you found the coat big before, it’s worth it to try again. Both Angelina Jolie and Kim Kardashian have the Manuela. That pretty much should cover the celebrity spectrum, right?

That being said…please do not discount Max Mara’s less expensive brands, like Studio, SportMax, etc. In my experience they’re all great quality and you can save some good money by buying one of the diffusion brands. Do you really need a double face vicuna coat? Maybe you do, and if so please send me photos of the rest of your wardrobe! But check out this beautiful gray coat from Max Mara Studio, for example. Under $1,000, gorgeous looking fabric, and super flattering cut, and you’ll have it forever.

5. Mr. And Mrs. Italy Parka: I’m classifying this under classic since they’ve been around a while. Note that while I love my baby blue version above, it should not be considered classic by any means. Also, whenever I wear it, my husband asks if I’ve just returned from Smurf hunting.

I actually really love both my pieces of outerwear from this brand, and do recommend it, especially if you aren’t really price sensitive. The quality and styling are great. That being said, it’s been ripped off so many times at this point, that there are a lot of cheaper versions out there…and at the end of the day, it’s a military parka with fur. It’s not like a camel hair coat, like with Max Mara. The main material is cotton. So if you want to save some money, you could go with any number of options…my personal favorite right now is this one from 10 Crosby, which is on sale for under $350 at that. Yes!

I’d love to hear your feedback/reviews on your classic items as well! What outerwear items have been underrated/overrated in your experience?