Buying Your First Winter Coat

Early autumn and late summer are the time all of the brand coats start coming out for winter - be they sugary concoctions with bear-ears or subdued beauties described in colors like 'milk tea' and 'coffee'. Some lolitas will be wearing last year's coats, brushed up and newly accessorized; others, long in the game, will have sold their previous season's coats so as to purchase the newest darling. Others may never have before bought a lolita coat, either from lack of funds or simply that this will be their first winter in the frills. Buying a coat doesn't look easy, they fuss. They're as expensive as two dresses put together, and made with all sorts of requirements different than the usual shopping criteria. Besides that, you'll most likely be wearing the coat every day (especially if you can afford only the one) - it may be all people see you in from November until March.

Cost: Set yourself a budget and decide just how much you can afford to spend on a coat. You will be hard-pressed to find a lolita coat of winter quality that costs less than $150. You can buy an offbrand coat from a store like Fanplusfriend (where I got my first coat) for around $150 - 200, and there are similarly priced and slightly cheaper ones from Hong Kong stores like Rose Melody (though I can't vouch for them personally). If you must have a brand coat, be prepared to pay somewhere within $350 - 500. In case you just experienced a wave of nausea, think of it on the pay-to-play scale. If your coat originally costs $400, but you wear it every day for five months (400/[5 * 30], give or take) you've only paid $2.60 a day or per wearing, which is probably less than your morning latte (do I sound like a commercial or what?) This method can be applied to anything you purchase - if it gets enough wear, it will eventually start paying for itself. (And of course, getting a coat that makes you happiest versus compromising is, as the commercials say, priceless). So even though a coat may be substantially more costwise, you'll be wearing it more than your favorite special-occasions only dress, which actually makes it more cost-effective. You can also buy non-lolita coats (there is a very chic 60s sort of coat at H&M currently) for a price range of $100 and under, but bear in mind that they are not cut to fit in the lolita silhouette. I had a $25 pink wool coat from Marshall's at my very start, which, while cute, gave me the dreaded 'poof peen' - there was always a wobbly wen of fabric sticking out of the coat, and squashed my petticoats. If you prefer more casual lolita, then this could be useful to you. If you're definitely into the silhouette, then don't bother.

Style Needs: So now that you've decided your budget, you need to decide just what you want your coat to do for you (ask not what you can do for your coat... ). Do you want to wear your coat every day, or just to events like winter meetups? Should you coat go to the opera or the office or both? Are you a super-sweet lolita, and can you walk into class with a bunny-eared hood without getting booed out of school?

If you're going to be wearing your coat often, you'll probably want something less distinctive or over the top. Angelic Pretty's fawn coat is made more like a dress, and if you wore it every day, might tire of it quickly. Can you imagine Day #56 straight of putting on your Bambi coat, on some raw February morning, or does the thought make your stomach turn? A coat doesn't need to match your clothes, as it should cover the majority of your outfit - but if you're the kind of person who likes to switch around styles, can you really wear a super sweet style every day if you're feeling more Gothic? Not only that, how does it fit into your everyday life? Would you need a more toned-down, standard coat, or does it not matter if you waltz in with six dozen bows on your hood?

If you'll only be wearing your coat to special events (ice skating meets, Christmas parties, etc) then you can go absolutely wild and pick out the flashiest, craziest coat with the most ruffles and frills. Ermine? Glittery leopard print? Sure!

Weight and Climate: What is winter like where you live? Do you typically get snow, ice, and wind, or simply a cold rain? Or perhaps it doesn't even get very cold where you live at all. These influence what weight of a coat you want. A heavy weight coat is usually made of wool and then lined, to stand up to freezing temperatures. A light-weight coat, sometimes called spring weight or autumn weight, is better for milder climates. Typically these are more of a brushed broadcloth. The best suggestion for knowing how a coat will stand up to weather before ordering it is to do your homework. A coat or a brand's typical coats may be reviewed on a lolita community like egl (use the search function), or you'll need to look closely at the specs of the item. Does it say what it's made out of? Can you get a good look at the inside by looking at the photos?

Bear in mind that even the winter weight lolita coats are assuming that you are wearing layers - sweaters, blouses, dresses, undershirts, the whole shebang - you generally can't sling it on over your strappiest little black dress and go. So don't be surprised if even your wool coat doesn't keep you perfectly warm at times - but you can read tips for wearing lolita in the winter here and here.

Color: When wearing a full lolita coat, it's actually cut like a large dress, and should therefore cover the entire outfit (barring shoes, socks, hair accessories, etc). So don't worry about matching your coat to your outfits - just pick whichever color you like best. My only warning is to be careful with light-colored coats - sweeping white fur against my dingy car before commuting every day was not fun! Even if your coat is a dark color, you will probably need to wash it (most likely at the cleaners') halfway through the season and then once more before packing it away for next year. Be careful with faux fur - sometimes washing will give it the texture of a used teddy bear. Check to see if your fur collars are detachable before going to your local dry cleaners'.

And that is all you need to know about selecting and purchasing your first lolita winter coat! There will be a follow-up article on winter accessorizing as well, so keep reading!

Doesn't this just make you excited for the first snowfall? I am!

Labels: guide, shopping, winter

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 11:27 PM