Winter Style: 2010's Coat Line Up!

I gotta say, I love coats. I can't get enough coats. Whether it's because I'm a snowbunny at heart or because coats always seem to have a more fairy-tale-feel than anything else, they're my absolute favorite lolita item. Each brand has their own interpretation, and each season brings something a little different. This season seems to especially be following that mori-girl style princess - the lost-in-the-snow-with-satin-ribbons feel.

Feel and quality are prominent this year - both Innocent World and Victorian Maiden have added angora to their wool coats. Even for classical brands, their styles are very much geared toward the mori and dolly crowds - there are no all-over bunny prints this year. A mature and mysterious black gobelin with fur will appeal perfectly to the dolly-kei crowd, perhaps with some slightly gothic little red boots and lacy tights.

Innocent World keeps its even keel of looking both innocent and elegant with this year's winter style. For those who have to venture into the real world, they offer a classy double button design in the Rose and Little Bird coat, which can be purchased with a matching romantic cape - lined with fur and tied with a satin ribbon.

A cutesier feel is found in their Night Bear Coat series, which exchanges the usual fur for a nubbly fleece, soft and snuggly (Called by the website 'sheep boa'. Your guess is as good as mine). This coat has simpler lines than the usual corsetted-and-bell-shaped style lolita coats are designed for; perhaps for more casual wear or to cater to the mori girl crowd, who would love the tactile attraction of the fleece. This coat is also offered in S, M, and L, a sign that they may be considering their international audience for the first winter that they ship overseas.

This year's Angelic Pretty coats are heartsinkingly typical, unfortunately. They've released an applique coat, like previous years' Angel Pony, Royal Poodle, etc - this year with a fluffy white kitten (if you're a fan of the Aristocats' Marie however, this could be your year!) This kitten is also suspiciously similar to Baby the Stars Shine Bright 'Aristo Kitten'... I wonder why that is? ;) They've also included a short winterweight jacket model this year - in several prints and even one with a Wonder Cookie detail. In pervious seasons Angelic Pretty has been known to design beautiful, sumptuous coats with layers of tweedy ruffles and bows, perfect for OTT sweet and hime, but this year they seem to have dropped the ball and look more similar to BABY's usual winter style to be honest. They did do one coat I was fond of - the lilac ribbon jaquard, with scallops down the buttons - but as this is autumn/spring weight, it won't be lasting the season out.


Baby the Stars Shine Bright is, to the best of my knowledge, slow in releasing this year's coats - I haven't seen hide nor hair of them as of yet. Metamorphose, well-known for their bear-eared, fuzzy-hooded coats, has produced another comforting set of them. And a slightly more unusual style - pink, fairly minimalist with clean lines, but a sweeping boat neck of faux fur. The design doesn't appeal to me particularly, but I am sure it would look darling in some punk-meets-sweet style, perhaps covered with badges and broaches throughout the fur. Their other coats are quite secretive, considering they're up for reserve - a sketch with a few fabric samples which hint at woven wool and leopard printed fur. It will be interesting to see those coats hit the scene - and even moreso, how people will where them! Seeing a coat on a dress form is one thing - the magic and unique flair is really in the coordination and style of the wearer. There's nothing like a good street snap or photoshoot to reveal the hidden potential in an outfit or clothing item. So now matter which coat you'll donning as you face the snowy days, I'm sure your style will make it your own!



Are you up for elegance or a cozy teddy bear feel? Fur or fleece? Gobelin or tweed? Which coats are you drawn to this winter?

Labels: fashion, winter

posted by Victoria Suzanne @ 5:26 PM