STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Lilykind · Hermes

to be practical or spendthrift...winter coat question.

Becca · Kate Spade

The Mackage is to die for!

Kelly · Hermes

I love the Mackage, but I really like the the J. Crew one too, and I can't see justifying $400 if you can only wear it for two months...

rosie_the_riveter · Gucci

The Mackage is beautiful but keep in mind, how often will you wear it once you get back to LA. It is for this reason that I vote for the J Crew which is also a really nice coat.

Liz · Kenneth Cole

The Mackage is gorgeous! But seeing as how you'll only be using it for 2 months, the JCrew would be more sensible.

kittenheels · Coach

I actually do wear wool coats in LA - there are some days when you just want a tee and a coat over it...so I could see wearing it a fair amount here in the winters...but if you're a heavy sweater instead of a jacket person...maybe you'd be better off with the jcrew? The mackage is gorgeous!

HeatherLynn · Gucci

ttara123 wrote:

I love the Mackage, but I really like the the J. Crew one too, and I can't see justifying $400 if you can only wear it for two months...

I agree with this. The Mackage is beautiful, but for only 2mths it's not worth it. Sorry hun!

atlgirl · Gucci

Do you think you will always live in LA? I say this because I spent 25 years in Phoenix, and never bought a nice winter coat...never thought I'd need it. Then circumstances changed and we moved to Atlanta...and I nearly *died* the first winter here. We were pretty broke with hubby's unemployment before we moved, so I bought a $200 BR coat. I still have it, three years later, and it's my main winter coat. It was pricey for us then, and it's pretty classic, but it was what I wanted and I still am very happy with it.

If we end up back in someplace with warmer winters, I don't think I'd get rid of it...because you just never know. DH is from Colorado and we may very well end up in Denver (that's our goal) eventually. And a warm coat would definitely be needed there.

I guess I'm the lone dissenter because (I think you posted) you're making more money now, and you have a good reason to buy the coat of your dreams. Even if you go back to LA and you only wear it on trips to NY, Chicago, etc - I think you might regret buying the J Crew one. instead. I've spent this year trying to buy only things I truly love and will cherish, and I am so much happier with my wardrobe than maybe ever before.

You have a wonderful personal style and I think you should buy things that say "Lilykind". So this is my wordy way of saying get the Mackage. :)

ejc423 · Coach

If you can afford it, please get the Mackage. The J Crew one does not say "Lilykind" to me.

cahabo · Kate Spade

If you don't plan on going to cold weather places in the future after going back to L.A., then I'd get the J. Crew coat. But if you got extra money to spend...that Mackage coat is gorgeous.

sephorablue · Marc Jacobs

get the mackage. It will last you for years and years and years, ESPECIALLY because you won't be wearing it all the time... I think a gorgeous winter coat is a really good investment piece. I've found that trying to pull a bait & switch on myself always leaves me kind of hating the cheaper substitute... within reason, of course. If you were considering a $1000 coat it would be a different story. But for a difference of $200 I think it's worth it to get the one you really want.

Hermes

I voted for the Mackage. Not only will you wear it a lot right now in GA, but you'll look fashionable for many years to come when you visit family out east during the winter. I'd spend the extra money and get the one you love (it is gorgeous!)

littlebean · Kate Spade

I love the Mackage and $400 is certainly not too much to spend on a wonderful, gorgeous coat that you can wear for many years. That being said, it doesn't sound like it's worth it right now. There are probably other "investment pieces" that you could buy this year that you'd get a lot more enjoyment out of since you would be able to wear them more often. When the time comes around when you really need a great coat, you can always get one then.

wetbandit42 · Marc Jacobs

I like the Mackage! But I agree with everyone else here - if you're not going to get much use out of it, go for the J.Crew.

kmd · Kate Spade

I agree wtih atlgirl, I think you should get it.
Even if you just wear it on trips to colder places, you'll get your money's worth out of it and you'll LOVE it. I always feel like that's better than just kind of settling for something because it's cheaper.
Plus, it's so much more unique, yet still somehow classic. :) You'll have it forever.

lynnie · Chanel

Here are my thoughts-

If you want to save money- don't get the mackage, but don't get the j crew either. It doesn't seem like you're crazy about it- maybe just go to a resale/buffalo exchange type store and pick up a decent coat for like $40. I don't think $200 for two months is a bargain either.

If you can afford and will love for years to come- and KNOW you'll be using it in the future- get the mackage. I'm not crazy about that particular one though =( I have one from last season i adore- its double breasted and has a leather belt.

Vanessa · Kate Spade

I love the Mackage & think it's always good to have a fabulous coat because you never know when you will need one. I think it would be a good investment.
You might consider how many times you would need a coat (i.e. when you travel). The last two times I traveled I ended up buying a coat each time because I was not prepared.
What if you wait a couple of weeks and see if the coat goes on sale even more? I know last year Saks had fabulous deals on Mackage post-xmas. HTH!

theotherjess · Chanel

lynnie wrote:

Here are my thoughts-

If you want to save money- don't get the mackage, but don't get the j crew either. It doesn't seem like you're crazy about it- maybe just go to a resale/buffalo exchange type store and pick up a decent coat for like $40. I don't think $200 for two months is a bargain either.

If you can afford and will love for years to come- and KNOW you'll be using it in the future- get the mackage. I'm not crazy about that particular one though =( I have one from last season i adore- its double breasted and has a leather belt.

ITA.

shopaholic · Dooney & Bourke

i voted for the black mackage but i just recently purchased this coat from the gap..

its not the same as the mackage but i think its somewhat similar and a lot less expensive. its pretty good on warmth and i can dress it up and down...just a suggestion. hth!

Suasoria · Chanel

Just to add another wrinkle, I don't know if $200 for a J Crew coat is such a bargain. As I recall, J Crew was getting dinged for bad coats over on the Lucky board.

Like kittenheels, I wear some hefty coats in Los Angeles. Where I live, it's been 30-something degrees outside in the mornings, and it's cold at night too at the beaches and in the valleys. I'm a weather wimp, and maybe you're acclimated to cold, but I still think you would wear it here. Besides, if you're like everyone else who moves to L.A., after a few years of sunshine and heat and drought you will start to freeze whenever it's below 60.

And I agree with Sephorablue that a good coat is easily worth that kind of coin. If you truly don't have the money, then yes, go vintage/secondhand, maybe eBay. But frankly the JC one should be out of the question either way.

Finally, it seems that your fans here would prefer you not disappoint them by sacrificing your incredible style. I'll kick in $5 to make sure that doesn't happen. Who's with me?