just cause I can

Please don't think that this post is going to be relevant to DS in any way. This is a reactionary post to something I see from time to time. I want you to remember I am an anonymous person to you and that a piece of advice coming from me cannot be construed as overbearing, or arrogant or meddling. It's just a friendly FYI that you could pick up anywhere else on the web.

I am the last person anyone would turn to for fashion advice. I'm a good-enough, it'll-do girl. I wear jeans everyday and my tops are usually something that a display unit in Target thrust under my nose. I am, however, aware of the power of a coat. A great coat covers up the good-enough stuff and makes everyone out in world think you are so together. I have a great collection of coats and they continually serve me so well with their instant wardrobe upgrade. This all started with a March trip to Macy's that had huge markdowns on coats and the further 15% discount if you used your card. I walked out with over $600. worth of outerwear in a long wardrobe bag. I paid less than $150. A retro styled cream wool walking coat, an elegant black Calvin Klein waist coat too. Then the thrill of getting them home and trying them on again while you linger at the hall mirror, front, then the back, around to the front again, hand in the pocket with your head tilted just-so...wait, your hand won't go into the pocket...smooth the flap back down and admire further. I know you all think that is a dreamy scenario, because every lady likes a new coat.



Now here is the kicker. If you want your purchase to be successful in making you look fab-u-lous, even when underneath you are 1 step away from pyjamas, there is something very important you need to do. I was reminded of this today, when I saw a lady who was wearing a lovely wool coat and she had the chin-up attitude going on (because that kind of coat makes you feel so good and regal-like and therefore you have a few extra degrees of elevation with the head) and she had the big bag over the arm and her wrist was bent back in that jaunty feminine way. Yeah, a good coat can do that. I caught up closer to her and then her look went right off the track. Woops.

Here is the where the advice comes in.

Here is a nice wool coat. Notice the slit in the back? That's a vent. Vents are good things because they a) allow your legs to make nice long strides and b) allow the coat more movement and a coat with some movement is good as it draws attention away from your hips. That is my personal favorite part. When you purchase a lovely, quality coat, that vent comes stitched shut at the bottom. The reason for that is a matter of preserving the lovely line of the coat. During shipping it would be tragic if one of those panels got folded into a semi-permanent, upward crease and there it would be hanging in the store with an odd bend that would be reminiscent of the Wizard of Oz's curled up coats tails. You may also notice that the pockets are basted shut as well. That is also in the interest of keeping things all in place during shipment. Not snipping the tacking threads at the back of the coat makes for an awkward, stunted swing to the coat and that certainly won't do when you are wanting fab-u-lousness. A small pair of manicure scissors, little darning scissors from the sewing box you inherited from your grandmother is what you use here. Snip those threads and let your coat become the wardrobe lifter it was meant to be!

I hope you are all making a mental note to put that on your to-do list. The next time you wear your lovely coat out, with it's now liberated vent, you will feel like a different person. You'll walk a little taller and you may just tilt your wrist in a jaunty way. Yeah, a coat can do that.