I. Love. Coats.
A simple fact. I’ve been stalking the immense collection of Top Shop outerwear for a good 6 years now. I can’t get enough of funnel neck collars, deep lappels, ruched sleeves, side pockets, tweed wool blends, sculpted hoods, empire silhouettes and wooden toggles. I simply adore it all. The better the tailoring, the more I love it.
Outerwear speaks to me of a particular mood. I probably feel the same way about winter clothing that someone who longs for sandy beaches and sun dappled waters feels about bikinis and breezy sleeveless shirts. (none of which do I care much for) I, instead, long for the high, thick collars and soft scarves of fall and the tall boots and heavy cocoon-like coats of winter. I enjoy arriving at my destination to then shed my often monochromatic layers to emerge a more colorful and sometimes surprisingly dressed up person. It’s part of the fun. It could be all business or dance party tucked inside someone’s coat. And you’d never know it.
It’s also somewhat of a challenge to maintain individual style in the winter, when we mostly don the same coat and maybe switch bewtween just a few different pairs of boots every day. I enjoy the challenge. There are small details in accessory choices or highlights in stitching that I think can pop more and make a grander statement because of the lack of options and flexibility to express yourself. Suddenly a bright color in a scarf, a new oxblood colored satchel, uniquely patterned knit tights, or a sparkly pair of earings become the focal point of expression that style hinges on. I tend not to like busy patterns, so the stripped down means of expression allotted by winter wear suits me nicely.
And so finding a pretty small brand recently that has been selling to a few big name stores like Mod Cloth and Urban Outfitters and who specializes in coats and jackets made me really happy. Meet BB Dakota part of the Dakota Collective. BB Dakota has some great, cohesive style on offer. I wasn’t all that surprised to realize that the two coats I adored on different websites (Urban and Mod Cloth) were actually from the same designer. Peruse their line. It’s a mother daughter duo, which is pretty cool.
Let me tell you why I love this coat. Well, firstly, just look at it. I enjoy the flexibility of the silhouette. Form fitting versus draped. I like the variation in length, the geometric pattern, and the unusual absent collar/hood. It’s a very different sort of coat than you typically see on the street, but it’s not so unusual that it wouldn’t fit well in most wardrobes. As a big fan of grey, black and blue in my wardrobe and geometric patterns, I’m completely biased. But that aside, I think there is something classic yet new about this one. They seem to be good at that, over at Dakota Collective. I look forward to keeping up with their collections in the future, and of course, expanding my winter clothing collection in the process.
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