Coats (even made by designers) are not worth buying at this time.

[no_hypocrisy]

I had a 60% discount for coats at Lord & Taylors. I figured, hey, why not? I haven't bought a new coat in ages. All my coats are from Goodwill, etc.

Guess what? These "new" coats are not made with fabric designed to keep you warm at all. I'd describe the cloth as two-layered felt. Most have a thin lining inside. They're produced for fashion, not utility. And if you want coats with substantial protection against the elements, they cost over $600 (without the discount).

I returned home and revisited my coats. Still in good shape and far better product to keep me warm.

Not sour grapes, just common sense.

[Denninmi]

1. You have to search out the right kind.

Columbia makes a lot of nice coats with their Omniheat technology that sell in the $100-$200 range full price. Saw some at Kohl's yesterday that were on sale around $80-$100.

[hlthe2b]

2. yes... though I'm on the more outdoorsy side of jacket/coat shopping

I'm finally at the point where i've lost enough weight, even my beloved gore-tex jackets and ski (3inone)jackets are looking waay too big and sloppy, even with lots of layers underneath. Granted I've had them for several years, but they still look new.

OMG, to replace even one is going to run me $500-$600 for the same quality. I've already promised one of them to my sister or I'd try to sell them on EBAY to at least offset the price of at least one new one... So, sloppy or no, I'm keeping them another year... at least until store security teams start stopping me to see what I have under there--LOL

[ProdigalJunkMail]

3. thrift stores...

we just got all three of our young ones coats for NEXT year at Goodwill. $35 buck and a quick run to the dry cleaners and they are set with thick, down (or poly) stuff coats...

sP

[dixiegrrrrl]

5. i do miss thrift stores...

Up here, people rarely dispose of anything until it is not worth using, so thrift stores are slim pickings.

Lot of people are learning to use "good" thrift stores to buy "real" items, plus Etsy sellers have a lot of what they are calling "vintage", from the 1970's...I got "real" pyrex cups and casserole dishes that way, and "real" sheets, still in the box.

[siligut]

4. My old dress-coats are the warmest

Good thick wool and they last/are made well.